Olympics nearing, Ayumu takes snowboarding’s next big leap

By EDDIE PELLS
AP National Writer

COPPER MOUNTAIN, Colo. (AP) — The next big leap in snowboarding went down Sunday on a sun-splashed halfpipe in Colorado with a trick that set the stakes for the gold-medal race to Beijing. Japanese snowboard star Ayumu Hirano became the first person to land a triple-cork jump in competition at the Dew Tour. The two-time Olympic silver medalist did it with what’s officially called a frontside triple cork 1440. Ayumu’s history-making jump at the top of the pipe made him wobbly in the setup to the next trick. He fell on it and ended up finishing fifth. But there was no denying that jump will be the buzz of the halfpipe world over the next eight weeks, and probably beyond.