Welcome to Whitelines‘ live blog of the 2014 Winter Olympics womens slopestyle qualification in Sochi. We’ll be kicking off at 10am GMT on Thursday 6th February, commenting on all the action as it happens.
Here’s how slopestyle qualification works:
- The 23 female riders have been divided into two heats.
- The 8 highest-scoring riders (4 from each heat) will advance straight to Sunday’s final.
- The rest of the field will duke it out in the semi-finals (held earlier on Sunday), and the 4 highest scorers will be added to the final.
- No-one will actually be eliminated at this stage, but there’s still a lot to play for – everyone wants to bag their place in the final, otherwise they’ll have to land a world-class run in the semis.
Watch the coverage on the BBC Red Button, or on BBC Online. Get involved by leaving comments, or by hitting us up on Twitter (@whitelinesmag) or Facebook using the hashtag #BackTheBrits.
Here’s the plain text version of our Sochi 2014 women’s slopestyle live blog. For the full experience (including tweets, instagrams etc.) read it in the widget above.
9:49
Duthie:
Welcome to the women’s slopesyle qualifiers. First to drop will be UK veteran competitor Jenny Jones – only 10 minutes to go…
9:51
Sam:
Yeah Jenny!
9:53
Sam:
Thrilling footage of a milling crowd going on…
9:53
TeamGBFans@GoodLuckTeamGB
In less than 10 mins @jennyjonessnow @aimee_fuller will be in action #GoTeamGB#SlopeStyle #Sochi2014
9:53
Sam:
This. Is. Snowboarding.
9:54
PowderBeds@Powderbeds
Jamie Nicholls goes straight through to the finals of the Men’s Snowboarding slopestyle!!! @TeamGB #Sochi2014 pic.twitter.com/DgjtKOLXMd
9:54 laurasaxonjones
So my mum is a superstar in HollyWood!? ⭐️ #walkoffame #star #mom #secretlife #JennyJones @jenjones8
9:55
Ed Leigh@SnowEdLeigh
Thanks for all the props this morning @Tim_Warwood is killing it. Women up in ten. Worried I might blub if @jennyjonessnow does well.
9:55
Duthie:
Us too Ed, us too.
9:55 Josh Fuller
My sister #aimeefuller #proud #olympics #snowboard
9:56 Michelle Svensson
Äntligen lite bra underhållning på tvn i sjukstugan! #hejasilje #hejasven #hejaniklas #os #slopestyle #sochi2014
Sam:
Please send us pictures of how you’re watching the event. They’re thrilling…
9:56
Duthie:
The commentators are back, the toilet breaks have been had… it’s time for more slopestyle…
9:59 Kara
#wcw @siljenorendal #womenssnowboarding #snowboarder #silje #norway
9:59
Duthie:
Top four predicton from heat 1: Jenny Jones, Aime Fuller, Isabel Derungs, Spencer O’Brien.
10:00
Duthie:
Jenny dropping!
10:00
Sam:
Jenny Jones is on course!
10:01
Duthie:
Solid, down-the-gears run from Jenny. Cab 5, back 3, front 3 and a relatively safe rail run. Great start!
10:01
Duthie:
74.25, not too bad. She’ll be looking to improve on that, but it’s a great marker to put down.
10:02
Sam:
Kjerti Buass, first of the Nords ready to drop.
10:02
Sam:
50 50 50 50
10:03
Ed:
Cheeky method off the knuckle there. Go on Kjersti…
10:03
Ed:
An under-rotated 180 tho – might be a first?
10:03
Sam:
Not too much there from Kjersti, not seeming to like the airtime on the jumps. Better luck next time.
10:04
Duthie:
Now it’s the turn of Sina Candrian from Switzerland.
10:04
Sam:
Apologies for our editor, he’s been up for quite a while now…
10:05
Duthie:
5050s on the rails, but with a bit of flair including a nosegrab-tailgrab off. Sketchy 360 on the second jump but a big 7 on the last one, just not quite stomped. Just a 58.25, but she looks stoked!
10:06
Sam:
Spencer O’Brien dropping, one of the medal (and Duthie’s) favourites
10:07
Sam:
Super smooth sw back 5, front 3 and a wayward back 5 – solid kicker run just a shame about the slightly easy rail run
10:07
Sam:
82.75! New leader.
10:07
Duthie:
Isabel Derungs has had a few great results recently, so she’s on a hot streak. The Swiss miss is dropping in…
10:09
Duthie:
Decent rails, then absolutely STOMPS a backside rodeo on the last hit after a couple of 5s and 3s. Will the judges like it?
