As for the WSI pipe event this year, it was outta whack. Here's my 2 cents (from an earlier thread)...
The comp was definitely not a complete waste, as there was some very progressive stuff being thrown down (i.e., Turpin's fakie run and Crichton's fakie 9). The best skiers in the world (Olsson, Hall, Crichton, Turpin, Woods, etc.) definitely showed up and gave their all, but unfortunately the judging was lacking, to say the least.
First, the judges used a modified format because they couldn't see the whole pipe from the bottom due to fog. So instead they have three sections with a couple of judges working each section, and head judge Loubek at the bottom (where he can't see a thing, but still OK's/changes the scores!). What they should have done was put them ALL in the middle of the pipe where they could see above and below, and hence the whole pipe.
Second, GT should not have won under any circumstances. You could very easily argue he shouldn't have been on the podium, either. How does someone who throws an unstylie 1260, followed by an unstylie straight air, followed by another unstylie 9 win the whole event when guys like Turpin, Crichton, Hibbert, Symms and others did highly technical and stylish runs with more than 3 hits??? A 1260 is a great move for the best hit comp, but NOT to win a WHOLE pipe comp. Unfotunately, the message to all the kids coming out of this result is that you can win a pipe event as being a one-hit-wonder. Is that the message we want judges sending at the World Skiing Invitational? Hell no.
Finally, what should be done about this? First off, don't use judges like Loubek who have a track record of poor performance. Get some current riders or ex riders who actually KNOW what style is and how to judge a whole pipe run. The whole thing would have been fine had someone like Deschenaux been the head judge. Even the 12 year olds watching the comp would have done a better job -- they're the ones that truly know what style is and what deserves to win. And second, comps should take the riders' opinions into account, not the judges. We can't have judges saying crap like 'you HAVE to go big to win' when the pipe is unsafe for going big. The judges should sit down and listen to the athletes before the event as to how they would like it judged. This obviously won't work for small local events, but at the WSI or X-Games it is key.
