DEW TOUR 2023

By Troy Schieman Last updated Feb 27, 2023

Dew tour takes over Copper Mountain once again to gather the world’s best within the snowboarding and skiing communities. They’ll compete for podium spots in Superpipe, Streetstyle and MORE! Not to mention LIVE music from Mix Master Mike from the Beastie Boys on Saturday night, which is FREE.

SATURDAY

Copper Mountain, Colo. (February 25, 2023) – The 2023 Winter Dew Tour, fueled by MTN DEW®, opened up to ideal bluebird conditions and high-spirited fans at Copper Mountain, as the annual action sports competition and festival kicked off with action-packed final competitions in the Men’s Ski Superpipe, Women’s Snowboard Superpipe, and Dew Tour’s signature Streetstyle events – the Women’s Snowboard Super Streetstyle and Men’s Ski Super Streetstyle.

Superpipe Finals

The Superpipe competitions were held on Copper’s legendary halfpipe, logging in at 500’ feet long and 22 feet high.

Men’s Ski Superpipe Final

In the Men’s Ski Superpipe final, Brendan Mackay (CAN) bested his 2021 Winter Dew Tour third place finish when he clinched the win over Dew Tour champion and Olympic gold medalist David Wise (USA), followed by Crested Butte local and three-Olympian Aaron Blunck (USA).

“I think the weather today allowed for a super awesome high-level event. Everyone is skiing super well and it’s also way more fun when it’s beautiful out,” said Mackay.

Runner-up Wise said, “Honestly, I left a little on the table today. I love the fact that B-Mac (Mackay) came out and pushed me to do something new because the reality is that I hit the ceiling on my first run. I had pretty much executed that run about as well as I could do it in the conditions today, so I had to do something else. That is exciting for me and that’s why I still love this sport.”

Women’s Snowboard Superpipe Final

Three teens and Dew Tour rookies swept the podium showing that the future of halfpipe snowboarding is bright. Fresh off her X Games gold medal, South Korea’s Gaon Choi executed three flawless runs landing scores in the 90s as she quickly rose above her competitors out of the gates. Going into her final victory run, Choi had an eight-point lead over 11-year-old Patti Zhou (CHN) who was sitting in second place. The 14-year-old style maven spun both sides, throwing switch backside 900s and stomped a frontside 1080 in her third run, which landed her a high score of 98.33.

Crowd favorite and Copper Mountain athlete Zhou, who earned the title of being the youngest competitor in Winter Dew Tour history, thanked the crowd, the event, her team, younger sister and friends who made up her cheering section deemed the “The Patti Party,” with their enthusiastic cheering heard throughout the venue. Bea Kim of Palos Verdes, Calif. took third in her first ever Dew Tour.

In between the first and second heat, Boarding for Breast Cancer founders (B4BC) and former pro snowboarders Tina Basich and Shannon Dunn-Downing took a forerun down the pipe, sporting signature B4BC pink capes to support and remember those fighting breast cancer.

Super Streetstyle Final

Dew Tour’s signature Streetstyle event showcased an exciting uplift for 2023 under the night lights. With the course doubling in size, this year’s competition is more appropriately renamed Super Streetstyle. The course, now approximately 450 feet long and nearly double in size from last year, includes four unique features all with varying elements including rails, poles, a quarter pipe, multiple transfers and more. Three rounds of head-to-head jam sessions resulted in a three-athlete finals competition in a two runs combined format.

Women’s Snowboard Super Streetstyle Final

The Women’s final featured the most technical street riders demonstrating commitment to speed, confidently attacking the rails with finesse in linking tricks. In a nail-biting competition, they brought their most impressive bag of tricks in a style showdown that took place from sunset to the evening. In the end, the night belonged to Dew Tour champion Lex Hernandez-Roland of Bloomington Minn. who executed their lines with high speed, technical switchback 50 combo, clean landings and effortless style to seal the win.

“I’m feeling really good,” said Hernandez-Roland. “I had so much fun. I’m so impressed with the level of riding from the ladies. I couldn’t dream up the level that they put it down. I’m just so proud with the level of progression right now so thank you!”

Local Denver native Egan Wint brought the spice to her home turf, delivering big power moves, hooting and hollering, and having a good time, all while sporting a pink cast on her wrist. Maria Thomsen (DEN) took third.

