{"id":5607,"date":"2019-06-16T21:11:06","date_gmt":"2019-06-16T19:11:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/43ride.com\/en\/?p=5607"},"modified":"2025-10-21T11:42:03","modified_gmt":"2025-10-21T09:42:03","slug":"rheeder-and-johansson-face-off-in-epic-and-emotional-battle-for-slopestyle-supremacy-in-austria","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/43ride.com\/en\/events\/2019\/rheeder-and-johansson-face-off-in-epic-and-emotional-battle-for-slopestyle-supremacy-in-austria\/","title":{"rendered":"Rheeder and Johansson face off in epic and emotional battle for Slopestyle supremacy in Austria"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

For all three riders on the podium in today\u2019s Crankworx Innsbruck Slopestyle, it was the realization of a dream. On the third step, Dawid Godziek (POL), a wildcard entry invited to the contest just six weeks ago. On the second, Emil Johansson (SWE), who this time last year was in and out of hospital, unable to ride, with no assurance he would be able to compete at same level again. On the top, Brett Rheeder (CAN), who wrote a new story for himself today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Brett Rheeder \/ photo: Fraser Britton<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019ve been in this position so many times. I come down on my first run, I\u2019m in first place. I get bumped into second and I don\u2019t get it back. I either crash or I screw up, or do a straight air, or all of the above.<\/p>– Brett Rheeder<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

History nearly looked set to repeat. After the first run, Rheeder was sitting on top with a 92. After a shaky set of first runs, with more than a few crashes (including Nicholi Rogatkin, the winner the past two years), the second runs seemed to pick up momentum. Dropping in third, Johansson threw down a run for the record books, including two world-first tricks. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The run bumped him above Rheeder into first with a 95. As his score and position was announced, the Swedish rider looked stunned.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Emil Johansson \/ photo: Fraser Britton<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

This is all I thought about for the past two years. I want to get back, and I want to get back on the podium. I want to get back to the form I once was.<\/p>– Emil Johansson<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

2017 was the last time Johansson stood on a Crankworx podium. That year, he was crowned the overall Slopestyle World Champion, and graced two Crankworx Slopestyle podiums, including the second step at the season ender contest at Crankworx Whistler. But the following season, a debilitating auto-immune disease cut his rise to the top short. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Dawid Godziek \/ photo: Fraser Britton<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Crankworx Innsbruck 2019 was billed as Johansson\u2019s return, preceded just days before with the release of Every Mystery I\u2019ve Lived | Emil Johansson\u2019s Comeback Story<\/a>, in which he talks candidly about his strugges and diagnosis, and his fight to return to the Slopestyle world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sitting in the hot seat, it was undeniable. Johansson was back. And equially undeniable that Rheeder, dropping in last, was going to have to pull off something huge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Erik Fedko \/ photo: Fraser Britton<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

I started with a flat drop flip whip, into a front flip bar spin into a backflip opposite tailwhip off the boner log. The first hip was an opposite cork 720, second hip was a cork 7 barspin, into a 360 barside tailwhip into the whale tail, followed by an opposite truck driver on the way out, and then followed by a flip opposite double tailwhip.<\/p>– Brett Rheeder<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Rheeder added that he didn\u2019t feel totally dialled, and that there was \u201csome sketch\u201d to his runs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After a long pause, the judges made the final call. With a 95.5, Rheeder broke his streak of seconds in Innsbruck and stepped up to the top. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Nicholi Rogatkin \/ photo: Fraser Britton<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019m relieved and I\u2019m pretty happy. Last year I brought some new tricks, but realistically Emil\u2019s the one bringing the new tricks. I\u2019ve been working as hard as I can to bring new tricks to the contest and I haven\u2019t had any luck yet. I was really working on a handful of tricks nobody\u2019s seen at home and I wasn\u2019t ready to bring them here. It\u2019s pretty relieving to be in first place with my old tricks and switching some other stuff.<\/p>– Brett Rheeder<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Beyond the relief, a clear sense of camaraderie and respect pervaded the corral.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat was the last trick that you did?\u201d<\/em> Rheeder asked as he and Johansson waited to be called up to the podium. \u201cOppo Three whip oppo bar,\u201d<\/em> the younger rider answered. \u201cSo sick, dude.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Crankworx Innsbruck Slopestyle podium: 2. Emil Johansson, 1. Brett Rheeder, 3. Dawid Godziek \/ photo: Fraser Britton<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Full results: click here<\/h4>\n\n\n\n