The David Wise fan club.
Words & photos: Ethan Stone
“No photos!
But now they’ve got my number.
This photo of AJ Kempainnen was shot from a location unauthorized by the IOC.
“This is the fourth time we’ve caught you shooting photos,” the volunteer informs me pertly.
“You know, we’re supposed to kick you out.”
God forbid I bring it out again; I’d probably end up in the gulag.
First up: Matt Margetts.
“I could not be more stoked for Mike Riddle to get second.
I really wish Bone had landed his run, because he could have topped that podium.”
This single photo almost got me kicked out of the venue.
“It’s so close, but so far away.
I skied the best I’ve ever skied in halfpipe tonight.
Those are the best pipe runs I’ve ever done.
Although it didn’t land me on the podium, I’m really stoked on how I rode.”
Jossi in the middle of another clean, stylish run.
Fourth place ain’t nothin' to scoff at, bud.
I ask Jossi how tonight’s wintry conditions affected the riders.
“It was so slow.
The more it snowed, the worse it got,” he answers.
“It was all about landing perfectly on the transition to link your runs together.”
The slippers do their best to clear out the new-fallen snow.
Shoutouts to other riders?
“Shoutout to my boy Torin.
Real bummed that he couldn’t make finals.
He’s my favorite pipe skier to watch.
Kevin Rolland alley-oop flat 3’s his way into an Olympic bronze medal.
“The conditions tonight were really tough,” says Kevin Rolland.
“Especially for me, because I’m not that good when it’s slow.
My goal was to win, but I found someone who’s better than me.”
Mike Riddle, with his own alley-oop flat 3 bow-and-arrow, on his way to second place.
Canada rallies for Riddle.
“I landed it first try, and then it was game on.
I’m unbelievably happy that I put my run together when it mattered.”
Wise: holding it down for the back-to-back World War champs.
“I’m still trying to believe this whole crazy thing,” says David Wise.
Wise’s last-hit rightside double cork 1260 mute sealed the deal.
Rad dad at the press conference.
