Winter Games NZ freeski and snowboard slopestyle recap

The Cardrona FIS ANC Slopestyle Finals presented by La Roche-Posay at the Winter Games NZ were set to be held today at Cardrona, but once again plans were thwarted by the weather. High morning winds held things up initially, and then low visibility later in the day meant the athletes couldn’t see far enough down the course to safely compete.

Fortunately, qualifications had already been successfully held for all the finals that were slated to go down on Sunday and those results would go on to stand as the final results, meaning that New Zealand’s own Ruby Andrews and Luca Harrington topped the respective women’s and men’s freeski slopestyle rankings.

At the end of the first run of qualifications Andrews was in second place and knew she had to do something special to secure the top spot.

“My first run of qualification I put it down, and then one of my competitors went above me so I ended up putting down a switch misty 900 (in my second run) which I have never done in competition before!”

“I am stoked, over the moon – this is my home mountain and coming away with a result like today, I couldn’t ask for anything better,” said Andrews.

Andrews was joined on the podium by Yuna Koga (JPN) and local up and comer Madeleine Disbrowe.

Men's freeski slopestyle winner Harrington said, “It definitely was challenging with the weather. Qualification day was the best day we had so I just tried to put something down that was clean and turned out that it worked out in my favour, so I am pretty happy.”

Freeski judge Kat Alexander explained, “Luca’s first run was unreal, his right double cork 1260 tail grab was perfection and then he got massive amplitude on his switch right double cork 1260 on the final jump. That just blew us out of the water.”

PARKINSON AND FUKADA TOPS IN SNOWBOARD SLOPESTYLE

Jesse Parkinson of Australia, winner of the men’s snowboard slopestyle, was the standout competitor in his field on his way to take the biggest victory of his young career. The judges were really impressed in particular with the backside triple cork 1440 he was stomping, as the 17-year-old was the only competitor performing the massive trick in Saturday’s qualifications.

Japanese riders Hiroaki Kunitake and Taiga Hasegawa both put down strong performances in the rail section, but without a triple to match Parkinson the Japanese riders would have to settle for second and third, respectively.

Mari Fukada of Japan claimed to top spot on the women’s snowboard slopestyle podium, largely on the strength of the well-executed back-to-back 720s that she was stomping on the big kickers. New Zealand riders Lucia Georgalli and Ava Beer finished in second and third, respectively.

The Slopestyle wraps up the Cardrona FIS ANC Freeski and Snowboard Halfpipe and Slopestyle presented by La Roche-Posay.

Full freeski results HERE

Full snowboard results HERE

With files from Winter Games NZ