Eric Willett Wins Billabong Ante Up (04-Jul-11)

Billabong Ante Up, presented by Von Zipper...

Billabong Ante Up, presented by Von Zipper went down at the top of Whistler Mountain today, with Eric Willett from USA taking home the first place prize of $20,000.  The day started off slow with some cloudy skies and even some snow from mother nature to remind us all that even if it’s July 1st, she can still make an appearance.  In the end though, the weather warmed and the riders went about their business by destroying the 90 foot big air jump.

With strong riding all day, Willett not only qualified first in the preliminaries but backed it up in the finals by taking the top spot, with a switch backside double corked 1260 mute.  By qualifying first, Willett held the final run of the day, which turned into a laid out backflip victory lap.  On his win, Willett commented ‘What a killer way to start the summer.  The event was super fun, and obviously I’m stoked to come out on top’.

Second place went to Sebastien Toutant of Canada with a cab double corked 1260 melon.  This the same trick that won Toutant last year’s 2010 Billabong Ante Up event, but had him coming up just shy for 2011.  Toutant took home $12,500 for his efforts.  Dash Kamp of USA rounded out the podium taking third place.  Kamp’s final run of the day was a double corked 1080 mute, which netted him $8,000.

Sage Kotsenberg (USA), Uki Kodono (Japan), Zach Stone (Canada), Roope Tonteri (Finland), Jeremy Thompson (USA), Gjermund Braaten (Germany), and Chas Guldemond (USA) rounded out the top 10.