Freestyle Skiing 2016 - 2017 Discussion Thread

[Werloc 3,164]

 

[Dmitry 92]

1st stage of World Cup-2016/17 will start tomorrow in Chile

[ManuCHIL 155]

I really wanted to go u_U 

[intoronto 5,638]

Nice to see Chile win a world cup medal, also means she has met the qualification standard for Pyongchang! (However she still needs to qualify)

[ManuCHIL 155]

wujuu :D!!!...amazing :D!

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FIS Freestyle Ski and Snowboard World Cup seasons set to kick off in Northern Hemisphere

 

The FIS Freestyle Ski and Snowboard World Cup seasons will start next weekend in Italy with ladies’ and men’s big air competitions scheduled for 11^th-12^th November 2016.

 

While the Freestyle Skiing season officially got underway in early September with big air competitions in El Colorado (CHI), the FIS World Cup series’ take off in the Northern Hemisphere with the first big air competitions in Milan (ITA) which hosts both, Freestyle Skiing and Snowboarding.

 

For Freestyle Skiing, it will be a historic season as it will be the first time a World Cup globe will be awarded in big air.

 

For the Snowboarders, the season is especially exciting as snowboard big air will debut as an Olympic sport in the 2018 Olympic Winter Games in PyeongChang (KOR). Serving as official Olympic test event, the next FIS snowboard big air World Cup event is set for 25^th-26^th November 2016 at the Alpensia Ski Jumping complex where a scaffolding structure has been erected facing the ski jump, with a shared finish area between the two facilities. 

 

The following stop on the big air calendar is then Moenchengladbach (GER) which will host competitions for both disciplines from 2^nd-3^rd December 2016.

 

While the world’s top riders will make two further stops in Copper Mountain (USA) and Moscow (RUS), both ski and snowboard disciplines will meet again in Quebec City (CAN) from 9^th-11^th February 2017. Afterwards, the free skiers will travel to Myrkdalen-Voss (NOR) for their final competitions on 24^th and 25^th March 2017 which include a team event.

 

An aditional feature is the fact that the big air events in Milan, Moenchengladbach and Quebec City will be the three venues of the newly launched ‘Super Series’. The series will crown the world’s best free skiers and riders after three stops (click here for more information).

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Zuzana Stromková in final Congrats Zuzička !

http://medias3.fis-ski.com/pdf/2017/FS/8082/2017FS8082RLQ.pdf

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Kai Mahler (SUI) and Lisa Zimmermann (GER) won todays men´s and women´s Big Air in Milano. Full Results and cup standings Here

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Zimmermann and Mahler unbeatable in Milan

 

The first half of the FIS Freestyle Skiing and Snowboarding Super Series Milan big air World Cup weekend saw freeski competition take to the giant scaffold jump set-up at Milan’s EXPerience Park, just outside of the city’s core. There, Germany’s Lisa Zimmermann and Switzerland’s Kai Mahler were able to rise to the top in what turned out to be an exceptionally entertaining big air competition, setting a high bar for things to come on the Super Series tour.

 

On the ladies’ side, Zimmermann (GER) - the 2013/14 slopestyle World Cup crystal globe winner - was on fire from start to finish of the event, qualifying first after stomping both her hits in the seeding round, before stepping up under the lights in the finals and putting down near-perfect tricks on the first two of her three attempts. With a switch left-side 720 high safety in her first jump and left-side 900 high safety in her second hit, Zimmermann had first-place all locked up with 181.0 points before even dropping in for her final hit in the best-two-out-of-three finals format.

 

“It feels great to stand on top of the podium today,” Zimmermann said following the awards ceremony, “The organizers did a great job preparing the ramp and it was a great competition. I’m super happy to have been a part of it.”

 

Zimmermann was followed up by Mathilde Gremaud (SUI) in the six-skier final, as the 16-year-old landed on the podium in just her second-ever World Cup competition. Skiing as if she felt no pressure at all at the huge venue, Gremaud stomped a left 720 tail and a switch left 720 mute to earn herself a combined two-jump score of 157.2 points and the first of what should be many World Cup podiums.

 

 

“I couldn’t be more happy to get on the podium on just my 2^nd ever World Cup appearance,” a surprised Gremaud said from the finish are, “I had nothing to lose so I just did my best and ended up on the second place.”

 

Third-place went to current big air World Cup leader Emma Dahlstrom (SWE), who struggled at times during the day but still ended up missing out on second spot by only .2 points, ending with a score of 157.0 after landing a switch left-side 720 double japan and a right 540 safety.

 

On the men’s side, it seemed as if all skiers were in top gear from the outset, with a dizzying stream of triples being thrown from competitors all up and down the final results sheet.  With skiers like Henrik Harlaut (SWE), Luca Schuler (SUI) and Andri Ragettli (SUI) all stomping big-time tricks but finding themselves off the podium at the end of the night, you know the competition level was world-class.

 

 

“It feels amazing to win the competition tonight,” Mahler said, smiling, “It’s been a while since the last time I’ve stood on the podium so it’s really a great feeling. I’ve learned the triple 16 a month ago and I’m super stoked to be able to pull it down here.”

 

Bullying his way into second place was Oystein Braaten (NOR), who was able to stomp a switch left double 1440 tail grab on his final hit to bump his countryman Eirik Sateroy (NOR) into second and knock Ragettli off the podium. That jump, combined with an earlier left-side triple 1440 safety, gave him a score of 179.6, just .2 shy of Mahler.

 

After the competition, Braaten was impressed with what had gone down. ”It was really good night,” he said, “The jump was amazing, for sure the best city big air I’ve ever tried. Everyone skied so good. I had some expectations before the competition, but coming in second place with this level of riding feels always good.”

 

Sateroy (who, like Gremaud, was in just his second World Cup competition) took third place with a one-two punch of left  triple 1440 safety and then a switch left double 1080 tail, for a score of 173.4.

 

On the big air World Cup leaderboard, Dahlstrom now has 160 points, 54 ahead of Giulia Tanno’s (SUI) 106. On the men’s side, Dahlstrom’s compatriot Henrik Harlaut was able to maintain a narrow hold on top spot in the men’s standings despite a ninth-place finish on Friday, with 129 points to Mahler’s 124.

 

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Bertagna and Harlaut shine in Mönchengladbach

Silvia Bertagna competing in Gladbach Finals

 

 

The second competition of the FIS Super Series big air tour took place on Friday evening in Moenchengladbach (GER) under the lights of the city’s Sparkassenpark. The crowd gathered around the custom-built scaffold jump set-up saw some of the world’s finest big air freeskiers battling it out in the quest for not just the Super Series title, but also the first big air World Cup crystal globe, to be awarded at the end of the season. At the end of Friday’s competition it was Silvia Bertagna (ITA) and Henrik Harlaut (SWE) finishing on top of the podium at another exceptionally entertaining big air competition in a season that has already been stacked with them.

 

Siliva Bertagna with a historic win

 

On the ladies side 30-year-old Silvia Bertagna took her first ever World Cup victory, making it also a historic day for Italian freestyle skiing. Bertagna secured the first FIS Freestyle Skiing World Cup win for Italy in more than 12 years, after Karl Heinz Molling won the ski cross competition in Pozza di Fassa back in 2004. After qualifying from the 4th spot, Bertagna stepped it up in the finals and had no problems on any of her two counting tricks. With switch 720 mute grab and 900 tail grab Italian rider locked up 169.40 points, what turned out to be just enough for the win.

 

“Today was a great night for me”, said Bertagna following the awards ceremony, ”Things didn't go so smooth in training yesterday so I wasn't all that confident. In the end, I performed much better than I expected… It really is a great feeling to be here today.”

 

 

 

Bertagna was followed by Emma Dahlstrom (SWE) who landed her trademark cork 720 tail grab and switch 720 double japan grab and finished the competition with a final score of 162.20. It was the Swedish skier’s third big air World Cup podium in three events on the season, and it ensured that the 24-year-old would hold on to the leader’s yellow bib that she first earned with a win at the season opener in El Colorado.

“It's a great feeling to be the overall World Cup leader after this amazing event in Moenchengladbach,” said Dahlstorm, “I've advanced from third place in Milan to second place here, so let's see what will be the outcome next time.”

Crowd favourite Lisa Zimmermann (GER) rounded up the ladies’ podium in Moenchengladbach. After taking top spot in qualifications, and landing her switch 720 high safety in the first run, Zimmermann looked to be only one stomped trick short of claiming her second World Cup win in a row. However, her execution was lacking on her signature 900 in her next two attempts, and she would fall behind both Bertagna and Dahlstrom.

“I was a bit saddened especially after my second run” said Zimmermann after the competition, “I wanted to show my fans and family here what I have in store. It could have worked out better. Third place is still not bad and the other girls did really well. It was a great atmosphere and a great home crowd.”

After 3rd place on the day Zimmermann is now leading the Super Series ranking with 160 points, 10 points ahead of Bertagna and 20 points ahead of Dahlstrom.

Harlaut comes back on top of the podium

In men’s competition the skiers were in top gear, throwing down a sophisticated combination of doubles and triples and putting all kinds of pressure on the judges. With the winner from the last Super Series event in Milan (ITA), Kai Mahler (SUI), finding himself outside of the finals, as well as names like Jesper Tjader (SWE) and Klaus Finne (NOR), you know the competition level on Friday was world-class.

 

Harlaut would own the day, making an impressive comeback to the top of the podium by displaying his signature creativity, technicality and, above all, style. He stomped dub bio 1260 safety grab in his first run before baking it up with a switch 1440 tail to safety grab that gave him a two-jump total score of 177.00. Harlaut not only won the competition, but also increased his lead in the overall big air World Cup standing to 63 points over Luca Schuhler (SUI). On top of this, he is now only one point behind Oystein Braaten (NOR) on the Super Series’ leaderboard. “I’m stoked about today's win” said Harlaut,

 

“I wish I would have performed even better though. I know I can do better than this, but today it was enough for victory. But my favourite was Luca Schuler. I love his tricks and landings. He got me all hyped up.”

 

 

 

Not only did Schuler impress Harlaut, he impressed the judges too, and his switch dub misty 1440 and dub bio 1080, performed with his favorite bow’n’arrow grab, convinced them tonight to award Schuler with a combined score of 174.20 points and second place on the day.

Third place went to Eirik Sateroy (NOR), who managed to slide into the mens’ podium once again with the same tricks combinations that he performed in Milan, including a massive triple 1440 safety grab followed by a switch double 1080 tail grab. Sateroy continues to amaze, securing his second podium in just his third-ever World Cup competition. The Norwegian young gun has been on fire lately, and with this performance he gives a clear signal he’s a one to watch out for in the near future.

 

“I’m so excited. This is so amazing. It's my third World Cup and placing third is totally amazing. I couldn’t be more excited than this”, said Sateroy after the award ceremony.

 

FIS Freestyle World Cup action continues on 17th of December with the halfpipe competitions going down in Cooper (USA). The big air World Cup will come back in 2017 with the final Super Series event taking place on 11th of February in Quebec City (CAN).  

 

 

Full results are available Here