FIS Freeski World Cup Stubai: Top Conditions in the Finals!
Last updated on 23.11.2018
Kelly Sildaru (EST) and Henrik Harlaut (SWE) win kick-off to the Slopestyle season at Stubai Glacier, Austria.
Kelly Sildaru (EST) and Henrik Harlaut (SWE) are the winners of the 2nd FIS Freeski World Cup at Stubai Glacier, Tyrol, Austria. In excellent conditions, the world’s best freeskiers showed first-class performances at the perfectly prepared Snowpark DC Stubai Zoo today. In the first Slopestyle event of the season Kelly Sildaru took the women’s crown ahead of Olympic champion Sarah Hoefflin (SUI) and Mathilde Gremaud (SUI). Henrik Harlaut won the men’s comp very close to Mac Forehand (USA) and Ferdinand Dahl (NOR).
The decision to bring the final forward by one day proved to be right: DC Stubai Zoo welcomed the participants with sunshine and no wind. Under these conditions, the freeskiers were able to show their most demanding tricks on the kickers and rails of the snow park. 71 men and 30 women had started in the qualification on Thursday, the 18 best men and 8 best women battled for victory in the finals. They completed two runs, of which the better one scored.
Ladies: Young Estonian squeezes out the Olympic champion
The “wunderkind” from Estonia celebrated her second World Cup victory: 16-year-old Kelly Sildaru dominated the competition at Stubai. She had shone with an almost perfect run in the qualification, which earned her incredible 97 points. In the finals, she crashed in the first run, but then stuck her combination of a Right Switch 1080 Mute and a Left Switch 1080 Mute in the second run, which earned her 88.46 points. Sarah Hoefflin (SUI, 86.36 p.) and Mathilde Gremaud (SUI, 83.46 p.), who won gold and silver in slopestyle at the 2018 Olympic Winter Games, could not beat her. “I’m really, really happy about my result. I think my 2 first jumps weren’t the best, but I’m really satisfied with my run so I’m super stoked,“ Kelly Sildaru stated.
Men: A very close victory for Harlaut
The 6-time X Games winner took his first Slopestyle World Cup victory: Henrik Harlaut (SWE) triumphed just ahead of Mac Forehand (USA). The 27-year-old Swede collected 88.88 points with a Switch Triple 1260 and a Double Cork 1260 in the first run. The American backfired with a Right Double Cork 1260 Japan in the second run, but only scored 88.08 points. Third place went to Ferdinand Dahl (NOR) with 86.76 points. “It was awesome,” the winner rejoiced. “I got to land both my qualification runs and my final runs. I’m really happy with the whole week. It’s been consistent. The feeling at Stubai is awesome, everybody skied really well and was in a good mood and happy for each other.”
The next stop of the Slopestyle World Cup series will be Font Romeu, France, from 10 to 12 January 2019. In the DC Stubai Zoo, the Stubai Prime Park Sessions will be continued: The world elite will be perfecting their tricks for the season at the training camp from 27 November to 6 December 2018.
For further information please visit www.stubaifreeskiworldcup.com