Barrymore, Sigourney win Grand Prix

Although Sigourney's win was impressive -- she finished more than five points ahead of every other woman -- Barrymore's win was a stunner. The 19-year-old qualified 10th on Wednesday and had won just one other professional event: a lower-tier SFR Freeskiing Tour event in La Plagne, France, last spring.

His victory was even more of a surprise considering he opted not to throw his best trick, a double-cork 1260. Instead he stuck to a safer run highlighted by a massive alley-oop double flat-spin 900 that drew gasps from the large crowd at the base of the pipe. That trick was preceded by a 900 and followed by a left cork 540, right 900 and left 1080, earning a score of 87.2.

Tom ZikasDon't know much about event winner Wing Tai Barrymore? You will.

"I just tried to ski the best I could and grab everything and keep big, smooth, stylish amplitude, and it worked out," Barrymore said. "I'm speechless. It's good energy. I was surprised to see my score, but it was probably the best I've ever skied."

Said Verge: "I've known Tai's had this in him for a while now. He's always been really wild and loose, but he's finally found a rhythm and is getting smooth and solid and is maturing."

Aspen phenom Torin Yater-Wallace took second (84.6) with a typically clean, smooth performance, highlighted by a similar alley-oop flat-spin double to Barrymore's. But his lack of a switch hit on either of his runs limited his result, a fact the 16-year-old acknowledged afterward. "I was just trying to get the feeling back of skiing pipe, and it's easier to do that [skiing] forward," Yater-Wallace said. "But all the next ones, we'll get the switch going."

Summit County local Duncan Adams, whose crowd-pleasing style may be the antithesis of "spin to win," finished third with an 83.8.

On the women's side, U.S. halfpipe team member Sigourney, 21, dominated the final, posting a score of 86.6. Groenewoud took second (81.4) and Switzerland's Virginie Faivre took third, nearly 10 points back.

Contrary to Barrymore's five-hit run, Sigourney landed seven hits: a 540, straight air, 900, alley oop, straight air, alley oop 5, 720. "It's such a relief," the 2011 X Games Superpipe silver medalist said. "I always put so much pressure on myself."

In early season injury news, Frenchman Xavier Bertoni fought through a broken hand to take fourth (79.0), defending Copper Grand Prix champion Dorey sat out with a concussion and U.S. Freeskiing star Jen Hudak was slowed by a shin injury.

The Copper Grand Prix was the first of four freeskiing World Cup events to be held this year, three of which will take place on U.S. snow.

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Devon O'Neil

Writer, Action Sports

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O'Neil was raised in the Virgin Islands before dropping anchor to ski, write, and combine the two for profit. He now lives in Breckenridge, Colo.