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US OPEN SNOWBOARDING CHAMPIONSHIPS HISTORY HIGHLIGHTS

1982 – The year it all began. Paul Graves and a tight group of Snurfers and snowboarders
created the National Snowboarding Championships at a small mountain called Suicide Six in
central Vermont. Jake Burton was there. Doug Bouton ripped the course and won it.

1983 – This year, the National Snowboarding Championships was held at Snow Valley near
Manchester, VT. No lifts – you hiked to ride. The boards and the riders were getting better and
faster.

1984 – Snow Valley hosted the event for the second and last time. Andy Coghlan took both the
men’s and women’s slalom and downhill events. It was his first of several Open titles – he was
now the man to beat.

1985 – The event officially became the U.S. Open Snowboarding Championships and moved to
Stratton Mountain where it still reigns today. Riders rode in speed suits to increase their times.
Tom Sims won the men’s slalom event while Andy Coghlan defended his downhill title.

1986 – The event was gaining popularity faster than anyone expected. Over 200 competitors
showed up for pre-qualifiers. Andy Coghlan won both the slalom and downhill events, adding to
his growing list of Open titles. The new Burton Cruiser killed it on the slopes.

1987 – Craig Kelly was on the scene and won the men’s slalom event.

1988 – The halfpipe made its debut at the U.S. Open and was immediately deemed the standard
for all other competitive halfpipes to follow. Craig Kelly captured the ‘Overall’ title. An ice storm
turned the hill into concrete the night before the event began.

1989 – This is the year the press started to show up – not just the locals and the snowboard
magazines – but media from all over. Craig Kelly won his first U.S. Open Halfpipe title and the
last U.S. Open downhill competition.

1990 – Terje Haakonsen made his debut in the U.S. Open Halfpipe on a Micro Air. He was up
against tough competition including Craig Kelly, Shaun Palmer and Jeff Brushie. Craig Kelly won
the halfpipe title again for the second year in a row.

1991 – The rider and crowd size doubled. Janna Meyen beats out reigning champ Tina Basich in
the Women’s Halfpipe. With bigger pipe walls, lots of riders threw down inverts for the first time in
a competition.

1992 – It just kept getting bigger and better. Terje exploded onto the scene and took the Men’s
Halfpipe with control and amplitude, beating out Brushie, who was on his new Burton pro model.
Tricia Byrnes won the Women’s Halfpipe, edging out reigning champ Janna Meyen.

1993 – Fresh snow and bluebird skies – what could be better? Shannon Dunn emerged on the
scene. Terje rode his first Burton pro model to a second consecutive halfpipe victory. And what
did Jake have to say? “The best thing about the U.S. Open is that anyone from Terje Haakonsen
to a 10-year-old kid from New Jersey gets to ride and hang out with their friends in a ridercontrolled
environment.” Tell it like it is Jake.

1994 – The crowds and riding were huge. Shannon Dunn and Todd Richards dominated the
halfpipe contests. Terje sat this year out with an ankle injury.

1995 – The Big Air contest made its debut at the Open. Terje triumphantly returned and won the
Men’s Halfpipe for a third time. Victoria Jealouse appeared on the scene and won the Women’s
Super G.

1996 – This was the year the face of competitive snowboarding changed forever. It was
announced that snowboarding would be featured in the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan.
Snowboarding was here to stay, and the U.S. Open was bigger and better than ever. Peter Line
and Cara-Beth Burnside took home the Big Air crowns. And Jimi Scott and Satu Jarvela won the
halfpipe competitions.

1997 – The halfpipe event drew a massive crowd of more than 10,000 spectators. Todd Richards
narrowly edged out current Halfpipe World Champion Terje Haakonsen, while Barret Christy ruled
the women’s pipe contest. The Big Air Finals saw huge inverted airs. It just kept getting bigger.

1998 – “The Year of the Mist”. It was so damn foggy, you couldn’t see from the top to bottom of
the pipe. Mike Michalchuk threw down an unthinkable double backflip and Terje pulled out a
mammoth final run. But nobody could top Rob Kingwell, whose smooth and consistent riding
earned him the halfpipe title. Nicola Thost had just won the first Olympic Halfpipe contest and
went on to win the U.S. Open Halfpipe title. The Boardercross competition made its debut at the
Open as well.

1999 – Hometown hero Ross Powers stole the show and won the Halfpipe contest with huge
McTwists and 900s. Nicola Thost won the women’s halfpipe title for the second year running.

2000 – The new millennium brought the first Superpipe to the U.S. Open – a 300-foot long
monster with 15-foot walls. This was the year of Canadian domination in the halfpipe – Guillaume
Morisset and Natasza Zurek made Canada proud with their winning pipe runs.

2001 – Danny Kass took the coveted halfpipe title this year, edging out Vermont’s Abe Teter by
two-tenths of a point. And for the second straight year, Natasza Zurek dominated the women’s
pipe contest, bringing home another title.

2002 – Just one month after snowboarding dominated the Olympics, the U.S. Open went down
with more media and spectator attention than ever before. Over 30,000 people descended on
Stratton. It was the first time most of the Olympians had competed against each other since the
explosive event in Salt Lake City. Danny Kass may have gotten silver at the Olympics, but he
wasn’t about to settle for second at the Open. He defended his title and won the Halfpipe event
for the second year running. Kelly Clark kept her gold streak alive, winning both the Quarterpipe
and Halfpipe events at the Open.

2003 – It was a year of firsts in 2003. The Open held its first Rail Jam ever, won by Travis Rice. It
was the first time the Open was ever broadcast live on television. And Philips was the first title
sponsor of the US Open. Ross Powers joined the elite group of two-time US Open halfpipe
champions, winning the event in a tight final competition. Gretchen Bleiler dominated the
women’s halfpipe competition. And Hannah Teter won the best overall rider award at the Open,
driving away in a pimped out Jeep.

The above information is from the Burton Website!

The History of Snowboarding in North America!
The History of Snowboarding in Europe!
The History of Snowboaring in Japan!
Burton Goes Global!
The History of Burton Snowboards' European Headquarters!
Burton Japan: The History of Burton Snowboards' Japanese Headquarters!
US Open Snowboarding Championships History Highlights!
Snowboarding and the Olympics!
Burton Snowboards Fact Sheet!
Burton Snowboards' Company Profile!
How Burton Snowboard Graphics Get Created!
Burton Manufacturing Center Factory Tour!
Frequently Asked Questions about Burton!
2004 Jake Burton Biography!
Snowboarding 101- Just the basics!

The above information is from the Burton Website!