Spindleruv Mlyn set to host grand slopestyle World Cup finale
Aug 31, 2018·Snowboard Park & PipeIt's the third consecutive time in a row that Spindleruv Mlyn will host the slopestyle World Cup finals as part of the Snowjam.cz. And with some of the world's finest talents having descended on the Czech winter sport resort known for its creative slopestyle course design, the last shred battle of the 2016-17 season is a promising one.
However, with the current World Cup leaders and their main pursuers in the race for the Crystal Globe not being at site, only a few riders have a theoretical chance to bump of Jamie Anderson (USA; 2,400) and Redmond Gerard (USA; 2,100) off the top spot of the ranking.
In the women's event, it's only Sina Candrian (SUI; 1,530), Brooke Voigt (CAN; 1,485) and 2017 world champion Laurie Blouin (CAN; 1,430) who can jump from a respective fifth, sixth and seventh rank to number one – however, a win in Spindleruv Mlyn would be mandatory.
In the men's event, current World Cup leader Red Gerard travelled over the pond to lock in his career's first title as he sits on 2,100 points and therefore has a comfortable lead on fourth ranked rider Jamie Nicholls (1,440) - more or less the only one who has the chance to head off Gerard on the home straight if he ranks second at least and the US boy screws thinks up.
While there is still a slight chance for a change of lead in the discipline's rankings, the battle for the overall title has been decided already.
Big air world champion Anna Gasser (AUT) has already secured the big Crystal Globe therefore sitting out the final event after a long and exhausting season while Mark McMorris (CAN) did so as well after his main pursuers Max Parrot (CAN) and Seppe Smits (BEL) didn't enter the event in the Czech Republic.
The qualifiers are slated to take place on Friday at 10 AM CET with semis as well as finals scheduled for Sunday at 10:30 AM CET and 2 PM CET, respectively.
RANKINGS
Slopestyle World Cup Ranking women prior to Spindleruv Mlyn
Slopestyle World Cup Ranking men prior to Spindleruv Mlyn
Overall Snowboard Freestyle World Cup Ranking women prior to Spindleruv Mlyn
Overall Snowboard Freestyle World Cup Ranking men prior to Spindleruv Mlyn
COURSE PREVIEW