A heavy-hitting field of international freeskiers took to the slopes of Cardrona Alpine Resort again yesterday for the men's and women's slopestyle finals of The North Face Freeski Open of New Zealand.
The women's field had just 14 competitors, so the decision was made to move straight through to finals.
Norway's Tiril Sjaastad-Christiansen was the clear winner with an overall score of 97.60 ahead of German Lisa Zimmerman in second on 87.80 and American Devin Logan in third on 77.60.
Sjaastad-Christiansen (18) was the winner of the women's slopestyle at the Winter Games world cup on August 25 and tops the Association of Freeskiing Professionals' overall rankings for female freeskiers.
Her run included a switch 180 on, 180 out, switch lip on to the down rail, frontside four off the cannon, left 540 mute grab, switch right 900 tail grab and forwards right 900 tail grab.
The men's field consisted of 26 riders, 11 invited and 15 who had qualified during yesterday's heats. Competition moved straight through to a three-run final, in which American Nick Goepper just beat James Woods (UK) 95.80 points to 95.00. Henrik Harlaut took the third spot.
Goepper's run featured a right-side hand-drag three on the transfer rails, a front-side switch up, pretzel 270 out, switch on, rodeo 4 safety out of the cannon feature, right double cork 12 mute grab, switch left double cork 10 Japan grab to switch right double cork nine screaming seaman safety.
Competition continues today with the world's best male and female halfpipe skiers battling it out in the Olympic halfpipe at Cardrona. Qualifiers, semifinals and finals will all be contested.