10:09
Ed:
This ain’t Isabel’s first rodeo…
10:10
Sam:
Christy Prior! My favourite for the gold…
10:10 Comment From Joe Cavanagh
It’s the nose grab on the rodeo that just does it for me…
10:10
Sam:
Watch out for a rad rail run coming up
10:11
Sam:
Switch off the cannon, cab underflip, backie then a back 5 on the last jump
10:12
Sam:
Hitting the smaller jumps though so will be interesting to see how the judges will score it… 67.5!
10:12
Duthie:
It’s time for the second Brit, Aimee “don’t call me Sage” Fuller. Go on Aimee!!
10:12
Sam:
Sage advice there Duthie
10:14
Sam:
Matching Sage Kotsenburg AGAIN with that mid-run carve three
10:14
Duthie:
Woah! The cab underflip wasn’t bad, and she somehow survived a 360 revert after the backflip! Without the speed for the last hit, she straight-aired with the hands heading the head. A 44.50, but 100.00 for entertainment value!
10:14
Ed:
The crowd loved that run but we suspect the judges won’t be as keen. Plenty of inverts but hangin on in places. She’ll be feeling confident for run 2 though.
10:14
Duthie:
And there was the wave the camera before dropping – loving Aimee’s attitude.
10:15
Ed:
Double claim too. Fuck it, you’re at the Olympics!
10:15
Sam:
Front 3, back 5 and a cab 5 from Enni…
10:15
Clo@satansasscrack
Aimee Fuller killed it
10:15
BBC Sport@BBCSport
Jenny Jones manages a score of 74.25 in a solid opening run at the women’s snowboard slopestyle qualifiers. Aimee Fuller still to go.
10:15
Whitelines@whitelinesmag
Haha MASSIVE cheer for @aimee_fuller from the Russian crowd here. Everybody loves a backflip! #backthebrits
10:16
Skyler Wilder@NorthWestWilder
Haha @AimeeFuller is having fun! The Ol’ air hump on the last jump! #slopestyle#sochi2014 look out for a double backflip from her!
10:16
Paul@BroccClothing
@aimee_fuller with lovely laid out flip looking like having more fun than anyone else – 44.50 #Sochi2014 #snowboarding #slopestyle @TeamGB
10:16
Gem Atkinson@gematkinson
Aimee fuller just F-L-E-W! amazing run!!!!
10:16
Kingofthec@K1ngOfTheC
Great run from Aimee Fuller!
10:16
Sam:
…scoring a 79 for the Fin. Third place!
10:16
Duthie:
It’s Antipodeans all the way from here on in. Stefi Luxton is the second of FOUR Kiwis in this heat, with Torah still to come as well.
10:16
Gareth Vogan@GarethVogan
So glad we have @Tim_Warwood and @SnowEdLeigh commentating at the Olympics…so much better than the morons at the @XGames …#BackTheBrits
10:17 Comment From Joe Cavanagh
All off the smaller kickers though…
10:17
Duthie:
Fiddy fiddys, then a little 180. Her spins are good, but she’s going off the smaller kickers so that’ll hurt her.
10:18
Sam:
Kiwis all hitting the smaller jumps so far
10:18
Duthie:
59.75, 6th place for now.
10:18
Lauren Williams@laurenameliaw
GO AIMEE!!! #TeamGB #slopestyle #snowboarding
10:18
Maxence Parrot@MaxParrot
Got 1st in the Olympic Qualis!! Scored a 97.5!! So stoked!! pic.twitter.com/3JpxTK7ElH
10:19
Nick Hope@NickHopeBBC
44.50 for GB slopestyler Aimee Fuller, some impressive moves but she’s capable of better & has a 2nd run to prove that #sochi2014
10:20
Sam:
Rebecca Tor now, ‘The Possum.’ Gap 5050, 5050-backlip, 5050 tail grab, back 3, front 3 and a back 7, the second of the day
10:20 Rikke Torset Søraa
OL; gjør skoledagen bedre #OL #skole #idefagskolen #chill #snowboard #slopestyle #fun #glede
10:20
Duthie:
Here’s Torah Bright.This is one of three events she’s down for, alongside halfpipe and snowboard cross. Spreading herself thin, perhaps, but she’s got the skills to do well. Maybe she can add slopestyle gold to her Vancouver halfpipe title?
10:21
Ed:
Tim Warwood on Torah: “She has a smile that could bring about world peace.”
