updated 7:53 p.m. ET Jan. 9, 2009

WEST DOVER, Vt. - Taking his freestyle rail skills to the slopestyle course, Canadian freeskier JF Houle won the men’s slopestyle final Friday in the second stop on the inaugural Winter Dew Tour.

His fellow competitors embraced and congratulated him at the finish of the course after witnessing his impressive tricks on the rail obstacle. Houle executed a 450-degree spin onto the rail, with three spins as he slid down the rail, to finish with another 450 off the rail. He scored 92.00.

“I’m strong at rail and I just went for a super technical run,” Houle said. “I think it’s never really been done in slopestyle before. So I’m pretty stoked on that. I’m super stoked that finally rail gets some respect in the slopestyle course.”

Norway’s Per-Kristian Hunder was second at 86.67, and Canada’s Alexis Godbout finished third at 85.00.

Houle was sixth in the tour opener in Breckenridge, Colo.

“Now with the first place I can’t believe it so I’m just going to be on it for the next Dew Tour for sure, and train hard,” Houle said.

The four-day competition is the second of three stops of the Winter Dew Tour that features men’s and women’s freeskiing and snowboarding disciplines. Saturday’s action features the men’s and women’s snowboard slopestyle finals and the men’s freeski superpipe finals. The Sunday schedule includes the men’s and women’s snowboard superpipe finals.

MORE FROM OLYMPIC SPORTS

Olympic Sports Section Front

Plenty of storylines at U.S. swimming championships   Phelps watch: What's ahead in Indy Lezak skips Worlds for Maccabiah Games Bolt to race 100, 400 relay at London GP U.S. women’s beach duo takes gold at worlds Kwan returning to ice for August show Richards extends Golden League streak Powell edges Bailey in 100 meters at Bislett Games Swimmers weigh whether to switch to new suits Speedskating's Pechstein gets 2-year doping ban Olympic Sports Section Front   Add Olympic Sports headlines to your news reader: