Australia's reigning World Champion snowboard halfpipe rider Holly Crawford may start to call Canada her home away from home following yet another brilliant podium finish over the weekend.
Competing in Stoneham, Crawford chalked up her fifth podium finish on Canadian snow since first entering World Cup competition in 2005.
Coming off the back of a fourth place in Yabuli, China, five days ago, the AIS/NSWIS scholarship holder competed with more purpose yesterday, finishing behind World Cup leader Xuetong Cai from China and ahead of Japan's Haruna Matsumoto.
In the rain and fog delayed final which did not finish until 10.30pm, about two hours later than scheduled, Crawford had her chance to steal first place away from Cai.
Unfortunately she slightly under-rotated her second trick, a cab 720, in the first of her two runs, which may have been the difference between Cai's 24.8 points and the Sydneysider's 24.5.
However, Crawford and her coach Ben Alexander were very pleased with the way she boarded to record her second best result of the season and her 12th World Cup podium.
While Alexander was full of praise for Crawford, he was equally complimentary of Crawford's teammate and fellow World Champion Nathan Johnstone.
Johnstone went into the Stoneham event as the competition leader but an aggressive stomach virus prevented the AIS/NSWIS scholarship holder from training all week. In fact, Johnstone was so ill that he was taken to hospital and was bed ridden for part of the lead up period.
Despite competing well below full physical strength, the 21-year-old matched his undeniable athletic ability with enormous courage and determination to qualifying in first place on 27.2 points, 1.6 points ahead of Japan's Taku Hiraoka.
Days of not being able to eat during the lead up to the final took its toll, sapping the Australian of energy and preventing Johnstone, who notched his maiden World Cup victory in China only five days ago, from performing at his best. He finished in 10th.
The event was a clean sweep for Japanese riders, Ryo Aono, Taku Hiraoka and Kazuumi Fujita, who finished 1-2-3.
Alexander said that Johnstone showed tremendous maturity and to compete at all was a credit to the Australian.
"I thought Nate was amazing. When you consider that his first time in the pipe all week was in competition, and he was still effected by the illness, I was really impressed by the way he competed," Alexander said.
Competing in Stoneham, Crawford chalked up her fifth podium finish on Canadian snow since first entering World Cup competition in 2005.
Coming off the back of a fourth place in Yabuli, China, five days ago, the AIS/NSWIS scholarship holder competed with more purpose yesterday, finishing behind World Cup leader Xuetong Cai from China and ahead of Japan's Haruna Matsumoto.
In the rain and fog delayed final which did not finish until 10.30pm, about two hours later than scheduled, Crawford had her chance to steal first place away from Cai.
Unfortunately she slightly under-rotated her second trick, a cab 720, in the first of her two runs, which may have been the difference between Cai's 24.8 points and the Sydneysider's 24.5.
However, Crawford and her coach Ben Alexander were very pleased with the way she boarded to record her second best result of the season and her 12th World Cup podium.
While Alexander was full of praise for Crawford, he was equally complimentary of Crawford's teammate and fellow World Champion Nathan Johnstone.
Johnstone went into the Stoneham event as the competition leader but an aggressive stomach virus prevented the AIS/NSWIS scholarship holder from training all week. In fact, Johnstone was so ill that he was taken to hospital and was bed ridden for part of the lead up period.
Despite competing well below full physical strength, the 21-year-old matched his undeniable athletic ability with enormous courage and determination to qualifying in first place on 27.2 points, 1.6 points ahead of Japan's Taku Hiraoka.
Days of not being able to eat during the lead up to the final took its toll, sapping the Australian of energy and preventing Johnstone, who notched his maiden World Cup victory in China only five days ago, from performing at his best. He finished in 10th.
The event was a clean sweep for Japanese riders, Ryo Aono, Taku Hiraoka and Kazuumi Fujita, who finished 1-2-3.
Alexander said that Johnstone showed tremendous maturity and to compete at all was a credit to the Australian.
"I thought Nate was amazing. When you consider that his first time in the pipe all week was in competition, and he was still effected by the illness, I was really impressed by the way he competed," Alexander said.
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