Kiwi snow sports athletes have claimed two silver medals overnight, making this New Zealand’s most successful Park and Pipe Junior World Championships with two more events still to go.
Cam Melville Ives (Wānaka, 15) claimed the silver medal in the Snowboard Slopestyle, landing a personal best competition run. Melville Ives laced together a front 1080, back 1260 and a switch back 1260 on the jumps, the first time he has landed this technical combination in competition.
After a sketchy landing on the rails during his first run, Melville Ives knew he had to put it all on the line for the second and final run.
Snow Sports NZ coach Mitch Brown explained “Cam always performs well under pressure. He kept it cool and aced his second run with a personal best competition run.”
Cameron Spalding (CAN) finished on top of the Snowboard Slopestyle podium, with Fynn Bullock-Womble (USA) in third.
Luca Harrington (Wānaka, 18) carried on New Zealand’s success, securing the silver medal in the Freeski Big Air.
Harrington executed a triple 1620 with a safety grab and a huge switch double 1800 with a lead tail grab. The judges rewarded him with a combined score of 182.50, a clear eight points ahead of his nearest competitor and six points behind the winner.
Troy Podmilsak (USA) took the win today and Leo Landroe (NOR) rounded out the podium in third position.
Three other Kiwi’s were in action overnight at the Park & Pipe Junior World Championships. Dane Menzies (Wānaka based, 16) had a fantastic Snowboard Slopestyle training but wasn’t able to execute his run in the finals, finishing in 16th place.
Fin Melville Ives (twin brother of Cam) finished in 12th place in the Freeski Big air and Harper Souness (Queenstown, 16) finished in 16th in the same event.
The Kiwi athletes will be heading into a day of training tomorrow in Leysin before the final events of the Park and Pipe Junior World Championships on Sunday, the Freeski Slopestyle and Snowboard Big Air.
3 years ago
Junior World Championships