words and photos by Julie Weinberger

“These guys are doing totally massive helicopters,” said some dude in the crowd right as the 2008 World Superpipe Championships were getting underway.

The contest went off on Saturday in Park City with riders taking to the 22-foot high stunt ditch with all sorts of trickery and “massive helicopters.”

Jossi Wells

Right from the first run, Jossi Wells separated himself from the rest of pack, and ultimately stayed on top through the entire best of three runs format. His amplitude, combined with an incredibly stylish run—cork 5 mute, right cork 9, left cork 9 tail, right 7 tail, switch 9—gave him the win.

Jossi Wells

Justin Dorey, who has been finding himself around that fourth and fifth place position lately, sneaked into second with a right alley-oop flatspin to a right 3 to a switch 7 to a right 9 to a left 9.

Justin Dorey

“I’ve been really wanting to get on the podium,” Dorey said. “And, it finally came together for me today.

Mike Riddle

Mike Riddle rounded out the podium with a left 5 double Japan, right 5 mute, left 10 mute and a switch 9. As usual, he held his grabs until all of the photographers on the deck got the shot whether it was with the first hit left 9 or the left 5 double Japan.

Mike Riddle

Other crowd pleasers from the afternoon included Scott Hibbert’s screamin’ seamen back flip, JP Solberg’s double flatspin, Simon Dumont’s amplitude all the way down the pipe, Matt Hayward and Tucker Perkins’ 12s and Byron Wells’ back-to-back 7s.

Simon Dumont

Tucker Perkins

Unlike most of the superpipes we’re used to seeing in contests, Park City’s pipe boasts 22-foot high walls. Even with the longer trannies, it still road quickly, and many athletes were calling it their favorite pipe.

“It took some adjustment since we’re coming from 18-foot walls,” Riddle said. “But once you get used to this, it’s probably the most fun pipe.”

Top 5

1) Jossi Wells

2) Justin Dorey

3) Mike Riddle

4) Simon Dumont

5) Tucker Perkins