Kreischberg AUT (13 January 2017) – With qualifying for the 2018 Olympic Winter Games now in full swing, the Cardrona NZ Park and Pipe Team continue to achieve strong results. Snowboarders Carlos Garcia Knight (Christchurch) and Tiarn Collins (Queenstown) competed in qualifying rounds for the Slopestyle World Cup in Austria overnight (NZT) with both riders breezing through to finals.
The strong and deep field of 60 men included reigning world champion Ryan Stassel (USA). Riders were split into two heats with the top three from each heat making it straight through to finals while the next five place riders will first compete in semi finals. The NZ pair competed together in heat one with Carlos Garcia Knight finishing in second place on 88.25 points from a possible hundred and Tiarn Collins third on 86.75. Top qualifier in their heat was Sweden’s Niklas Mattsson on 92.50 points.
Riders each took two runs down a 650 metre long course which features a wallride, staircase and a highrail in the first section followed by a kicker line of 3.50 metre high jumps.
Tiarn Collins says he “couldn’t be more hyped on today’s results and can’t wait for tomorrow’s finals.”
Kreischberg is the first of five slopestyle World Cup stops this season with Laax (SUI), Seiser Alm (ITA), Mammoth Mountain (USA) and Quebec City (CAN) following within the next four weeks.
Finals will be staged in a three-run, best one count format on Saturday, January 14 at 2 PM CET (Sunday 2.00am NZT). For further information on the World Cup programme in Austria click here.
Ends
For further information follow us on social media:
7 years ago
Carlos Garcia Knight,
Tiarn Collins,
world cup,
slopestyle,
Olympic qualifying,
PyeongChang 2018