Luca Harrington (Wānaka, 21) has been crowned the 2025 FIS Freeski Big Air World Champion. This is the first time a Kiwi freeskier has won the Freeski Big Air World Championships and also marks Harrington’s first World Championship title, another history defining moment for the Wānaka freeskier.
Harrington was thrilled with his latest title, saying; “I am so honoured, this season has been just incredible for me and to top it all off with the World Champs win is such an honour, it is a dream of mine coming true and I am so grateful to be here right now.”
Harrington was the top qualifier into today’s finals, giving him the advantageous position of dropping last into each of the three finals runs. Big Air format takes the best two scoring tricks (that must be performed in two different directions) and combines them for a total overall score.
Harrington put down a right triple corked 1980 safety grab for his first run, scoring a 92.00 which was a great first score on the board. Dropping into his second run, Harrington stomped his one-of-a-kind trademark switch right triple corked 1800 Esco Grab. The judges loved it and rewarded him with a massive 96.75, the highest score of the competition.
Harrington explained; “Honestly, after my first run I was a little surprised but super stoked on what the judges scored it and that gave me a lot of confidence to send it on my second run. That trick [Triple corked 1800 Esco Grab] is my speciality and I knew I could put it down. That was the cleanest I had landed it here, it was crazy and I was in shock, I just couldn’t believe it!”
As the last athlete to drop, Harrington’s third and final run was a victory lap but knowing he could execute his first run trick more cleanly, Harrington went all in an put down a textbook right triple corked 1980 safety grab to up his score on this trick to a 95.25. With a total combined score of 192.00, Harrington took the World Championship title by significant margin, 7.75 points ahead of his nearest competitor.
Elias Syrja of Finland secured his first career major podium finishing in second and Beijing 2022 Big Air champion and 2025 Slopestyle World Champion Birk Ruud of Norway rounded out the podium in third.
With five World Cup podiums, including two gold, X Games gold and silver medals, New Zealand’s first ever FIS Freeski Crystal Globe and now a World Championship title, Harrington’s season has been nothing short of exceptional.
Harrington will now take a well-deserved break from competition, but will still be spending plenty of time on his skis having fun and getting creative through the Northern Hemisphere spring.
4 days ago