Copper Mountain (USA) - (8 December 2017) - NZ freeskier Beau-James Wells has made a promising return to competition following a seven-month-long injury break and has finished sixth at the FIS Ski halfpipe World Cup in Copper Mountain, USA.
"I'm so stoked on how today went and very happy with sixth place," said Beau-James. "It's one of the first contests back since I did my knee, and to land my run with four double corks is such a great feeling.
"My goal was to make finals and land a clean run, it was such a heavy field out there today and there were some gnarly runs being put down, so to come out with a (score of) 86 and in sixth place is awesome."
In the best-of-two-runs final Beau-James saved his best until last, muscling out a left double 9 tailgrab for the first time in competition to add to his right double 900 and brace of double 1260s to place a solid sixth in a heavy competition and stacked field.
Sochi 2014 Olympic gold medalist David Wise (USA) dominated the competition with an absolutely through-the-roof opening combo of switch right-side double 1080 safety into a left double 1260 mute and a perfect final hit right double 1260 mute, and a first run score of 92.80 which would prove untouchable on the day.
Second place went to Canada’s Noah Bowman with his compatriot Simon D’Artois in third.
A knee injury kept Nico Porteous from contesting the men's freeski halfpipe finals.
Natalie Good was the standout New Zealander in the women's snowboard Big Air also being held at Copper Mountain, landing a cab 540 and scoring 62.66, her highest World Cup Big Air score. Natalie finished 12th in her heat.
-Ends-
7 years ago
Beau-James Wells