In a stacked final, consisting of the majority of the world’s best slopestyle skiers, Harrington (19) laced together a technical first run yesterday, scoring an impressive 92.00.
His run included a textbook left double 1440 safety grab into a right double 1800 lead stale grab on the second and third jumps.
Harrington then had a nail-biting wait, sitting in podium position for more than half the competition.
With just a few skiers left to drop into their final runs, Harrington got bumped down into fourth position by two decorated skiers.
Evan McEachran (Canada), a five-time world cup podium finisher, and Birk Ruud (Norway), a seven-time slopestyle world cup winner, both posted scores that were just slightly higher than Harrington’s.
Jesper Tjader, of Sweden, took the top spot with McEachran second and Ruud third.
“Honestly, it’s amazing," Harrington said.
"I am unbelievably happy to have finished in fourth place.
"I can’t believe I am even here skiing against some of these guys that I have looked up to my whole life.
"To be here with them and contending with them is pretty amazing.”
Harrington’s team-mate, Ruby Andrews (Queenstown), was competing in the women’s slopestyle finals in Silvaplana, finishing in a respectable ninth position.
“I am happy with my second run," Andrews said.
"It’s nice to put down a run at the final competition of the season.
"The level was super high, all the girls killed it and I am happy to have made finals."
This was the end of a busy competition season for Harrington and Andrews, who both recorded career-best performances at world cup and world championship level.
Meanwhile, just over the border in Austria, Otago great Adam Hall was competing in his final race of the season, the European Cup slalom finals, where he claimed the silver medal.
That was a significant achievement from para star Hall, considering they were racing in challenging spring-like conditions.
New Zealand skier Finn Bilous had been set to drop into the Freeride World Tour Verbier Extreme finals but the event was postponed due to poor weather and low visibility.
— Staff reporter
