Risto had led the way in the first two runs as both riders raised the level for this dramatic final. Risto's first massive bs 540 around the 5 meter mark, was followed by the same from Peetu who could only manage to reach the 4 meter mark.

Then came the battle of the bs airs. Risto started it with a huge 7.0m bs air -- ensuring himself the $9,000 Highest Air prize, as Peetu reached only the 6.7m mark.

With the lead in his hand, Risto went back to the bs540 with more height and style, earning himself 82.5 points, and what looked like the event victory.

But that was before Peetu pulled out possibly the trick of the whole competition -- the most stylish and perfectly executed bs540 reaching the 5.5 meter mark and earning him 93.83 points and the victory.

"I am feeling so good right now," Peetu said. "It's been a long day. I am so stoked to win this. It's also nice riding against a friend in the finals like this, because for both of us it doesn't matter who wins, we are just happy for each other."

Talking about their matching tricks, Peetu said "I was watching a bit what Risto was doing, we didn't talk about it and plan to do the same tricks though."

Risto Mattila was forced to settle for second place for the second year running at the O'Neill Evolution, but the 27 year old Finn was not despondent -- quite the opposite in fact.

"I am pretty stoked," he said. "I just started to get used to the massive quarterpipe in the finals. I don't mind taking second place again. I am on the podium!"

In third place was the Dutch O'Neill rider Steve Krijbolder who narrowly missed out on the highest air prize with his 6.9m air. "I feel super good," he said. "This is my first finals so it was so amazing to finish third."

Janne Korpi missed out on the chance to close the gap on Chas Guldemond's lead, crashing the landing on his second run in the quarterfinals and breaking a bone in his knee.

"I am frustrated," Janne said. "But it's good that Peetu won because after I won the slopestyle I agreed to split half the money with him. But the deal was if he won the quarterpipe he would split half the money with me -- I knew he would win it."

It was a spectacular final to end a spectacular O'Neill Evolution 2009, as the young superstar Canadian O'Neill rider Seb Toutant agreed; "Its one of my favourite events," he said. "It feels so special when you are here. It's such a good mix of all the good riders, the lights, the crowd and knowing it's on live TV," he said. "When you are doing an event at the top of the mountain with no crowd and no cameras, you aren't as motivated or you don't have as much fun."

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