This morning, on the final day of the Burton Canadian Open, I awoke to a confusing forecast. My iPhone Weather Network app read: "Current Conditions: Calgary - Ice Fog".  Ice fog? Turns out when the temperature drops drastically and quickly to minus fifteen, we'll be sitting in a frozen cloud for the day. Great. "Hey Jesse, you want something for your story?" says slopestyle judge Brandon Wong. "Four out of eight judges claim hypothermia! Haha." It's not the story of the day, but it was cold. Damn cold.  Let's leave it at that.

Visibility and speed issues didn't make things any easier on the riders either.  The three run final format did give a little leniency making sure best runs were put down. The women posted final results first and Enni Rukajarvi from Finland was the obvious winner. Her backside 5's and cab 7's were ‘out of hand' stylish, and stomped deep in the landing. Any one of her three runs would have won it (her worst run still put her in first).  Her best score was seventeen points ahead of second place. Placing 4th and just missing cash was local Calgary girl Breanna Strangeland. "Today was a little rough. The conditions just kept getting worse and worse. The course itself is great though. I was just happy to make the finals."

Men's winner, Brett Esser, over the channel.

Men struggled as well to put down runs that seemed easy during practice just 24 hours earlier. Canmore Alberta's Robby Balharry finished 3rd, making his final run the one to count.  "The course is really cool. I'm so stoked to be in third. I was just happy to make finals." Jon Versteeg of Whistler brought home 2nd place. He made the difficult look far to easy through the jib section. Then he followed up by murdering the jump line, going cab 10 tail, switch back 9 over the channel, to back 9 over the channel. Putting his hands down on the last nine was all that kept him from a first place finish.  That wasn't on his mind though. "The most I've ever won was five hundred bucks. I'm ecstatic! Three grand is amazing. I'm thinking I'll save to buy a truck and sled." Jon said.  Seventeen year old Brett Esser came from Colorado and won his first Open event on his first trip to Canada.  Brett had been riding amazing all week, landing 10th in pipe as well.  He sealed the win today shutting down his run with a massive front 10 tail.

With the Canadian Open now officially over, it's worth noting that these events truly support the progression of snowboarding through positive competition.  Big high fives out to all of the riders, and the organizers that made the Open possible this week. 'Til next time.

Top Photo: Jon Versteeg. Forsythe photo.

Results Slopestyle Women      
1 Enni Rukajärvi            FIN       ROXY
2 Lisa Wiik                   NOR     ROXY
3 Sina Candrian             SUI       BURTON

From L to R: Lisa Wiik (played by an Open staff member), Enni Rukajärvi, and Sina Candrian

Results Slopestyle Men
1 Brett Esser                USA     OMATIC
2 Jon Versteeg             CAN     NOMIS
3 Robby Balharry           CAN     WESTBEACH

From L to R: Jon Versteeg, Brett Esser and Robby Balharry

And as always, don't miss our gallery of shots from today (or the Slopestyle Semis and Halfpipe finals as well).