Kaprun, Austria (30 March 2019) – New Zealand snowboarder Mitchell Davern (Auckland) has signalled that he will be one to watch in coming seasons, with a win at the World Rookie Tour Slopestyle finals in Kitzsteinhorn – Zell am See-Kaprun, Austria on Saturday (local time).
The Tour is designed to develop and showcase the talents of young riders and this season has involved 1100 snowboarders from 35 different nations. A win at the New Zealand stop of the Tour, held at Cardrona Alpine Resort last winter, earned Davern his place in the Tour finals in Austria.
The 17-year-old, who is part of the Snow Sports NZ High Performance Development Squad, said his goal for the event was “to put down a good slopestyle run and do my best. I just wanted to give it my all and it really paid off.”
The biggest win of his career so far, Davern said, “I can’t even comprehend I won something this big.” Coach Mitchell Brown, who this season has coached Zoi Sadowski-Synnott to World Championship and X Games win, said Davern put together a strong performance, qualifying his finals place in fifth place and then landing both runs in the finals.
While the first run score would have been enough for the win, the young Kiwi stepped up with an even better score on his second attempt.
“It was a confidence booster to put a run down,” explains Davern. “The next run I just wanted to clean it up and do better.”
Davern’s winning run comprised a switch 1080 indy, switch backside 360 tuck knee, crippler 540, switch 180- 50/50 backside 360 out, boardslide on the up rail, nose pick stall, frontside 270 to finish.
Watch the highlights video below.
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5 years ago
Mitchell Davern,
World Rookie Tour