Carlson shoots for Nationals

• Carlson

Contributed photo Alexandria's Cody Carlson got a lot of air during one of his jumps at the Minnesota Regional qualifying event at Wild Mountain in Taylor Falls last weekend.

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Alexandria snowboarder Cody Carlson has positioned himself to make a run at nationals after putting together two days of solid runs at a qualifying event at Wild Mountain in Taylor Falls last weekend.

The USA Snowboard Association held two of Minnesota’s four “slopestyle” national qualifying events at Wild Mountain over the weekend. Carlson did enough to tie him for second in the Minnesota region against the top riders from the state’s premier snowboard parks in the 16-17-year-old bracket.

Riders were scored on the best of two runs each day, leaving little room for error. On Saturday, Carlson skidded out of the final landing after starting with a front board, proceeding to a huge tweaked method and ending with a frontside 720. That put him in third place going into the second run.

With ground to make up, he capped off his second run with a backside cork 540. He corked to almost upside down, while grabbing mute before landing it perfectly. Judges gave him the best scores of the day, leaving him in first place after day one.

Sub-zero temperatures forced the judges to limit the riders to only one run on Sunday. Carlson went with a frontside 360 with a melon grab. He landed that perfect but built up a lot of speed going into jump two. That caused him to speed check, which would cost him in the end. He went into the final jump and did a backside cork 540 but lacked the air time needed for a clean landing. That slipped him to fourth place in the day-two standings and put him in a tie for second with the combined scores from both days.

That will force him to perform well in the next qualifying event at Hyland Hills in Bloomington on February 12 to stay in contention for a berth to Nationals. Carlson needs to place first in the Minnesota Region to advance. The national event is held the first week in April at Copper Mountain in Colorado.

Carlson rides with the Foundation 725 club at Andres Tower Hills and is coached by Gary Anderson and Mike Jost.

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