10:22
Ed:
And the shimmy to finish, Strictly style…
10:22
Duthie:
Easily the best rail routine yet. Cab 5, back 3, front 3 to finish so a decent kicker section too. Score is…
10:23
Sam:
Torah Bright has only got one giant tooth?
10:23
Duthie:
85.25, top score so far for Torah! And Ed Leigh thinks she can step it up too.
10:23
Duthie:
Torah wearing a gum shield – her teeth are probably insured for $1 million…
10:23 Ed
And there’s that smile…
10:24
Sam:
Shelly Gotlieb, the 4th Kiwi dropping, awesome creeper hit and a sweet front board, shame about the hit off the cannon as that was the best women’s rail run so far
10:25
Ed:
Don’t worry Shelly, you’ve Got-lieb this…
10:25
Duthie:
Lieb it out Ed…
10:25
Tom Robinson@tom_robbo40
#BackTheBrits
10:25
Whitelines@whitelinesmag
Lovely run from @TorahBright. So stylish! No crowd pleaser but a deserved 1st place IMO… instagram.com/p/kEjhqcsqxD/
10:26
Skyler Wilder@NorthWestWilder
Defending #Olympics halfpipe gold medalist bringing her skills to the #slopestylecourse & her lofty 540 took her to the top spot 85.25
10:26
Duthie:
So far we’ve only seen two 720s. Jenny’s about to drop again though, will we see another?
10:26
Ed:
COME ON JENNY!!!!!
10:27
Sam:
Stupid cannon rail…
10:27
Duthie:
Aargh, she didn’t quite come off the cannon properly and washed out. She’ll do no better than 5th, so it’s the semis for Jenny.
10:27 whitelinesmag
The slopestyle arena for #sochi2014 not a bad backdrop eh? #backthebrits
10:28
Duthie:
She’ll be disappointed, but there’s a big smile from her at the bottom – Jenny’s rad.
10:28
Sam:
Kjersti Buaas-ing her way down the course
10:28 Ed
10:29
Ed:
Oooooft. Nastiest stack of the day there for Kjersti.
10:29
Sam:
Horrendous back 180 gone wrong, far too deep. Hope she’s OK
10:30
Duthie:
Ouch ouch ouch. Such a shame, was looking great before it all went pear-shaped.
10:30
Sam:
But at least she’s up! Horrible crash, all the best Kjersti
10:30
Duthie:
This is Kjersti’s FOURTH Olympics – she rode pipe in Vancouver, Turin and Salt Lake City.
10:30 Ed
She ladned so deep there, right on her face. But thankfully she’s up.
10:31
Sam:
Finally the medics arrive
10:31
Duthie:
Kind of amazing that it took this long for a big crash.
10:31
Ed:
Her left arm took a lot of the impact, hope it’s OK.
10:31
Sam:
Still scored higher than her first run, thanks judges…
10:32
toddrichards@btoddrichards
Kjersti is tough as nails. That slam was so heavy !
10:32
Jussi Karttunen@Garttuso
do they have any medics in #sochi? #slopestyle #buaas #Unbelievable
10:32
Whitelines@whitelinesmag
Collective gasp from the crowd when Kjersti went down there. Ouch! Good to see the Norwegian fans looking stoked to be on TV though!
10:32
max futcher@MaxFutcher
@TorahBright selfie for a fan after grabbing no. 1 rank in first jump. #SochiOnTen#slopestyle pic.twitter.com/Bpg7Sz3UqB
10:33
Laura Lambert@LauraLambert8
Gutting for jenny jones landing badly off the canon…hugging her board in disappointment at the bottom, Saturday SF it is #slopestyle
10:33
Duthie:
The semi isn’t til Sunday – let’s hope Ms. Buaas has enough time to recover before then.
10:33
Duthie:
We’re back underway, Sina Candrian dropping again.
10:34
Ed:
TWEAK!
10:35
Duthie:
Didn’t quite lock on to the rails as well as she’d like, but her kicker game has improved – he said, before Sina whacked the knuckle on a 720.
10:35
Duthie:
lovely slo-mo of that tweaked out 360, good job Sochi camera crew.
10:35
Sam:
BBC playing ‘Ring of Fire’ just after Sina’s butt-check on the knuckle…
10:35 Ed
10:36
Sam:
Spencer OB dropping!
10:37
Sam:
Nice back 180 off the cannon, sw b540, front 7 off the toes then a back 5, nice work from the Canadian
10:37
Sam:
65, probably for the wash out on the last jump. Still second and still in the finals though
10:38
Duthie:
‘Is’ Ms. Derungs going to improve of her first run score?
