Junior Worlds: Coady and Okubo golden in big air
Aug 31, 2018·Snowboard Park & Pipe
After taking gold in slopestyle, Australian Tess Coady also secured the Junior World Championship title in big air on 1st April 2017 in Špindlerův Mlýn (CZE). Abundant sunshine and spring-like temperatures attracted a good crowd of spectators on the final day of competitions.
The ladies‘ podium was a repeat from the slopestyle competition with Reira Iwabuchi of Japan and Elli Pukkujamsa of Finland in second and third just like the day before.
For Coady, who became the first Australian snowboarder ever to win a Junior World Chamionship title, it was a perfect end to a successful season which saw her securing two sixth places in her first FIS World Cup winter.
“I didn’t expect that at all. Two gold medals in two days, I am really stocked“, the 16-year old winner said.
In the men’s event, Japanese duo Yuri Okubo and Yutaro Mizyawa took gold and silver. Enzo Valax of France rounded out the podium in third.
“I am very happy and satisfied with all my runs“, the 16-year old winner said. We work as a team and have great support which I would like to thank everyone for."
Big Air gold at the Junior World Championships was the best result of Okubo's young career. Already after the qualification run two days earlier, he sat in first position coming into the semi-finals and would remain in the lead to secure gold.
