Everything worked just perfectly for the 20th anniversary of U.S Grand Prix hosted in beautiful Park City Mountain Resort in Utah, USA. Some of the world’s best freeskiers competed in the FIS Halfpipe World Cup today with the host US Freesking team athletes taking the win in both ladies’ and men’s competition.
On the ladies’ side it was Maddie Bowman (USA) who claimed yet another maiden victory coming off a huge performance at the last weekend’s X-Games in Aspen. Bowman stepped her game up in the last run to steal the victory and to please the home crowd. She threw down three different 900 including switch 9 that she just learned last week and top the best score with 89.80 points.
“Going into that third run I was thinking to do the best I can,” said Bowman. “My coach Ben and I decided to put the right 540 into the last run and it seems like it was just the right decision” she added.
Second spot on the day went to Ayana Onozuka from Japan. Finishing on podium today earned her another 80 points in the overall World Cup standing and thus moving her on top of the leader-board before the last halfpipe stop in Tignes (FRA).
“It’s has been really tough last three weeks with Mammoth GP, X-Games and now the Park City event. Maddie is so strong and she proved that today with her last run” said Onozuka. “I am super happy to be here and finish on the second place. It’s been a great competition here in Park City,” she finished.
French veteran Marie Martinod rounded up the podium making it a big comeback to the World Cup Top 3 after more than two years after her 3rd place in Cooper Mountain in 2013.
In the men’s competition it was Aaron Blunck to make the US Freeskiing team proud and grabbing his second ever World Cup win. Blunck impressed with his super technical run including super stylish switch left-side dub 900, switch right-side dub 10 and enormous right-side dub 12 on the last hit, which he has just learned last week in Aspen. With another 100 World Cup points, Blunck jumped on the first place in the halfpipe overall classification, taking the lead over Kevin Rolland by just 4 points.
“I woke up this morning and decided to just have fun and not to stress too much,” said Blunck. “I put down my first run and was so stoked on it, but at the end we have three runs so I had to watch everyone go two more times and Rolland three times. Kevin is the guy who can get it under pressure any time so I was just super happy that wasn't his day”.
Benoit Valentin (FRA) and Kevin Rolland (FRA) went 2nd and 3rd respectively, sharing the halfpipe podium for yet another time. Valentin stomped all three of his runs coming no shorter than 89.80. His winning run consisted of huge switch left-side 1080 tail to kick the things off and back-to-back dub 10 to dub 12 to finish his run.
“I had my run locked down pretty much. I saved some energy in the training and went all-in in the finals,” said Valentin. “It was only enough for the 2nd place but I’m already looking forward to the next competition at home in Tignes”.
Kevin Rolland, who was among the biggest favorite for the win today, finished the competition on the 3rd spot. His run with three different dub 12 would have probably challenge 94.20 set by Blunck, only would have Rolland stomped all of his tricks. That wasn’t the case today and by finishing behind Blunck and Valentin, the French rider had to give back the yellow jersey he was caring from the first World Cup competition in Cardrona (NZL).
It also looked like Alex Ferreira was on a mission today. Young US skier put probably the best run of his career with back-to-back dub 10s followed by back-to-back dub 12s. What probably cost him the podium was the fact that he missed the grab on the last jump. With such difficult tricks in the bag, Ferraira should be the one to have an eye on at the future events though.
The last World Cup stop of the season will take place in Tignes, the home resort of both Kevin Roland and Benoit Valentin, with the competition scheduled for 9-10th of March.
Source: fis-ski.com
