Red Bull Double Pipe

Red Bull Double Pipe

Gabe Ferguson extends a proper Method during qualifiers today.

After three days of practice, eight riders broke through the crowded field of top snowboarders at Red Bull Double Pipe to emerge as the judges’ top picks in today’s qualifiers. Gabe Ferguson held the number one position for over an hour during the open jam format session and finished out ahead of the pack (and just ahead of older brother Ben). Ferguson earned the top spot (and bragging rights) by transferring twice over the spine in the same run, once over the 22’ tall section with a backside 360 and again over the 18’ tall section with a frontside 360.

Red Bull Double Pipe

Older brother Ben Ferguson with a Cab 720 over the channel gap.

Older brother Ben didn’t hold back either as he was the first to throw a Cab Double 1080 over the channel gap, and was one of only two riders to land a frontside 720 over the 18’ tall spine, securing the second spot. Chase Josey rounded out the top 3 landing a huge Double Michalchuk.

The Top 8 move on to tomorrow’s finals and start in reverse order:

RankNameCountryCityYear of BirthSponsor
1.Gabe FergusonUSABend, OR1999Burton
2.Ben FergusonUSABend, OR1995Burton
3.Chase JoseyUSAHailey, ID1995CAPiTA
4. Benji FarrowUSABreckenridge, CO1992Zion
5.Arthur LongoFRALes Deux Alps1988Volcom
6.Jan ScherrerSUIEbnat-Kappel1994Nike
7.Stale SandbechFINOslo1993Oakley
8.Scotty JamesAUSWarrendyte1994Red Bull

Tomorrow’s schedule and event format is as follows. For fans who can’t attend in person, Double Pipe will air as part of the Red Bull Signature Series via livestream March 12th at 11:30am PT/2:30pm ET on redbull.tv, and as a full-length broadcast March 14th at 1pm ET on NBC.

Thursday, March 12:
1:00pm to 3:00pm MT (Finals)

Format: 8 riders start in reverse order from semi-finals (8th through 1st). 3 runs each, all runs are scored (0-100 points, Overall Impression). Final ranking is 1st – 8th, based on single best run score.