Chinese women dominant in halfpipe

Cai Xuetong, of China, on the way to qualifying first for the women's snowboard halfpipe at the Winter Games at Cardrona yesterday. Photo: Iain McGregor/Winter Games NZ
Cai Xuetong, of China, on the way to qualifying first for the women's snowboard halfpipe at the Winter Games at Cardrona yesterday. Photo: Iain McGregor/Winter Games NZ
Chinese competitors dominated the women's snowboard halfpipe at the Winter Games at Cardrona yesterday.

Bad weather had caused the event to be postponed on Monday but the freeski and snowboard halfpipe were back on the schedule yesterday.

In the snowboard category, six women and 10 men made the cut for the final while in the freeski, eight women and 10 men qualified.

World No2 Cai Xuetong led a strong contingent of Chinese riders in the women's snowboard, Cai earning the top qualifying score of 96.00 on her second run with clean back-to-back 720s.

Five Chinese athletes qualified in the top six along with Australian Emily Arthur in fifth.

The women's freeski was a close battle between Russian Valeriya Demidova and China's Eileen Gu, who tallied a score of 93.00 on her first run. However, the Russian pushed hard on her second run, upping her score from 89.33 to 93.66.

Gu though had the final say, upping her trick difficulty and landing the biggest switch hit of the morning, a switch left 720, for a score of 95.00 and the lead.

Just one point separated China's Zhang Yiwei from South Korean Lee Kwang-Ki for the top spot in the men's snowboard field.

Fletcher Craig was the top-placed New Zealander in fourth, less than a point behind South Korean Lee Chaeun. Rakai Tait also made the final 10, qualifying in eighth place.

American Jaxin Hoerter's first run score of 91.00 booked him a spot in the finals at the top of the men's freeski field.

Swiss Robin Briguet and Mao Bingqiang, of China, were hot on his heals on 89.66 and 88.66 respectively.

The finals are scheduled for today.

The mixed doubles curling event got under way in Naseby yesterday. There will be three days of pool play before the playoffs start on Friday. The finals will be contested on Saturday.

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