Australian Institute of Sport / NSW Institute of Sport snowboard halfpipe athlete Nathan Johnstone should go into next week’s World Championships at Stoneham, Canada, with great confidence and Torah Bright is recapturing the form that earned her a Winter Olympic Games gold medal after both recorded strong victories today.
Johnstone, the reigning World Champion, and Bright completed his-and-hers World Cup wins at Copper Mountain, USA, which has elevated Johnstone to the number one ranking while Bright has jumped to second place on the standings.
Their performances prompted AIS halfpipe coach Ben Alexander to describe the results as “outstanding”, given the level of talent in the event and the standard the Australians set today.
Johnstone was in great form finishing ahead of second and third placed Americans Luke Mitrani and Louie Vito while Bright was victorious over the 2002 Winter Olympic Games gold medallist Kelly Clark, from the United States, and Spanish rider Queralt Castellet who finished third.
“Both Nate and Torah were outstanding today,” Alexander said.
“With the number of young talented riders entering the sport now and the fact that the last Olympics were three years ago and everybody is now so much better, today’s wins were outstanding,” Alexander said.
Johnstone wowed the judges and spectators, as well as surprising everybody except himself and other Australians, with a technical run consisting of a backside air to a frontside double cork 1080, a cab 1080 taipan, a frontside 900 mute and a backside 900 melon.
Bright was awarded the day’s highest score, 85.75, in her first of two runs with a backside air to air to air fakie, a cab 720 indy, frontside air, backside 540 mute and a backside alley oop rodeo 540.
Johnstone and Bright headlined a record breaking day for Aussie World Cup skiers and snowboarders, a day that consisted of an unprecedented two wins and a further three podium finishes in just one day.
Seventeen-year-old Kent Callister also provided his share of dazzle to the day by finishing ninth in the field of 83 men in just his second World Cup event.
Since making his World Cup debut in New Zealand last August as a 16-year-old, the young gun has impressed, establishing himself as a potential high achiever in years to come.
Another Australian teenager, 2010 Olympian Scott James, finished in 28th while in the women’s draw reigning World Champion and AIS / NSWIS athlete Holly Crawford experienced mistakes in the qualifying round and had to be content with 35th place.
NSWIS athlete Stephanie Magiros was 27th while Alex Fitch placed 34th.
Johnstone, the reigning World Champion, and Bright completed his-and-hers World Cup wins at Copper Mountain, USA, which has elevated Johnstone to the number one ranking while Bright has jumped to second place on the standings.
Their performances prompted AIS halfpipe coach Ben Alexander to describe the results as “outstanding”, given the level of talent in the event and the standard the Australians set today.
Johnstone was in great form finishing ahead of second and third placed Americans Luke Mitrani and Louie Vito while Bright was victorious over the 2002 Winter Olympic Games gold medallist Kelly Clark, from the United States, and Spanish rider Queralt Castellet who finished third.
“Both Nate and Torah were outstanding today,” Alexander said.
“With the number of young talented riders entering the sport now and the fact that the last Olympics were three years ago and everybody is now so much better, today’s wins were outstanding,” Alexander said.
Johnstone wowed the judges and spectators, as well as surprising everybody except himself and other Australians, with a technical run consisting of a backside air to a frontside double cork 1080, a cab 1080 taipan, a frontside 900 mute and a backside 900 melon.
Bright was awarded the day’s highest score, 85.75, in her first of two runs with a backside air to air to air fakie, a cab 720 indy, frontside air, backside 540 mute and a backside alley oop rodeo 540.
Johnstone and Bright headlined a record breaking day for Aussie World Cup skiers and snowboarders, a day that consisted of an unprecedented two wins and a further three podium finishes in just one day.
Seventeen-year-old Kent Callister also provided his share of dazzle to the day by finishing ninth in the field of 83 men in just his second World Cup event.
Since making his World Cup debut in New Zealand last August as a 16-year-old, the young gun has impressed, establishing himself as a potential high achiever in years to come.
Another Australian teenager, 2010 Olympian Scott James, finished in 28th while in the women’s draw reigning World Champion and AIS / NSWIS athlete Holly Crawford experienced mistakes in the qualifying round and had to be content with 35th place.
NSWIS athlete Stephanie Magiros was 27th while Alex Fitch placed 34th.
RSS Feed