10:38
Sam:
Off De-Rails
10:38
Hilary Evans@OlympicStatman
#Sochi2014 #TeamGB Jenny Jones 74.3 well done on the 87 she scored at the 1st WC of the season. That would have put in 1st.
10:39
Duthie:
Hold on through the rails despite a close call on the uprail, then switch back 5, back 7 and another backside rodeo!
10:39
Duthie:
The judges give her a 87.5 – she’s the new leader!
10:40
Duthie:
she’s climbed Derungs of the ladder
10:40
Sam:
Come on Christy, get your rail game out!
10:42
Sam:
Nice back 180 and sw back 180s in the rail section, cab underflip then what looked like an aborted double backflip on the second, she wants this result!
10:42 Ed
Christy Prior – nicely tweaked on the back 1 melon.
10:42
Duthie:
Aimee is Fuller beans and dropping for her final qualifying run – tongue out, looking stoked. do it!!
10:42
Sam:
What did she score? … 70.5!
10:43
Ed:
Come on, lucky number 7!
10:44
Duthie:
Ah snap, she sketches out on her trademark laid-out backie after a cab underflip. However, she’s grinning from ear-to-ear and even stomped a front flip off the knuckle. So technically she went upside down off all 3 jumps. Aimee in the semis.
10:45 Ed
Two runs, four claimed fists. No question who’s having the most fun in this event.
10:45
Sam:
Enni Rukajarvi again now, gap 5-0, 5050 to melon, and then the most savage knuckle-hit so far!
10:45
Duthie:
Ed Leigh suggesting that there’s no room for speed checks on this course. He’s probably right.
10:45
Skyler Wilder@NorthWestWilder
Yikes, that bounce off the knuckle looked a little rough but @ennirukajarvi rode it off like it was nothing #slopestyle #Sochi2014
10:46
Quentin Siffert@SPICER4NGER
@aimee_fuller is defo my fav! So spontaneous and funny + she has the raddest style! Love U hihi #jortbf #slopestyle #sochi2014
10:47
Duthie:
It must be the BBC if Ed’s calling that rail “the donkey’s appendage”
10:47
Telegraph Sport@TelegraphSport
Britain’s Billy Morgan ‘stoked’ to be first competitior to kick-off Winter Games#Sochi2014 fw.to/Kzb2akT
Ed:
Stoked? What is this word ‘stoked’?
10:47
Sam:
Looks like the course could be slowing down in the heat?
10:48
Duthie:
Stefi Luxton off the smaller tees again, that’s definitely going to cost her.
10:48
Duthie:
8th place for Stefi.
10:48
Nathan Charlesworth@natescw
@Aimee fuller knuckle front, best I’ve seen today
10:48
Helen Bell@helsbels1272
Loving @SnowEdLeigh describing the “donkey’s appendage” on the BBC. Lovely euphemism for family viewing! #Sochi2014 #slopestyle
10:48 Comment From Mike
Glad to see there’s some classic Duthie pun-ishement going down on this feed.
10:49
Sam:
Rebecca Torr dropping, nice backlip and a double tail grab!
10:49 Simon Jensen
Lækker morgenmad og dobbelt op på slope! #foodporn#ol#slopestyle#dobbeltop#shaunwhiteerenpussy
Sam:
Liking these Skandi shots of food and laptops…
10:50
Duthie:
Torah will be looking to get back on top after Isabel Derungs knocked her down. She’s safe for a finals place though, so maybe she’ll be mellow.
10:50
Sam:
Torr twerking! She gets a 33.75 for her efforts.
10:52
Duthie:
The switch back 1 is super smooth, and she follows it up with a back 3 and front 3. More than enough to put the fear into the Siljes and Jamies. And the score is 80.00, so she’ll stay in 2nd.
10:53 Ed
There’s that tweaked front 3…
10:53 Jack Gahlman
#wcw my future wife! #silje
Sam:
Silje is coming…
10:54
June partington@junoski_on
Well tried Aimee fuller good practice for semis go get em
10:54
Rameez Quadri@RameezSQuadri
Aimee Fuller is badass!
10:54
Duthie:
Quick tip for anyone who’s watching this on TV – call up your friend who’s watching the delayed feed on BBC iPlayer and annoy them with your ‘Futurespeak’
10:55
Sam:
Gotlieb, Duthie’s old boss, gets a 30.75 down to her rail run
10:55
Lee Golding@Goldwig79
If Torah Bright doesn’t win this event, I’ll eat my snow hat #slopestyle
10:56 Ed
And here are the results.
