South American Cup Park & Pipe season kicks off with Andes Cup at Valle Nevado
Aug 10, 2024·Snowboard Park & Pipe)
The snow park at Valle Nevado played host to some high-level, international freeski and snowboard competitions from 28 July to 02 August, with two slopestyle and two big air South American Cup events going down for each discipline.
Nearly 40 athletes from over 6 countries participated in these events, the Andes Cup at Valle Nevado gave the freeskiers and snowboarders on hand earning important FIS points while aiming for spots on the World Cup tour for the upcoming season.
Sunny and perfect conditions early in the week gave way to cloudier and windier days later on, but the athletes on hand managed to overcome these challenges and showcased their best tricks.
Chilean Francisco Salas, American Luke Votaw, and Argentine Cristobal Colombo were the top performers in the men’s freeski category, with Salas and Colombo taking one win a piece, while Votaw claimed two victories.
In the women’s freeski category, Chilean Javiera Rojas won three consecutive competitions, while Olympian Dominique Ohaco, also of Chile, claimed victory in the last big air competition after literally arriving from Canada that same day.
In snowboard, former World Cup athlete Antonia Yañez of Chile made a triumphant return, winning all four competitions with a high level of performance. Italian Arianna Vergani and Chileans Josefa Arellano and Julieta Pizarro also secured podium finishes. Among the youth competitors, Chilean Olympian Leon Lorenzini and Argentine Santiago Magni stood out.
In men’s snowboard, the battle for first place was intense, with each competition’s podium being fiercely contested. Chilean World Cup snowboarder Yañez took one victory, Meanwhile, experienced Argentine Fede Charadio won two comeptitions, with his teammate Valentin Moreno claiming the remaining victory. Pucon native Pedro Pizarro also made a strong impression, and young Chileans Benjamin Villegas and Andres Erlandsen had notable performances.
These competitions also showcased important innovations aimed at better athletic performance and sustainability. Real-time results and scores were displayed on a screen installed at the start gate thanks to Live Heats technology, and waste separation containers were installed to manage recycling and quantify the event’s environmental impact.
The South American Cup continues in Bariloche (Cerro Catedral) on August 17, where the fight for the South American title is heating up.
The Andes Cup is organized by the Chilean National Ski and Snowboard Federation, supported by the National Institute of Sports (IND) and brands such as Avene, Rossard, Oakley, Thule, LBS, Opinel, Stanley, El Montañes, The North Face, Snickers, and media partners including Chilenieve, Revista HD Sports, and Global Via Publica.
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