Skiing: Wells claims silver medal

Wanaka freeskier Jossi Wells (19) has won a silver medal in the men's super-pipe at the 14th Winter X Games in Aspen, Colorado.

The 2008 world superpipe champion won a silver medal in the slopestyle at the 2008 Winter X Games and is the only New Zealander to have won medals at an X Games.

Kevin Rolland, of France, won gold yesterday with 95 points, while Wells was just behind with 93 and just ahead of last year's gold medallist, Xavier Bertoni, also of France, on 90 points.

Wells final included back-to-back left and right 900s, a double flip, a huge 720 and his patented trick, the switch 720 shifty.

He finished with an alley-oop flatspin 540 and a perfect 1080 on the right wall.

The Winter X Games and the three US-based Dew Tour series, which Wells leads in the half-pipe, are the major freeski terrain park competitions in the world.

Freeskiing is not yet an accredited Winter Olympic sport, except for the discipline of skier-cross, which Queenstown athlete Michelle Greig will contest in Vancouver next month.

Wells qualified for the super-pipe final in first place at the weekend while some of his toughest competition failed to make the cut.

Freeskier Magazine editor Shay Williams said in an online report yesterday it was a "surprising turn of events, superpipe big timers Justin Dorey, Matt Margetts, and Mike Riddle all failed to qualify . . .

It has been a long time since we've seen any pipe competition free of one of those Canadians, but they will all surely be back next week at the Dew Tour".

Wells was also among nine qualifiers for the slopestyle final but finished a disappointing sixth.

Earlier, he was fourth in the big air competition, according to his mother Stacey Wells yesterday.

Younger brother Byron Wells (17) was also invited to compete in the halfpipe event and missed his chance to qualify when he lost a ski.

"Bryon skied years above his age, boosting his last hit to the moon, only to have a his ski come off upon landing.

"While he didn't qualify, Byron turned more than a few heads," Williams said.

Mrs Wells said she was proud of her sons' achievements and was looking forward to hearing how they go next weekend at the final Dew Tour event at Mt Snow, Vermont.

"Jossi called me between the finish and the prize giving and I talked to him briefly.

"He's really stoked."

Both Wells brothers have had to overcome injuries this season.

Byron was still experiencing problems after bruising his heel bone while training in October, but it was improving and he had been happy with his X Games performance, Mrs Wells said.

Also competing at the Winter X Games this year were the first two New Zealand women to be invited: snowboarder Shelly Gotlieb (slopestyle) and freeskier Amy Sheehan of Wanaka (super pipe).

Wanaka's Lyndon Sheehan was on the alternate list for the super pipe but sustained a knee injury during a practice run.