The “Papa John’s Flip It Award” was awarded to Jaylen Hanson (USA) by Dew Tour judges for the best flip trick to claim a $2500 cash prize, with a Front Board Pretzel.

Concert: Mix Master Mike

In between the Super Streetstyle events, Grammy Award winner Mix Master Mike of the Beastie Boys who rose to hip hop fame as the band’s DJ for more than 30 years entertained with a 60-minute set. A snowboarder himself, Mix Master Mike has performed at many winter sporting events including the Vancouver Olympics.

Men’s Ski Super Streetstyle Final

The day concluded with the Men’s Ski Super Streetstyle final in front of an electric crowd pumped up from the musical performance. The stacked field of competitors impressed fans showing off clean, stylish tricks all evening, connecting difficult rail combinations and dialed technical prowess. Colby Stevenson (USA) was the standout showing he was there to win with a final score of 92.66. Tucker Fitzsimons (USA) and Alex Hall (USA) took home second and third, respectively.

“Tonight’s event was awesome! I thought it was a creative format, definitely challenging,” said Stevenson. “It was fun to have to do two different runs in the second heat and have to use the brain and exercise its creative side. I want to see more events like this in new formats!”

The “Papa Johns Flip It Award ” was awarded to Edouard Therriault (CAN) by Dew Tour judges for the best flip trick to clinch the $2,500 cash prize. Therriault hit the top of the shipping container and down the rail with a crowd pleasing Wallride Rodeo 540, took a bow and continued to showboat at the bottom with his fans.

Final Results

Men’s Ski Superpipe Final

Brendan Mackay (CAN) – 93.00
David Wise (USA) – 87.00
Aaron Blunck (USA) – 84.00

Women’s Snowboard Superpipe Final

Gaon Choi (KOR) – 98.33
Patti Zhou (CHN) – 90.66
Bea Kim (USA) – 80.00

Women’s Snowboard Super Streetstyle Final

Alexis Hernandez-Roland (USA) – 82.33
Egan Wint (USA) – 75.66
Maria Thomsen (DEN) – 64.00

Papa Johns Flip It Award: Jaylen Hansen (USA) – Front Board Pretzel

Men’s Ski Super Streetstyle Final

Colby Stevenson (USA) – 92.66
Tucker Fitzsimons (USA) – 89.33
Alex Hall (USA) – 70.00

Papa John’s Flip It Award: Edouard Therriault (CAN) – Wallride Rodeo 540

SUNDAY

Copper Mountain, Colo. (February 26, 2023) – The final day of the 2023 Winter Dew Tour, fueled by MTN DEW® featured the Men’s Snowboard Superpipe Final, Men’s & Women’s Ski and Snowboard Superpipe High Air & Best Trick Jam Presented by the U.S. Air Force, the Women’s Ski Streetstyle and Men’s Snowboard Super Streetstyle competitions.

Men’s Snowboard Superpipe Final

The Superpipe competition was held on Copper’s legendary halfpipe, logging in at 500’ feet long and 22 feet high. This year’s Dew Tour featured the best score of four runs, making room for style, amplitude and progression. Today’s competition showed why the superpipe is still one of the most exciting competitions to watch, with high drama ensuing from start to finish.

Superpipe icon Ayumu Hirano (JPN) and expert Taylor Gold (USA) found themselves in unfamiliar territory at the bottom rankings as Hirano was uncharacteristically unable to land his first two runs and Gold unable to land his first three. Hirano, known for executing difficult tricks with ease as much as he is for his dreads and sleepy, effortless style, jumped from last position into first with a showstopping performance in Run Three. In his last run, he laid down a flawless routine that included a pair of 1440s, slob grab crippler full extension, back 9, straight into frontside grab inverted 1260 to earn a score of 96.66. Gold then came back from last position into second in his last run.

Raibu Katayama (JPN) set the bar high in his first run and finished third. When asked to comment on Hirano’s run at the bottom of the pipe, he replied, “THAT. WAS. CRAZY.”

