The FIS ANC Freeski & Snowboard Halfpipe competition was held today in the Cardrona SuperPipe, followed by the FIS ANC Snowboard Big Air. Kiwi athletes swept both the men and women’s Freeski Halfpipe podiums, showing just how strong the talent pathway is here in New Zealand.
Athletes were greeted with a fantastic sunrise and firm halfpipe conditions this morning, perfect for throwing down their biggest tricks.
It was a tightly contested battle for the top of the freeski men’s podium, with the young athletes impressing the judges with the technicality and amplitude of their runs. Current Freeski Halfpipe Junior World Champion Gustav Legnavsky (Wānaka, 17) narrowly took the win over talented up and comer Luke Harrold (Lake Hāwea, 14).
Victoria Beattie, Head Ski Judge and Cardrona NZ Freestyle Nationals Judging Coordinator said, “Gustav had huge amplitude, he landed a huge left double cork 1260 and was just head and shoulders above the rest amplitude wise. Luke was very tightly behind Gustav, he landed a switch left alley oop flat 540 that the judges really liked and a right double cork 1260 with nice grabs.”
Legnavsky has had a hugely successful and progressive year, including winning both FIS ANC Halfpipe events this New Zealand season. Legnavsky said, “I have gained more confidence from my results, knowing that I can do it and how good it feels to stand on top of the podium. I was 100% impressed with the level of my competitors today, throughout the whole field it was a really high level. We all push each other, they have definitely pushed me today to go and give it my all and put down as much as I can.”
Finley Melville Ives (16), also of Wānaka, rounded out the podium in third place.
Sylvia Trotter (Wānaka, 14) took the win in the women’s freeski halfpipe field today. Although it was a small field she certainly didn’t hold back, spinning on every hit including back to back 540s. She was joined on the podium by Ella Miles (Wānaka, 16) in second and Madeleine Disbrowe (Queenstown, 14) in third.
Lucia Georgalli (Wānaka, 15) had another solid performance today in the women’s snowboard halfpipe division, finishing on the podium in third place.
After the FIS ANC Halfpipe competition wrapped up, the snowboard athletes headed over to the Big Bucks terrain park where they competed in the FIS ANC Snowboard Big Air event.
Georgalli once again had a fantastic performance finishing in third position, making it three from three for ANC podiums this week. Mari Fukada of Japan took the win with a huge score of 178.67, with Bianca Gisler of Switzerland in second place.
Georgalli said, “I am hyped to finish on the podium at every ANC event this week. I think I can find that consistency because I try to spend as much time up the mountain as possible to work on my tricks.”
The men’s snowboard Big Air field was of an incredibly high standard, so high in fact that Su Yiming of China, who is the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Snowboard Big Air gold medallist, was competing today. He took the win, with Japan’s Ryoma Kimata in second and two time Winter Olympian Nicolas Huber of Switzerland in third.
Head judge Milu Multhaup wanted to give a special shout out to Kiwi Rocco Jamieson who finished in fourth place in the men’s Big Air, holding his own in the world class field landing a huge frontside double cork 1440.
Multhaup said, “the level of riding was amazing today, it will be really pushing the Kiwi athletes. It’s a great representation of what Kiwi athletes can expect to see overseas. Rocco is riding with the Olympic gold medallist, so you can’t get much better than that.”
Today was the final day of the 2022 Cardrona NZ Freestyle Nationals and marks the end of competition for the New Zealand winter.
Results:
FIS ANC Freeski and Snowboard Halfpipe - https://snowsports.co.nz/assets/Results/FIS-ANC-Halfpipe-Results.pdf
FIS ANC Snowboard Big Air - https://snowsports.co.nz/assets/Results/FIS-ANC-Snowboard-Big-Air-Results.pdf
19 months ago