10:56
Sam:
Best trick? Derungs’ back rodeo on the last jump for me.
10:57
Duthie:
It’s a shame for Jenny; on her day she can do a run that’s easily good enough for a top 4. She’s one of the better semi-finalists, though, so fingers crossed she gets through Sunday morning without a hitch.
10:58
Ed:
Yep it’s all about that rodeo.
10:59
Charli Brunning@CharliBrunning
#TorahBright is INSANE!!! #Sochi2014 #Slopestyle #Aus
10:59
Richard@Richard_Abram
Just had to re-watch Amiee Fuller’s cheeky slopestyle #BackTheBrits it’s flipping great.. :-p
10:59
Duthie:
The next heat will feature the two favourites, USA’s Jamie Anderson and Norway’s Silje Norendal. Then there’s Anna Gasser, Sarka Pancochova, Cheryl Maas.. the list goes on.
11:02
Duthie:
Men’s highlights back on the Red Button – another chance to see Billy Morgan’s triple, and the run that put Jamie Nicholls into the final.
11:04
Duthie:
Jamie handles the short transition between rails with such ease – you can thank British snow domes for that.
11:04 Comment From Guest
Torah Bright, taking flight
Duthie:
She’s not shite.
11:08 Comment From Guest
in fact, she is a bit of alright.
11:08 Comment From Guest
Alright? – a poem, by Guest
11:10
Duthie:
Here’s the order for the next heat:
Ty Walker
Anna Gasser
Silje Norendal
Jenna Blasman
Sarka Pancochova
Jamie Anderson
Cheryl Maas
Elena Koenz
Merika Enne
Karly Shorr
Jessika Jenson
11:12
toddrichards@btoddrichards
Donkey appendage ? That is the best thing ever
11:14
Duthie:
Ed Leigh getting some love from his American counterpart there. We’re loving the commentary so far – just waiting for a dessert reference.
11:17
Duthie:
Today’s highest male scorer Max Parrot has apologised on Twitter for what he said yesterday: http://whitelines.com/news/shaun-white-out-of-olympic-slopestyle-riders-react-on-twitter.html
11:17
Duthie:
He’s said: “I’m sorry if I offence anybody. I just meant that it’s not as fun to compete at the Olympics when the riders underlights aren’t there.”
11:18 Comment From Guesty
Jamie Nicholls referred to as Jaime Nicholls by BBC – http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/winter-olympics/26063907 – didn’t think the French were that keen on Brits!
11:19
Proslope@proslope
Well that was a tense morning – well done Jamie Nicholls, Billy Morgan, Jenny Jones and Aimee Fuller!!!
11:20
Comment From Andre Te
when will heat 2 start?
Duthie:
Must be soon – probably 11.30am or thereabouts.
11:23
Duthie:
Calling Anna Gasser, Jamie Anderson, Silje Norendal and… Sarka Pancochova to qualify automatically. Anyone else prepared to venture a guess?
11:24 Swiss Snowboard Freestyle Team
BOOM! @isabelderungs wins qualification heat 1 and is straight in the finals! #olympic #slopestyle #sochi2014
11:25
Duthie:
Looks like Heat 2 will begin at 11.55am, 30 mins from now.
11:26 natgrasso
#sochi2014 hasn’t technically been opened yet and @torahbright is already ripping it up! Keep on making Australia proud! #snowboarding #slopestyle #final #olympics #snow #sochi
11:27
Jamie Nicholls@jamienichollsuk Retweeted by Whitelines
Dream came true! Can’t believe I made finals at the #olympics !! great to hang with a good buddy! @Jonathan_Weaver pic.twitter.com/6Hs3ixnzGs
11:27
Shaun White@shaun_white
@jamienichollsuk yeah man! So pumped for you!
11:28
Ed:
Shaun lovin’ our Jamie it seems.
11:28
Équipe olympique CAN@OlympiqueCanada
.@spencerobrien se qualifie pour la finale #slopestyle le 9 février. #noussommeslhiverpic.twitter.com/tUfjJGZZU1
11:28
Whitelines@whitelinesmag
@SnowEdLeigh Can you get a dessert reference into the next heat for us please?#BackTheBrits #Sochi2014 #Olympics
11:31
Duthie:
Watch the highlight loop on the Red Button with caution – lots of sightings of Tristan Kennedy, Whitelines’ man on the ground, having a blast in the stands.
