Top riders set for finals in Laax Open slopestyle and halfpipe
Jan 22, 2021·Snowboard Park & Pipe
Two big days of semifinal action wrapped up on Thursday when Raibu Katayama (JPN) dropped in as the last rider in heat two of men’s halfpipe qualifications and stomped a gutsy second run in some tricky conditions to punch his ticket to Saturday’s nighttime finals at the Laax Open 2021 FIS Snowboard World Cup. Now, with the best riders of the slopestyle and halfpipe fields done with the qualification rounds, we are all set for what are promising to be some exceptionally exciting competitions through today and tomorrow.
SLOPESTYLE
On Monday, men’s slopestyle qualification day started with some bad news, as two members of the Canadian contingent were tested positive for covid-19 in the morning, forcing the whole Canadian men’s slopestyle team into quarantine per protocols put in place by FIS, the local organiser, and the Swiss government. While losing the like of Mark McMorris, Max Parrot, and Sebastien Toutant from the competition was a huge disappointment to all involved, the successful implementation of the safety measures has thus far halted any further transmission, ensuring that the competition has been able to proceed without any major disruption.
While the majority of the women’s favourites made their way through Tuesday’s semis to the eight-rider final - with the USA’s Jamie Anderson leading the way in pretty commanding fashion - it wasn’t a walk in the park for a few of the world’s top riders. Most notable of those was Anna Gasser (AUT), who put down something of a safety run and had to wait nervously on the bubble before squeaking into finals in eighth place - just .70 points clear of ninth-place Hanne Eilertsen (NOR).
Slopestyle semifinals day was a big one for the host Swiss, with Moritz Boll and Nicolas Huber going 1-2 atop the men’s rankings, while their countrymen Moritz Thonen and Jonas Boesiger also made it through to the 12-man finals. Germany’s Leon Vockensperger and Jake Canter of the USA represent a couple of the sleeper candidates to make it through to finals, while a strong Norwegian contingent of Mons Roisland, Marcus Kleveland, and Torgeir Bergrem all have a shot at top spot later on today.
There were a couple pretty notable riders who failed to advanced past the men’s semis, with Sven Thorgren (SWE), Ruki Tobita (JPN), Takeru Otsuka (JPN), and a handful of other potential favourites on the outside looking in once the dust had settled on Tuesday. However, one rider’s loss is another one’s potential gain, and it will be interesting to see what some of the less-heralded men on hand do with the opportunity.
HALFPIPE
The big news ahead of semifinals Thursday was the return to competition of the USA’s Chloe Kim, who was putting the bib on for the first time in almost two years after taking the 2019/20 season off to pursue her education.
If Kim was nervous for her first contest after such a long layoff, she sure didn’t show it. Putting down a first run that saw her right getting right back to the boosty, smooth, and stylish riding that had her essentially unbeatable before she took her hiatus, Kim showed that she’s ready to reclaim her crown at Saturday’s halfpipe night finals.
With Mitsuki Ono, Sena Tomita and Haruna Matsumoto all making it through to the six-rider women’s finals, the Japanese team will be heavily represented, while Germany’s Leilani Ettel (competing in her first-ever World Cup final) and last season’s Laax Open halfpipe winner Queralt Castellet round out the women’s finals field.
The big news after semifinals on Thursday was the performance of 15 year-old Australian Valentino Guseli, who dropped in on his first-ever World Cup competition round and proceeded to absolutely drop bombs all up and down the Laax pipe while earning the top score of the day with a 95.00. With incomprehensibly big airs from top to bottom and every single smooth, stylish trick stopped at the top of the transition, Guseli essentially turned himself into an overnight star as his run was shared and celebrated around the world. No matter what happens in finals, young Valentino Guseli will walk away one of the biggest winners of the Laax Open 2021.
Guseli’s performance overshadowed that of a fellow Aussie who’s not used to be outside of the spotlight at any event in which he’s entered, as reigning Laax Open champ Scotty James was merely “very good” on Thursday to finish third in his heat while punching his ticket to the finals. While he finished 14 points back of his young compatriot Guseli, we all know that James is able to rise to another level all together come finals time, and we expect to see that again on Saturday night.
Others who impressed in the men’s field include the dynamic Japanese duo of Yuto Totsuka and Ruka Hirano, along with the Swiss trio of David Habluetzel, Patrick Burgener and Jan Scherrer, and young US rider Joey Okesson, who made it through to the final 12 in just his fourth career World Cup start.
Laax Open slopestyle World Cup finals are just a few hours away, beginning at 13:15 on Friday afternoon, while halfpipe finals are slated to go down under the lights at the pristine Laax pipe beginning at 17:30 Saturday evening.
QUICK LINKS:
Laax Open data page (results, start lists, live scoring)
