Atkin and Harle on top in World Cup season's grand finale
Aug 31, 2018·Freeski Park & Pipe
Silvaplana/Corvatsch, Switzerland - Isabel Atkin (GBR) and Teal Harle (CAN) have claimed victories at the 2016/17 slopestyle World Cup finals staged at Silvaplana's Corvatsch Park in Switzerland. As well, the season’s crystal globes ware handed out to overall slopestyle World Cup champions Sarah Hoefflin (SUI) and McRae Williams (USA).
With the top 8 ladies and top 16 men selected in yesterday's qualifications including some of the biggest names in the sport, the anticipation was high ahead of today's competition. The innovative course, crystal globes up for grabs, and world's best freeskiers all on hand in Corvatsch, everything was set for another exciting show.
**Atkins claims her first World Cup win
**
In the ladies' competition 18 years old Isabel Atkin of Great Britain stepped it up big time in the finals taking her first ever World Cup victory. Atkin scored 88.40 points for her first run that included a switch lipslide, wall ride, left 720 safety, a switch dub 12 and a switch left 720 mute as she took an early lead that she would keep for the rest of the day. Isabel was delighted with her win and said she put everything into the run following all her hard training this season.
Emma Dahlstrom (SWE) grabbed the second place today with 86.00 points for her second run. It was also the fourth podium finish for the Swedish freeskier this season, with her highlight performance being a top spot in big air World Cup in El Colorado (CHI).
Representing the host nation was Mathilde Gremaud, doing the Swiss proud and rounding out ladies' podium on third with a score of 80.20 points.
Harle on top in men's competition
Similarly to Atkin, also Canada's Teal Harle wrapped up the season's finals in Corvatsch in great fashion with a career-best result. Harle was on fire today, stomping perfectly both of his runs and with the high score of 92.80 managed to finish on top of the field. His run included 270’s in and out of the rails, left dub 900 safety, a switch dub 12 mute and stylish left corked 900 hand drag over the final feature. Notably, he landed his signature trick, the intricacies of which are his secret.
“It’s like a double cork 10 but then you block it and land at 900 instead of 1080, so you skip the last 180. I believe it’s the first time that the trick is done in a contest run. It’s a little something that I have that is kind of unique!” said Harle.
With the World Championships just around the corner, the win comes at good time for Harle, and the Canadian hopes for another good results in a couple of days in Sierra Nevada.
“This gives me a lot of confidence going into Worlds. Now I know I can land my run so hopefully I can keep the momentum going,” Harle added.
Harle is having a break-out season on the World Cup tour and after some promising results earlier this year with fourth and fifth place finish in Italy and Canada, he has finally made it into the podium.
The US duo of McRae Williams and Gus Kenworthy took second and third respectively with 90.20 and 88.20 points. It was second podium finish on tour for both of them, with McRae also taking the win in Font Romeu, while Kenworthy placed second in the halfpipe World Cup in Mammoth.
Hoefflin and Williams awarded with the crystal globes
In the overall slopestyle ranking it was Sarah Hoefflin (SUI) and McRae Williams (USA) who showed the most consistent form throughout the season and ended up with the crystal globes in their hands.
Hoefflin who had a 19 point advantage over Johanne Killi (NOR) before the competition in Switzerland, managed to stay on top of the ranking despite missing today's finals, placing the pressure on Killi to make top 5 in order to close the gap for the overall lead.
The Norwegian rider gave it all right from the start throwing down big tricks one after another. However, at the end of a run that looked like it could have easily placed her on podium today, she ended up with big crash after going massive on the third kicker. Though she fought through the pain and managed to land her second run, the score of 72.20 points was only enough for sixth place on the day. Thus Killi had to settle for the second place in the overall ranking, falling short to Hoefflin by only one point.
Colline Ballet-Baz (FRA) finished the season in third.
As for the men, McRae Williams managed to edge out all the competitors with his second-place finish and took over the ranking with 180 points.
Last year's slopestyle World Cup winner Andri Ragettli (SUI), who certainly wanted to repeat his success this year, couldn't quite stomp his superb run from yesterday's qualifications again in the finals. Finishing on sixth today Ragettli wasn't able to keep his advantage and wrapped up the season on second with 172 points.
The last podium stop ended up in hands of Colin Wili, also representing Switzerland.
With the World Championships just a couple of days away, the athletes will now slowly travel to Spain, with the slopestyle competition scheduled to take place March 17-19.
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