Kiwi Freeski Olympian Finn Bilous (Wānaka, 23) has finished in fourth place at the third stop of the 2023 Freeride World Tour held at Kicking Horse Resort in British Columbia, Canada this morning.
Bilous said; “It’s great to be here in Kicking Horse, it's such a nice morning and a beautiful sunrise on the walk up. I managed to put one down and get a decent score, so I am stoked and very happy to be here in Canada.”
After challenging snow conditions at the first two stops of the tour, the athletes were greeted with blower powder and cold temperatures at Kicking Horse.
Bilous, a decorated slopestyle and big air athlete, has made the transition into freeride this season and is making waves as he brings his technical tricks to the huge, exposed faces of the Freeride World Tour.
Bilous has been listening to the Freeride World Tour judges throughout the season and adjusting his line to deliver what they want to see. Today he dropped in and charged down the face, taking direct fall line through a very technical section of the face, and in trademark Bilous style, stomping a giant 360 at the bottom.
The stop in Kicking Horse today was a crucial stop on the 2023 Tour – it was the final opportunity for athletes to gain enough points in the rankings to make it through the cut to qualify for the final two events on the Tour.
With Craig Murray, Jamesa Hampton, Manu Barnard and current Freeride World Champion Jess Hotter also competing today, Bilous is the only Kiwi to make the cut.
Despite not making the cut, the sentiment from the rest of the Kiwi crew was one of gratefulness to be competing at Kicking Horse and to finish today happy and healthy.
With wildcards on offer from the Freeride World Tour there is always a chance that another Kiwi athlete will be joining Bilous at the next stop in Fieberbrunn, Austria – we will have to wait and see!
15 months ago