Celebrating Jake Burton’s Legacy at the BUSO

It's supposed to be Danny Davis' second run. Except, when Davis drops into the halfpipe, 20 other snowboarders are right behind him. The halfpipe erupts with flashes of neon Gore-Tex and the crowd at Vail goes bonkers. They cheer at the group of rogue riders, who seems to float above the 22-foot walls. Each styled out method is returned by hoots and hollers from the sidelines. It's pure pandemonium, and no one seems to care about the competition being hijacked.

The Men's Halfpipe Finals at the Burton U.S. Open (BUSO) could wait, this poaching session was for Jake Burton. When the surprise wears off, it becomes clear that this wasn't any old group of poachers, but legends of the BUSO. Riders like Terje Haakonsen, Luke Mitrani, Kelly Clark, and Barrett Christy are among many showing their respects to the Godfather of snowboarding. None other than Shaun White closes out the group and the riders gather in the center. Collectively, they raise their boards to their friend, cheering in tandem with the crowd.

Poaching is a long-standing tradition for the BUSO. It goes as far back as the early Stratton days of the event. After the final rider dropped fans would have at it, creating a public free-for-all. When live television was later integrated, it evolved into a popular way to energize the crowd during commercial breaks. Ultimately, it's the rider's way of reminding everyone that results and gold medals aren't the only things that matter. We're all here to have fun too. Jake pioneered this mentality, and it's long been the foundation for this event. 

38 years ago, Jake had a wild idea to create the greatest snowboarding event in the world. He didn't have much to work with, in fact, the original starting gate for the downhill race was a folding table flipped upside down. But that didn't matter. Jake saw potential and gave it everything. "He's been at the helm ever since then and fostered some pretty incredible progression over the almost 40-year run…so it's really been his baby, " explained Burton's VP of Global Integrated Marketing Ian Warda. Beyond his original innovation, the event persists because of the dedication the whole Burton team has for the sport. The riders are involved in every step of the way. Whether it's the course design, format and judging criteria, or even live music, the athletes get to have their say. "We make them a part of it. It creates that family feeling that sets the Burton U.S. Open apart from everyone else," Warda emphasized. It's more than just a competition, it's a celebration of snowboarding.

Later at a press conference following the finals, freshly crowned halfpipe winner Yuto Totsuka reflects on the memorial to Jake, admitting to the mob of journalists that he's "never seen anything like it in my life." To better grasp Jake's impact on the sport, we caught up with a few veteran BUSO riders who could speak to his character. Here's what they had to say about the man who shaped snowboarding, and how his legacy lives on at this special event. 

Want to relive the Burton US Open? Watch the full replay on Red Bull TV here: redbull.com/burton2020.