Bleiler was no less of a crowd-pleaser, as she comboed a Crippler into a backside 540 to a frontside 900 on her first run. But a high score of 88.33 was not enough to prevail over Teter’s 92.67 final run.
“It’s not so much about getting first place as it is about getting the run. I know I’ll get it next year,” said Bleiler, who went for the 900 in her final run but could only pull it around for a 720. Still, Gretchen was all smiles, holding her arm out to snap a photo of her and her fellow riders as they stood on the podium.
Sixteen-year-old Elena Hight from South Lake Tahoe, California, delivered a solid third-place performance, connecting back-to-back 5s to a 9 with great speed on he first run to take home $4,000. Bleiler won $8,000, and Teter walked away with $15,000. When asked how she’d celebrate her latest victory, the 18-year-old Vermont native, who’s been away from her home and family for more than two months, said happily, “I’m going home to eat some pancakes!”
