The final action of the Games was the two-day Stomp series that included a big air competition at Cardrona on Saturday and the park jam, essentially a chance for the stars to show off on a purpose-built rail garden, yesterday.
Saturday’s conditions were perfect, and a field that contained world champions and Olympic Games medallists made the most of them.
The big air competitors took four laps on the jump and were given a combined score for their best style trick and best technical trick.
Canada’s Max Moffat was the top-scoring athlete in the men’s skiing. More of a slopestyle specialist, Moffat landed a double bio 1620 safety grab to Japan grab for his technical trick, and added a cork 180 for his style trick.
New Zealand Olympian Finn Bilous claimed second place in men’s skiing, managing to improve his score on his last run.
"We only had one run left and my lowest score was for my tech trick so I went to improve that," he said.
"I got the grab a bit better and managed to up my score and land in second place, which I’m really stoked about."
Cardrona local Jackson Wells, a 2017 X Games medallist who has been retired from competition for the past two years, was enjoying being back in the bib on Saturday, and even happier to find himself finishing on the podium in third place.
Canada’s Olivia Asselin was a last-minute entry in the competition, having only arrived in New Zealand two days before the start.
Crashing her first two attempts at the left double 1080 for her technical trick, she managed to put her fears aside and get the job done on her final attempt to win the women’s freeski.
"It’s my first time hitting the big jump this year so it was pretty scary," she said after the event.
"I’m feeling really good about that last jump. I was pretty scared to do it again. I tried it twice before and crashed twice. I went a bit too big but I laced it on the last try."
Known for her progressive style in women’s freeski, Asselin landed a rodeo 540 with safety grab to shifty for her style trick.
Fellow Canadian Megan Oldham finished second with New Zealand’s Ruby Andrews third.
Four-time X Games medallist Miyabi Onitsuka (Japan) had plans to up a frontside double 1080 to a backside double 1260 for maximum points on her technicality score but struggled on the landing for her first two attempts.
She finally stomped the frontside 10 on the third try and backed it up with a clean frontside 360 indy grab for the win in the women’s snowboard category.
Mari Fukada was second in women’s snowboard, and New Zealand’s Cool Wakushima was third.
Australia’s Valentino Guseli won the men’s snowboard.
His top-scoring technical trick was a frontside 1800 melon.
Japanese riders rounded out the podium with Hiroaki Kunitake in second and Taiga Hasegawa third.
Staff Reporter
