Tignes ready to host the halfpipe World Cup finals
Aug 31, 2018·Freeski Park & Pipe
Tignes (FRA) - The six and the final stop of the 2017/2018 halfpipe World Cup season is set to take place on Thursday, March 22 in Tignes (FRA).
For the fourth year in a row, FIS Freeski will partner with the organizers of the Freestyle Tour for the Tignes event, and based on last years’ precedent we can expect nothing less that another perfectly cut pipe, a huge crowd for finals under the lights, and a collection of some of the very best men’s and ladies’ halfpipe skiers in the world on hand looking to close out a highly-entertaining 2017/18 World Cup season on a high note.
And with the World Cup globes still up for grabs the anticipation for the Thursday’s night event is bigger than ever. In the ladies’ event it’s Brita Sigoruney (USA) who sits atop the ranking with 246 points following her second place finish in Snowmass, backed up by a big victory in the last event before the PyeongChang 2018 Olympic Winter Games in Mammoth Mountain.
Sitting just 8 points behind the Olympic bronze medallist Sigoruney, is the Chinese upcoming star Zhang Kexin. The 15-year-old freeskier has stormed the scenes this season by taking two World Cup finish on five starts including a bronze medal in Copper Mountain as well as the China’s very first FIS Freeski World Cup victory on the home soil in Secret Garden.
Going further down the starting list watch out for the Olympic gold medallist Cassie Sharpe (CAN), who is on top of the game right now and still sits third in the overall ranking with 229 points, despite only competing in three stops this season. With two World Cup victories and an Olympic gold it’s hard not to see Sharpe contending for the crystal globe on Thursday.And if she takes the win in Tignes like she did last year, there is nothing the other riders can do to spoil the party for the Canadian rider.
Least but not last there is the French halpipe legend Marie Martinod, coming off a strong performance in Korea where she finished with the Olympic silver medal. The last year’s World Cup globe winner knows how to put it down when it matters and obviously you can always count her in as one of the favourite for the win especially here in Tignes, where she will be cheered on by the local fans.
Over on the men’s side the final battle for the crystal globe goes between the US duo of David Wise and Alex Ferreira, the gold and silver medallist from the PyeongChang 2018 Olympic Winter Games in Korea. In the World Cup ranking it is Ferreira who lead the way with 282 points with Wise sitting on second with 250 points making the Tignes’ competition as exciting as it can only get.
Taking the top spot at the last year’s edition of the season’s halfpipe grand finale in Tignes, Ferreira will be looking to repeat his great performance and thus to clinch the crystal globe. However when it comes to performing under pressure it’s Wise who has already proven to deliver when it counts, and we’re sure he’ll be all in, trying to add yet another piece of silverware to his already pretty impressive collection.
While looking for more favourites in the men’s event also watch out for Nico Porteous (NZL), who is coming in hot after claiming the bronze medal in Korea, the Canadian rippers Noah Bowman and Simon d’Artois, as well as the rest of the US squad with Birk Irving and Tyler Seaton both looking to wrap up the World Cup season on the podium.
The qualifications in Tignes are scheduled for Wednesday with ladies about to drop in at 10:15 CET and men following up at 12:15 CET. The finals are slated to go down under the lights on Thursday at 18:20 CET.
LIVE TV BROADCAST (FINALS)
Asia - Eurosport
Europe - live-stream on eurosportplayer.com
China - CCTV
France - SFR Sport 4
USA - live-stream on nbcsport.com
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