Photos: Ed
Kelly Clark has had a killer season by anyone’s standards. Not only has she won something like eight halfpipe comps on the trot (surely a record?) she recently claimed her fifth US Open Halfpipe title in Vermont, won the Burton Global Open Series and drove away in a brand new Mini. Oh, and earlier this season she became the first woman ever to land a 1080 in the pipe in competition. Not bad eh? Now, just to top it all off, she’s won her second X Games gold of the season by claiming the women’s halfpipe title in the European X Games in Tignes, France.

Kelly’s clean first run, which included one of those 10s, was more than any of her competitors could match – meaning that although she duffed up her second, by the time she dropped for the third time, the medal was already hers. While Clark’s ridiculous run of form made her the favourite going into the event, it wasn’t like she didn’t face serious competition. Hannah Teter, another American Olympic Gold medallist, finished second, and Spain’s Queralt Castellet rode strongly to take the bronze. A special mention is also due to Kjersti Buaas, who once again proved she’s pretty much the steeziest woman rider ever to drop into a pipe. Unfortunately, despite landing her run, she only managed to finish down in fifth place. Still, she looks good in the photos – which is something eh?

X GAMES EUROPE 2011
WOMEN’S HALFPIPE RESULTS
1. Kelly Clark
2. Hannah Teter
3. Queralt Castellet
4. Kaitlyn Farrington
5. Kjersti Oestgaard Buaas
6. Sophie Rodriguez
7. Elena Hight
8. Soko Yamaoka
9. Ellery Hollingsworth
10. Ursina Haller
11. Kelly Marren
12. Gretchen Bleiler