Locals fly high at Cardrona champs

Gustav Legnavsky shows his style in the freeski halfpipe. PHOTO: SNOW SPORTS NZ / ROSS MACKAY
Gustav Legnavsky shows his style in the freeski halfpipe. PHOTO: SNOW SPORTS NZ / ROSS MACKAY
New Zealand athletes scooped the top prizes on the final day of the winter season at Cardrona on Saturday.

The action was intense in ideal conditions at the superpipe for the FIS Australia New Zealand Cup freeski and snowboarding events, followed by the ANC big air.

It was a tightly contested battle for the top of the freeski men’s podium as the young athletes impressed the judges with the technicality and amplitude of their runs.

Junior world champion Gustav Legnavsky (17), of Wanaka, narrowly claimed the win over rising Lake Hawea skier Luke Harrold (14).

Legnavsky’s amplitude was impressive and he landed a huge left double cork 1260 as he won his second ANC halfpipe event this New Zealand season.

"I have gained more confidence from my results, knowing that I can do it and how good it feels to stand on top of the podium," Legnavsky said.

"I was 100% impressed with the level of my competitors today. Throughout the whole field, it was a really high level.

"We all push each other. They have definitely pushed me today to go and give it my all and put down as much as I can."

Harrold delivered on his promise with a display that included a switch left alley oop flat 540 that impressed the judges along with a right double cork 1260.

Wanaka skier Finley Melville Ives (16) rounded out the young podium.

Another Wanaka youngster, Sylvia Trotter (14), won the women’s freeski halfpipe with a run that included back-to-back 540s.

She was joined on the podium by Ella Miles (Wanaka, 16) and Madeleine Disbrowe (Queenstown, 14).

The best of the Kiwis in the snowboard halfpipe was Wanaka’s Lucia Georgalli (15), who was third in the women’s event behind Sara Shimizu (Japan) and Kinsley White (USA).

American boarder Jason Wolle won the men’s event with his stunning first run that scored 95.

After the FIS ANC halfpipe competition wrapped up, the snowboard athletes headed over to the Big Bucks terrain park for the big air.

Georgalli again impressed with her bronze medal, making it three from three for ANC podiums this week. Mari Fukada (Japan) won the women’s title with a huge score of 178.67, and Bianca Gisler (Switzerland) was second.

“I am hyped to finish on the podium at every ANC event this week," Georgalli said.

"I think I can find that consistency because I try to spend as much time up the mountain as possible to work on my tricks."

The men’s snowboard big air field was of a remarkably high standard.

Chinese star Su Yiming, who won gold at the Beijing Winter Olympics, claimed victory. Japan’s Ryoma Kimata was second and two-time Winter Olympian Nicolas Huber, of Switzerland, was third.

On Friday, after two days of cancellations due to the polar blast, the national slopestyle championships were completed.

Georgalli asserted her dominance in the women’s snowboard event from her first run, scoring an 86 to hold the top spot then boosting that to 88.67 with her second run.

Fukada (Japan) was second and Ava Beer (New Zealand) third.

Ryoma Kimata (Japan) won the men’s snowboard slopestyle, followed by the Swiss pair of Moritz Thoenen and Alex Lotorto.

Wanaka’s Luca Harrington, who won the freeski big air on Tuesday, dominated the men’s freeski slopestyle with a super score of 94.33 on his first run. Rai Kasamura (Japan) was second and Harrold third.

It was a Canadian 1-2 in the women’s freeski slopestyle, won by Caoimhe Heavey with Jordan Peet second. Daisy Thomas (Australia) was third.

By: Staff reporter