Men’s & Women’s Ski and Snowboard Superpipe High Air & Best Trick Jam Presented by the United States Air Force

A new event to the Winter Dew Tour was the Men’s & Women’s Ski and Snowboard Superpipe High Air & Best Trick Jam Presented by the U.S. Air Force. With the high pressure of a typical Superpipe competition behind them, the 60-minute event was a fun, showboating jam session where competitors from four different fields coming together in one event. Competitors cheered one another on and focused only on the goal of having fun, to boost as much air as possible and show off their best style to earn cash and wow the crowd.

Hunter Hess (USA) won the High Air ski portion with 14’ 5”, Ayumu Hirano (JPN) took down his snowboard competition with 22’ 8” air, and skier Aaron Blunck (USA) won for “Best Drip” with a huge grind along the top of the pipe. Fresh off her second-place win in the Superpipe yesterday, crowd favorite 11-year-old Patti Zhou (CHN) won for having the Best Time. Hirano also took home the MVP award.

“It was epic to ride with all my buddies today. I loved having a jam format for a halfpipe contest. I wish the weather was better, but I enjoyed the jam and hope to do it again next year! Thank you, Dew Tour!” said Hess. “I loved mixing guy/girls/snowboard/ski. We’re all able to feed off each other and get inspired and we all loved watching Ayumu boost. It definitely changed the feel at the top. I hope we can do it again.”

Super Streetstyle Final

Dew Tour’s signature Streetstyle event showcased an exciting uplift for 2023 under the night sky and lights. This year’s competition is more appropriately renamed Super Streetstyle because the course, now approximately 450 feet long and nearly double in size from last year, includes four unique features all with varying elements including rails, poles, a quarterpipe, multiple transfers and more. Three rounds of head-to-head jam sessions resulted in a three-athlete finals competition in a two runs combined format.

Women’s Ski Super Streetstyle Final

As the field narrowed down to three women in the final, those who didn’t advance seamlessly became cheerleaders for those who did. Retired from competition since 2017, Lisa Zimmerman (GBR) showed no sign of a break as she easily claimed the top spot in the women’s final. From the very first rail to the final, Zimmerman landed two dominant scores in the 90s that left her opponents trailing by almost 20 points, with a solid variation of tricks that upped difficulty and technicality, while maintaining speed from top to bottom in front of cowbell-loving fans.

“The vibe out there is awesome. The girls were celebrating each other, the whole thing was just nice,” said a surprised Zimmerman when she learned that she had won. “I had stopped competing in 2017 and when I got an invitation from Dew Tour, all my friends said, ‘do it Lisa.’ So, I flew here for two weeks on holiday with my boyfriend to go skiing here. We had a super good time and winning the Dew Tour is topping off our whole trip.”

Marion Balsamo (USA) finished in second place and Skye Clark (CAN) took third. The “Papa John’s Flip It Award ” was awarded to Shonny Charbonneau (CAN) by Dew Tour judges for the best flip trick, a stylish front flip, earning her a $2,500 cash prize.

Men’s Snowboard Super Streetstyle Final

In the final competition of the 2023 Winter Dew Tour, energy was at an all-time high, as a lively crowd braved the snow at Copper Mountain to witness the final competition of the weekend. Highlights included 14 -year-old LJ Hernriquez (USA) eliminating multi-discipline Olympian Darcy Sharpe (CAN) in the second round and nearly making it into finals; a sunglass-donned Benny Milam (USA) jumping into second place in the last run of the final over local Evergreen, Colo. hero Dylan Alito (USA), nearly taking the lead from frontrunner Nate Haust (USA) of Truckee, Calif.

However, the night belonged to Haust who, looking relaxed, was locked in and laser focused from start to finish. Rather than taking safety runs, he mixed up his bag of tricks with precision and lit up the course with a 450 to a committed switch backside 180 to 50/50, clearing the last rail with a 270 pop out to earn him a 92.33. Haust was also awarded the Papa John’s Flip It Award for the Cab 270 on, 450 out for the $2,500 cash prize.

“On the bottom feature I did a hard-way back two, same-way two which I’ve never actually done before,” said Haust. “The Dew Tour vibes are always incredible. The spectators really bring a lot of good, positive energy. I think everyone is just stoked to be here and watch this level of snowboarding.”

For complete results and event information, go to www.DewTour.com. Stay updated at DewTour.com and on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube by following @DewTour.