11:36
Whitelines@whitelinesmag
Sochi 2014, Women’s Slopestyle Report, Jenny Jones rips but just misses out on first finals spots bit.ly/LSSg06 #snowboard
11:36 Dead Gent Clothing
Massive fan of Jamie Nicholl’s and Billy Morgan – 100% hope everyone gets behind Jamie in the FINAL! #sochi #jamienicholls #snowboarding #TeamGB
11:36
Shaun White@shaun_white
This is how I woke Bud up pic.twitter.com/ZGmJ921Y7V
11:37
Ed:
That’s not right…
11:37
Duthie:
He’s probably used to it by now.
11:38
Duthie:
“Hey Bud, do you want to eat this banana?”
“It’s up to you man”
11:40
Sam:
The second heat of the women’s slopestyle qualifiers gets under way in 20 minutes! My predictions for top four seeing as experience seemed to be key in the last heat:
Silje Nordenhal
Jamie Anderson
Cheryl Maas
Sarka Pancochova
11:42
Nick Hope@NickHopeBBC
“I’m pretty sure if there are no major issues Jenny [Jones] will be contending for the medals on Sunday,” says @SnowEdLeigh to @bbc5live
11:42
Aron Howell@AronHowell
Working hard! #Sochi #TeamGB #bringithome #Slopestyle pic.twitter.com/P9uVGPlkJJ
11:42
Duthie:
Fifteen minute warning
11:46
Ben Braddock@BenBraddock86
I feel like BBC’s snowboarding coverage is trying to burn Jenny Jones’ name & face into my brain. Not that I’m complaining.
11:46
BBC SPORT NI @BBCSPORTNI
MT @NickHopeBBC: Olympic debutant Aimee Fuller says she’s confident for semi-finals on Sunday pic.twitter.com/w1g2jJR1KK
11:47
Neil Martin@neilmartin1979
Jamie Nicholls 1400 ‘av it!!!
11:47
Jason Blevins@jasontblevins
most of the women #snowboard athletes hit the big jumps in the #Olympic debut#slopestyle @spencerobrien: “I’m so, so proud of these girls.”
11:47
Edward Bailey@Bails1803
@jamienichollsuk in the final and @billymorgan89 In the semi! Good start! Keep it up boys! #TeamGB #Slopestyle
11:49
Aimee Fuller@aimee_fuller
That was so much fun! Will get things a little cleaner, see you in the semis on Sunday!!! PUMPED. :D pic.twitter.com/uBAMPDBNhi
11:50
Diane Davies@didavies_star
Britain’s Jenny Jones at #WinterOlympics #Sochi2014 today. There are going to be some amazing pictures from the Games pic.twitter.com/Fia96BjIpB
11:50
Alice Jones@alicevjones
Terrific picture of GB snowboarder Billy Morgan on back of today’s @Independentpic.twitter.com/yPMsWKzEGJ
11:52
Duthie:
Ed and Tim are back on the commentary – any minute now…
11:52
Skyler Wilder@NorthWestWilder
@ohmyshirt – 10 mins left, then the ladies are back in #slopestyle action!
11:52
Ryan Jenkinson@ryanplaysdrums
@aimee_fuller you looked proper hyped Aimee!! Obviously lovin your time in Sochi!! You’ll slay the semi’s!!! #backthebrits
11:55
Sam:
Loving the course handler’s gay gloves, Transform eat your heart out
11:55
Duthie:
Ty Walker first to drop! And what’s she up to?
11:56
Ed:
1 point. a record?
11:57
Duthie:
She’s just running through the course without hitting anything. 1.00 is the score! Is she injured or something?
11:57
Ed:
I guess it was quite smooth.
11:57
Sam:
Turns out anyone can enter the Olympics these days and still score
11:58
Ed:
Anna Gasser! That was off. The chain.
11:58
Sam:
Anna Gasser has a sweet back 180, and a huge underflip! Oh my God!
11:58
Duthie:
Foot on the Gas for sure
11:58
Duthie:
Silje Norendal, one of the favourites, is up next…
11:58
Sam:
89.50! Best score of the day for the women!
11:58
Sam:
The gaper gap is back!
11:59 Ed
Stoked.
11:59
Duthie:
Oh dear, Silje isn’t too strong on the rails. Big front 3, but then over-rotated on a back 5.
12:00
Duthie:
Down goes the bum. She’s got a much better run in her, so this score of 31.00 will probably get eclipsed in round 2.
