WANAKA, New Zealand (Aug. 27, 2015)—During a windy Audi quattro Winter Games NZ at Cardrona Alpine Resort, Joss Christensen (Park City, UT) grabbed a podium at the slopestyle, nailing a bronze.
This was the first FIS World Cup slopestyle of the season, and a AFP Platinum-level event. James ‘Woodsy’ Woods of Great Britain was unstoppable, taking first with a smooth second run scoring him a 93.40. Oystein Braaten of Norway grabbed second place. Bobby Brown (Breckenridge, CO) was fifth and Noah Wallace (Spokane, WA) was seventh.
Joss Christensen (right) stands on the podium next to Woods and Braaten. (Getty Images - Hannah Peters)
In the women’s event, the final run from Norway’s Tiril Sjaastad Christiansen saw her repeat her gold-winning performance from the 2013 Winter Games. Her score of 85.80 pushed Italy’s Silvia Bertagna down to silver and Lisa Zimmermann of Germany repeated her bronze medal from Winter Games NZ 2013. After her gold-medal performance in halfpipe earlier this week, Devin Logan (West Dover, VT) finished fourth in slope. Keri Herman (Breckenridge) was sixth.
With the weather causing the event to be moved up a day, the wind was gusting throughout the slopestyle. But it didn’t stop the high-level performances. “The level of competition was insanely good, like crazy, and comparable with the X Games,” said head judge Lao Chazelas. “It’s really nice to see this level in the middle of the northern summer.”
WINNING RUNS
James Woods: slide to 180 out, switch left 270 to pretzel 270 out, zero spin to ledge of the wall ride, switch left 270 in pretzel 270 out, switch on to cannon to blind 630 tail grab out, left double-cork 1080 safety, right double-cork 1260 tail grab, switch right double-cork 10 octo grab
Tiril Sjaastad Christiansen: straight slide across tube, K-Fed (frontside swap to blind 270 off), slide to blind 270 out, cannon rail to frontside 270 off, switch right 540 tail grab, left 720 safety, right cork 900 tail grab.
RESULTS
Men’s slopestyle results
Women’s slopestyle results
Release information courtesy of Winter Games NZ.
