The slopestyle World Cup season set to wrap up in Seiser Alm
Aug 31, 2018·Freeski Park & Pipe
Seiser Alm (ITA) - After a successful competition held two weeks ago in Silvaplana (SUI) the FIS Freeski World Cup tour has moved to the Italian ski resort of Seiser Alm tfor the final event of an exciting 2017/18 slopestyle season.
Following a strong debut on the World Cup tour last season, the Italy’s best snowpark is looking impressive once again, perfectly shaped by the F-Tech course-building crew and boasting a line of three rail features followed by three jump sections which will provide plenty of options for big spins and creative riding.
With some of the world’s best athletes on hand in the beautiful setting of the Italian Dolomites, one of the best courses on tour ready for competition, and perfect weather in the forecast, the season’s seventh and the ultimate slopestyle World Cup event promises to close out 2017/2018 on a high note.
In the ladies’ competition watch out for Jennie-Lee Burmansson (SWE), as the 15-year-old style maestro comes into Seiser Alm having already clinched the slopestyle crystal globe with a third-place finish in Silvaplana, making her the youngest FIS Freestyle Skiing World Cup winner of all-time.
The Swedish freeskier has been impressing judges with her smooth and effortless riding since her World Cup debut back in August in Cardrona (NZL) where she finished the competition in third place, grabbing four more podiums since then for five in six competitions to the stay the most consistent rider on tour.
Going further down the starting list also keep an eye on the PyeongChang bronze medallist Isabel Atkin (GBR), last year’s bronze medallist from Seiser Alm Caroline Clair (USA) as well as the strong contingent of Canadian riders with the Sochi 2014 Olympic champion Dara Howell leading the way.
Things also look interesting over on the men’s side with over 65 athletes ready to drop in and fight for the last World Cup points of the season.
And while the game for the crystal globe is still theoretically open, it’s hard not to see Andri Ragettli (SUI) walking away with his career’s second globe after Friday’s finals, as the 19-year-old has a 92 point advantage over second-ranked Ferdinand Dahl (NOR). Even if Dahl manages to win in Italy, Ragettli would have to score lower than 23rd, which - taking into account Ragettli recent top-level form - seems very unlikely.
However, with a strong field of top riders making their way to Seiser Alm, including the likes of PyeongChang silver medallist Nick Goepper (USA), Oscar Wester (SWE), James Woods (GBR), Alex Bellemare (CAN) and the winner from the last World Cup in Silvaplana Alex Hall (USA), just to name few, it expect to see a hard-fought battle for the top of the podium by some of the best skiers in slopestyle.
The qualification are slated to take place on Wednesday, March 14 with the finals set to go down on Friday, March 16 at 11:30 CET.
LIVE TV BROADCAST (FINALS)
Europe - live-stream on Eurosport player
Austria - ORF
CBC - next-day delayed at 14:00
France - SFR 3
Germany - MDR at 12:15 / live-stream at 11:30
Italy - same-day delayed
USA - live-stream on nbcsport.com
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