12:00
Sam:
Someone stick a logo in that goggle gap
12:00 Ed
Less than stoked.
12:01
Sam:
Jenna Blassman gets the Ed Leigh tutorial, shame about that straight air
12:02
Sam:
60.25 for Blasman
12:02
Duthie:
Here’s the speedy Czech, Sarka Pancochova. She was at Vancouver, finishing 14th in the halfpipe.
12:02
Sam:
Don’t get Sark-y now Duthie
12:02 Ed
Jenna givin it the horns.
12:04
Duthie:
Great stuff up the top, especially with the half cab on, back 3 off the third element. Switch backside 3, cab 5 and a big back 7 on the kickers – really steezy too.
12:04
Duthie:
77.75 – into 2nd place
12:04
toddrichards@btoddrichards
Sharky just has the best run !
12:04
Sam:
Now here goes one of the favourites to win, Jamie Anderson.
12:05
Ed:
So so good from Jamie Anderson. Different class.
12:05
Sam:
Nice boardslide, 5050 back 180, huge sw back 5, back 5 and another massive cab 5, amazing run!
12:05
Sam:
Yes Tim Warwood, squat it out!
12:06
Duthie:
Another veteran rider, Holland’s Cheryl Maas set to drop in. She got her start on dry slope.
12:06
Sam:
93.5! Well deserved, we’ll have to see what Silje can do about that…
12:07 Ed
Jamie is the only one surprised to see her in first!
12:07
Sam:
Went a bit to Maas-ive there
12:07
Duthie:
Over the Russian doll for Cheryl, but she butt-checks the 720. Good effort though!
12:07
Duthie:
18.00 – the next run will be critical for Maas.
12:08
Ed:
Cheryl sporting the rainbow unicorn gloves. Fair play.
12:09
Whitelines@whitelinesmag
Jamie ANDERSON!! Huge cheers from the large American contingent, that was SICK!!
12:09
toddrichards@btoddrichards
Sarka just had the best run I have seen in women’s slopestyle in years. She needs to hit the big side and that gold medal could be hers.
12:09
Sam:
Switch back 180, front 7 then a back 3 for Elana Koenz… Sick!
12:09
Sam:
Big score! 86.25
12:09
Duthie:
MERIKA, FUCK YEAH – Flying Finn Merika Enne dropping in now!
12:10
Duthie:
Nowt but 5050s on the rails… then misses the kickers. Not sure why.
12:10
Sam:
Interesting from Todd Richards there, if Sarka takes it to the big jumps could she grab gold?
12:11
Duthie:
Enne reason you didn’t want to go in the air?
12:11
Sam:
No falling leaf from Enne, mark her down
12:11
Ed:
Karly. Now she’s Shorr to do well…
12:11
Duthie:
17 points for that. Sounds like she picked up an injury in practice. She’ll be taking it easy before trying again on Sunday.
12:12
liam cowie@liam_cowie92
Olympics snowboarding freestyle looks amazing. #BackTheBrits
12:12
Sam:
Karly takes the close out gap to boardslide route
12:12
Buttered Frog@ButteredFrog
Let’s face it folks, we are all waiting for the crashes #slopestyle #SochiOnTen
12:13
Ed:
Ed Leigh just uped the ante in the commentary game! “Winding up all the windows on a Messerschmidt bubble car there.”
12:14
Duthie:
Last to drop for run 1 is Jessika Jenson. Pretty sure I saw her in a low-budget movie, opposite Rod Senseless.
12:15
Duthie:
Couple of front lips, and a nice cab 5 but the front 3 didn’t work out. Cue ‘hop of shame’ to get over the knuckle.
12:15
Sam:
Will be interesting to see if Ty Walker can now best her first run score… of 1.0
12:16 Ed
Karly Shorr’s car of choice…
12:17
Sam:
Here comes Ty, watch out for her sweet linked turns
12:17
Duthie:
Anna Gasser was one of the better riders in run 1, and has a cab double under flip in her bag – will she bust it out now?
12:17
Ed:
She’s cookin on Gasser…
12:18
Sam:
My bad, Ty’s obviously still struggling with the chairlift, that’s Anna Gasser
12:18
Duthie:
Wow – cab underflip, HUGE front 7 and back 3 – great run from Anna.
12:18
Duthie:
She gets a 95.5 and is the new leader!
12:18
Sam:
Silje is dropping next
12:19
Sam:
Let’s see if she can get that front 7 off the toes out
12:20
Ed:
Duthie, you have money on Silje – still confident?
