[Ayumu Hirano sending it to the top of the podium. Photo: Sami Tuoriniemi]

Ayumu Hirano and Arielle Gold won Halfpipe gold at the LAAX OPEN 2016 today. The 17 year old Japanese pipe prodigy and the 19 year old American ripper were the only riders to score over 90 in their heats, claiming the top spots, gold medals and a tonne of prize money. 

Ayumu opened up with a monster crippler to japan and finished with a switch double backflip to fakie to take the top spot on his final run of the day. Ayumu had everything on lock down today and never looked like he was going to take anything less than the gold medal and a mellow $75,000.

Pat Burgener took the silver medal after putting down two consistent and super stylish runs, tweaking a tail grab so hard you could hear his bindings creaking over the sound of Henry Jackson’s commentary. Fellow Swiss rider David Habluetzel took the bronze medal, it must have been because he grabbed chicken salad, and not because of the other insanity he was throwing down. Well done to all the riders though, the pipe took a serious beat down today and it was especially sick to see some lines getting poached mid-contest!

Earlier in the morning the women’s finals got the party started under a crisp blue sky, they warmed up the pipe and started sending it straight away. Eventually the illustrious Swiss Gold was stolen by none other than Arielle Gold, who scored a massive 90.12 on her second run with a huge frontside 900 on the first wall and an even bigger cab 9 on the final hit. Torah Bright came through with a style guide to pipe riding with a rad air to fakie and a bunch of alley-oops that got us really stoked and earned her second place. Hikaru Oe took the bronze medal and got the champagne popping at the prize giving.

Check out the full results and photos below.

LAAX OPEN 2016: HALFPIPE FINALS RESULTS, JANUARY 22, 2016

Men
1 Ayumu Hirano (JPN) 91.37
2 Patrick Burgener (SUI) 88.87
3 David Habluetzel (SUI) 88.62
4 Matt Ladley (USA) 87.75
5 Louie Vito (USA) 83.75
6 Brett Esser (USA) 75.74
7 Markus Malin (FIN) 75.37
8 Aumu Nedefuji (JPN) 73.75
9 Benji Farrow (USA) 69.5
10 Christian Haller (SUI) 65.37
11 Ikkou Anai (JPN) 64.12
12 Arthur Longo (FRA) 0

Women
1 Arielle Gold (USA) 90.12
2 Torah Bright (AUS) 84.12
3 Hikaru Oe (JPN) 77.74
4 Sophie Rodriguez (FRA) 71.62
5 Mirabelle Thovex (FRA) 71.12
6 Clemence Grimal (FRA) 67.62