White withdraws from Winter Games NZ

As a result of a crash in training earlier in the week, two-time Olympic gold medallist Shaun White will no longer be competing in the Halfpipe World Cup scheduled to take place on Friday and Saturday (8-9 September) as part of the Audi quattro Winter Games NZ.

"I took a crash while practising for the event,” said White. “Nothing is broken but the doctors advised me to take a few weeks off. I'm heading home to rest and prepare for more snowboarding next month."

“We wish Shaun all the best for a rapid recovery,” said Winter Games NZ Freeski & Snowboard Manager Eric Zerrenner. “We were certainly looking forward to watching him to compete. Having an eight-time Winter X-Games Superpipe Champion on the start list brings an extra level of excitement to our event and reflects the calibre of this competition.”

Zerrenner emphasises that while it is disappointing not to have White competing at the Winter Games NZ, the World Cup will still be contested by a world-class field.

Names to watch include two-time world champion Scotty James (AUS), Sochi Olympic silver and bronze medallists Ayumu Hirano and Taku Hiraoka of Japan, and American Danny Davis, one of the most stylish and creative pipe riders on the competition circuit.

The women’s start list also boasts a star-studded line-up, headed by Americans Chloe Kim and Kelly Clark, the most successful snowboarder of all time.

With an X Games medal, multiple World Cup wins and the 2017 World Championship title to her name, China’s Xuetong Cai is also at the top of her game and will have her sights set on a podium finish.

The qualifiers are slated to take place on Friday morning starting with women's qualifier heat 1 at 9:20 AM local time (11:00 PM CET Wednesday night).

Start lists qualification:

• Women

• Men Heat 1

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Live scoring is available for both, women and men qualifiers as well as women and men finals.