12:20
Sam:
Front 3, back 5 into a sketchy sw back 5! Is the pressure too much for the youngster?
12:20
Duthie:
In Silje We Trust. Although I also had a flutter on Jenny and Aimee.
12:20
Sam:
39.00, we’ll have to see if she can make the finals on Sunday
12:21
Ed:
I had a flutter on Ty Walker.
12:21
toddrichards@btoddrichards
Seriously, I haven’t seen dope back 7 like that since Joni Malmi ! Yeah shark bait !@sarkapanc
12:21
Duthie:
Next is Jenna Glassman, maybe she’ll shatter the top score.
12:21
Ed:
Duthie – the Pun-isher!
12:22
Duthie:
She attacked the close-out rail, and broke off a big front 3. There was a good backside 360 tail grab too but the front 5 was no good. 51.50 is her score.
12:23
Sam:
Sarka dropping now, Todd Richard’s favourite
12:24
Ed:
Shades of Jacobellis there…
12:24
Duthie:
Ms. Anderson’s obviously been training hard, and not just on her Nintendo – can she improve even further on what was a brilliant first run?
12:25
Sam:
A bunch of methods and she’s still in fourth place, riding the bubble now
12:25
Duthie:
Ah, she’s foregoing her second run
12:25
Duthie:
off to find Mario and Sonic, perhaps
12:25
Ed:
Party pooper…
12:26
Sam:
Huge switch back 1 from Cheryl Maas, but she takes too much into the second jump
12:27
Duthie:
Elena Koenz dropping next.
12:28
Sam:
Beautiful star jump there
12:28
Duthie:
Another huge switch back 1, and a front 7 that was almost spot-on but just off. A shrug of the shoulders and a big star-jump off the knuckle, she’s still got a good score from run 1.
12:28 Ed
Cheryl Maas – first athlete to make a statement at the 2014 Olympics? #pride
12:29
Duthie:
No second run for Merika Enne either. Karly Schorr dropping next.
12:31
Sam:
Just Jessika Jenson to go now… top four looks pretty safe and it’s all veterans again
12:31
Duthie:
Decent run coming together from Karly. Solid rails then switch back 5, back 3 Japan(isn) boot grab, and back 1 to finish. 84.75 – she’s nicked 4th place! Bit high maybe?
12:32
Sam:
Called it too soon! The young Karly Shorr nabs the last finals spot from Sarka!
12:32
woman-up-a-little@Woman_up_
I have to say: I don’t like the outfits of the USA team. But who care? This girls are killing it! #slopestyle #Sochi2014
12:32
Adam Jacobs@Adam_Jacobs_83
Cheryl mass wearing rainbow unicorn gloves in the slopestyle. Love it. #Sochi2014#slopestyle # pride
12:33
Sam:
Can Jessika get in on the last run?
12:33
Sam:
Hand down on the penultimate jumps might say no…
12:33
Skyler Wilder@NorthWestWilder
Now we are talking! Karly Shorr gets a full pull! #slopestyle #sochi2014
12:34
Sam:
58.5 enough for 7th place.
12:34
Duthie:
And that’s a wrap for the quails. Stoked to see Jamie sail through, while Billy, Jamie and Aimee all showed they have what it takes to come through the semis.
12:35
Adele Norris@AdeleNorris
Aimee Fuller on finishing Snowboard Slopestyle 10th: “I see it as a good building block for semi-finals.” #Sochi #WomensSport
12:35
matthew barr@barrmatt
@SnowEdLeigh Sontag morgen eh? Ha ha
12:35
FACE OF ATAGUNGUN@Quiz_NAIJA
Team GB’s Jenny Jones frustrated not to “step up” in heats dlvr.it/4sd7ll
12:35
Duthie:
Just noticed that the russian doll is wearing goggles. Nice touch.
12:36
Mikey@ohmyshirt
Two Americans, Jamie Anderson and Karly Shorr, from Heat #2, go straight to the#slopestyle Final… #Sochi2014 pic.twitter.com/HsZfwRNIDk
12:37
Ed:
And just like that… it’s all over.
12:37
KOF@KOF_Clothing
Amazing how far #womens #snowboarding has come!!! #slopestyle #Olympics2014 I like it : )
12:39
Duthie:
We’ll sign off now, thanks for joining us. The full report from the women’s slopestyle qualifiers will be on whitelines.com soon, and we’ll see you again at 05:30 on Saturday 8th February for the men’s semi-finals.