Silvaplana, Corvatsch, Switzerland (7 February 2013). The New Zealand men’s freeski team has had a tough day at the office today competing at the International Ski Federation (FIS) Freestyle Slopestyle World Cup Corvatsch in Silvaplana, Switzerland. None of the team has progressed past qualification rounds.
With the cancellation due to snow problems of the scheduled slopestyle event at the Sochi, Russia, Olympic test event next week, the Silvaplana showdown took on a new importance for those looking to grab FIS points en route to qualifying for next year's Olympic Winter Games in Sochi. 150 athletes from 23 different nations took to the picturesque World Cup course near St Moritz.
A solid run for Beau-James Wells unfortunately wasn’t enough to impress the judges and his fifth placing in the first heat meant he wouldn’t progress to the finals. Meanwhile old brother Jossi, who is carrying an injury from the recent X Games Big Air, jarred his back in his first run also putting him out of contention.
After watching several other competitors crash out in flat light conditions Hamish Mcdougall made the tactical decision to play it safe but later regretted his call saying that his run was probably “too mellow” and he simply hadn’t done enough to progress.
Harry Pettit took an entirely different approach, making the call to go big… went too big, crashed on the doubles and earned himself little more than a black eye for his troubles. Putting it down to experience, Pettit remarked, “There’s no point coming to a World Cup event and not going for it.”
Mcdougall and Pettit will now return to their training base in Breckenridge while the Wells brothers head to Russia for the Olympic halfpipe test event.
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12 years ago