Slopestyle event in Corvatsch set to wrap up the 2018/19 World Cup season
Mar 29, 2019·Freeski Park & Pipe
Once again the world's best freeskiers are on hand at Silvaplana's Corvatsch Park to compete in the fifth and the final stop of the FIS Freestyle slopestyle World Cup season. And with the crystal globes up for grabs and competition set to go down on one of the top slopestyle course set-ups in the world, there's plenty of reasons to get excited for this week's action in Switzerland.
Famous for it’s creative approach the Snowpark Corvatsch crew stepped up the game also this season, delivering one of the best set-ups we’ve seen all winter long. With progression on the menu and some of the top names in the game making their way to Switzerland, the level of competition should be up to the ceiling. Over 100 athletes will be ready to drop in on Friday in the best-of-two qualification runs. Finals will go down on Saturday.
In the ladies' competition watch out for Sarah Hoefflin (SUI) who is the biggest contender to take the 2018/19 slopestyle overall World Cup title, as the Swiss rider currently sits on top of the ranking with 230 points after four competitions. Hoefflin came in second at the season’s opening event in Stubai (AUT) and took the win in the first competition of 2019 in Font Romeu (FRA).
Norway’s Johanne Killi, France’s Tess Ledeux as well as Switzerland’s Mathilde Gremaud should be also considered as favourites for podium spots.
Going further down the starting list also keep an eye for Caroline Clair of USA, Lara Wolf of Austria, Silvia Bertagna of Italy or Megan Oldham of Canada, all capable of stomping a winning run on a good day.
On the men's side we're also looking for an exciting competition. USA’s Mac Forhand is coming off a pretty impressive victory on home soil at Mammoth Mountain and he’ll be wearing the World Cup leader yellow bib this weekend. Forhand sits atop the World Cup standing with 225 points, while the second in the ranking Max Moffat of Canada has 203 points, meaning it will be all down to the final competition of the 2018/19 World Cup season to decide who will take home the slopestyle crystal globe.
Also let’s not forget about the Swiss native Andri Ragettli, who landed on the podium two weeks ago at the big air event in Quebec City (CAN), in his first competition after an injury he sustained earlier this season. Ragettli has an impressive record in Corvatsch, where he won the event in 2016, and came up in the second place twice in 2015 and 2018. Again this season we can expect the 20-year-old ripper to showcase his best skills in front of the home crowd.
Swiss Freeski Team will bring some more support from the likes of Kai Mahler, Fabian Boesch, Jonas Hunziker and a whole army of young guns who may be able to step it up on home soil.
However, the job won't be easy for the local guys, as more of top athletes from all leading freeski nations have confirmed their participation in Corvatsch. With Henrik Harlaut and Oscar Wester competing for Sweden, a super strong US team with Joss Christiansen, Nick Goepper, Alexander Hall and Gus Kenworthy in squad, Evan McEachran and aforementioned Max Moffat of Canada, James Woods (GBR), Oystein Braaten (NOR) and Finn Bilous (NZL) all ready to step up, Saturday's competition has all the ingredients to be one of the very best of the season.
Talking of the slopestyle World Cup ranking, there is still more than a couple of riders keeping high chances for the overall victory, so it's really up to this one to decide who will walk home carrying the crystal globe in his hands.
The slopestyle qualifications in Corvatsch will go down on Friday, March 29 with the finals scheduled to take place on Saturday, March 30 at 13:00 CET.
WATCH LIVE
ORF Sport+ (Austria), CCTV 5 (China), Eurosport player (Europe), Teleclub Sport 1 (Switzerland), live-streaming on NBC (USA)
QUICK LINK
Silvaplana FIS data page (event programme, start lists, live scoring, results)
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