No hardware for U.S. men in halfpipe

Elijah Teter, back, coaches Japanese snowboarders Ayumu Hirano, left, and Eiju Hirano, right. In the middle is Ryo Aono. Photo/Provided

The U.S. men missed the podium in the halfpipe on Tuesday.

Ayumu Hirano, the 15-year-old from Japan, who is coached by Elijah Teter, won silver at the Sochi Games with a score of 93.5.

Swiss rider Iouri Podladtchikov won gold with a 94.75. Taking the bronze was Japan’s Taku Hiraoka with a 92.25.

Shaun White, who rides for Northstar, was the favorite coming into the Feb. 11 event. He took gold in the previous two Olympics. He fell twice on his first run, but came up with a 90.25 on the second run. That left him in fourth place.

White had pulled of slopestyle earlier in the week to concentrate on halfpipe. The decision was met with mixed reactions by his U.S. Olympic teammates.

Danny Davis of Truckee fell on both runs, finishing 10th. Greg Bretz of Mammoth placed 12th.

Many of the riders – men and women – have been complaining about the halfpipe, calling it bumpy with a flat bottom.

— Lake Tahoe News staff report