VIS Snowboarder Scotty James has become the only man to win four straight X-Games halfpipe gold medals, winning his seventh career X-Games gold medal under lights in Aspen, USA, surpassing the legendary Shaun White after commanding playoff and final round performances.
 
James now has won an incredible ten career medals in the prestigious invitation only event featuring the world’s best halfpipe riders, equalling White’s halfpipe total.
 
In a flawless performance, James won the playoff round to advance to the top-four final with a score of 93 points.
 
In the best of two-run final, James went even better scoring a huge 96.33 points on his first run which included his signature switch McTwist first hit, cab triple cork 1440, frontside 1260, backside 1080 and switch back 1200.
 
With no rider able to match James, he was able to complete a “victory lap” in the second and final run celebrating on his way down the Aspen superpipe.
 
Joining James on the podium were Japanese riders Yuto Totsuka in second with a best score of 93.66 points, with Ayumu Hirano in third on 92.33.
 
“Just winning a gold medal is amazing here at X-Games, and to do four in a row, I am absolutely speechless” said the 30-year-old from Warrandyte in Victoria.
 
“The triple cork is the one, it’s the trick I feel you have to have in the mix to have any intention of making any damage on the podium, so to put it in my run and do it switch and try and put in my own flare at the start to feels good for the soul.”
 
James will remain in Aspen for a World Cup competition this week, with the halfpipe event on February 1.

Snowboarder Scotty James has produced one of the best runs of his impressive career, to claim the gold medal at the Laax Open in Switzerland, the tenth World Cup victory of his career and fourth win at the prestigious Swiss event.
 
In the best of two run night final, the two-time Olympic medallist opened with a score of 88.75 points, then stepped it up in the final run to put down a spectacular performance that included a massive switch frontside triple cork 1440 on his way to a huge score of 95.75.
 
James took the win ahead of Japanese rider Ruka Hirano’s score of 93.75, while compatriot and reigning Olympic champion Ayumu Hirano was third with 87.00 points.
 
“I think it might be one of the best moments of my competitive career” said the 30-year-old VIS athlete from Warrandyte in Victoria.
 
“It’s always challenging to win, but this year I feel like I have been put on the ropes quite a bit from the other competitors, especially the Japanese, they are riding incredible.
 
“Not for a second did I think it was a done deal until the last rider went because any rider could have won.
 
“It’s always been a super important detail for me to spin in every direction, and try and keep a bit of soul in there with the switch McTwist at the start before it gets into a lot of spinning, really happy to get the triple in there this year as well which was a big goal of mine.
 
“It’s one of the best pipes in the world, there are no excuses but to go 110% on this thing, so you’ve got to bring your best if you want to stand on top, or even on the podium for that matter.”
 
The victory puts James move into equal first place on the World Cup standings alongside Yuto Totsuka of Japan on 230 points.
 
Competing in the women’s event for Australia was two-time Olympian Emily Arthur, who finished in 24th place.
 
American riders took the top two places in the women’s final with two-time Olympic gold medallist Chloe Kim victorious ahead of Maddie Mastro in second and Gaon Choi of Korea in third.
 
James will now head to Aspen, USA, to compete in the X-Games on January 23, where he will be aiming to win an incredible fourth straight and seventh career X-Games gold medal.

Teenager Ally Hickman has finished tenth in an impressive World Cup debut at the Slopestyle World Cup event in Laax, Switzerland.
 
In the best of two run qualifying round, the 15-year-old NSWIS rider scored 44.66 on her first run, and then stepped it up in the second run to score 64.99, placing her tenth, narrowly missing out on advancing to the eight woman final.
 
Fellow NSWIS athletes Meila Stalker finished in 14th place with a best score of 58.78 in run two and Jesse Parkinson was 59th in the men’s event.
 
First place in the women’s event went to Mia Brookes of Great Britain and the men’s event went to Cameron Spalding of Canada.
 
Freeski Slopestyle
In the freeski slopestyle event in Laax, Abi Harrigan, Daisy Thomas and Kai Martin were all in action for Australia.
 
The highest placed finisher was NSWIS 2022 Olympian Abi Harrigan in 20th, Daisy Thomas was 25th and returning from injury in his first World Cup of the season was Kai Martin who finished 33rd.
 
Eileen Gu of China won the women’s event and Birk Ruud of Norway was victorious in the men’s.

The second straight big air event of the year has taken place in Austria, with skiers and snowboarders this time competing at Kreischberg, the Aussie highlight was teenage freeskier Daisy Thomas recording her best result of the season with an eight place finals finish.
 
Thomas placed fifth in qualifying to advance to her second career World Cup final. In the final, Thomas had a great first jump, with her left spinning double 1080 with grab scoring 82.75 points from the judges. Unfortunately the NSWIS skier wasn’t able to put down her second and third jumps, ending with a final two-jump score of 101.25.
 
It feels great to make finals” said the 17-year-old Youth Olympic big air silver medallist from Sydney.
 
“I’m just trying to be patient, gain some more competition experience and then let some results come in time.
 
“It was amazing, great crowd under the lights and everyone was happy and excited for each other.
 
“I was really happy with my skiing in qualifications and my first run in finals. Bit frustrated about the right double 1080, but after some more reps and practice I should be sweet.
 
“Next up is the Laax Open which I am super stoked for! It’s my first one and the course looks amazing.”
 
Also in action for Australia in the freeski event was Olympian Abi Harrigan in 19th and Joey Ellis in 28th.

Snowboard Big Air – PBs for Robertson-Hahn and Parkinson
 
In the snowboard big air, Joshua Robertson-Hahn and Jesse Parkinson both had personal best big air World Cup results, finishing in 15th and 20th places respectively.
 
Paige Jones made her World Cup debut in the women’s event, finishing in 21st place, and Meila Stalker was 27th.
 
Next weekend the prestigious Laax Open takes place in Switzerland, skiers and snowboarders are scheduled to compete in slopestyle and halfpipe from January 14-18.

NSWIS freeskier Daisy Thomas has just missed out on qualifying for finals at the first FIS World Cup Big Air event of the new year in a stadium event in Klagenfurt, Austria, finishing 11th.
 
Competing in Woerthersee Stadium in Klagenfurt, the 17-year-old Youth Olympic Games medallist performed two double backflip 1080’s spinning in both directions, her first jump scoring 68.60 points, and second jump 54.40.

Her two jump total came to 123 points and a ranking of 11th, just missing out on the eight-woman final by 14.8 points.
 
Also in action for Australia was Abi Harrigan in 14th, and Joey Ellis who was 42nd in the men’s event.
 
Thomas reflected on her performance after the event.
 
“It’s a very different and new setup for me in Austria.
 
“First time hitting a city big air and first time training and competing at nighttime. The jump was definitely a bit sketchy compared to what I’m used to but I’m happy that I was able to put down both ways double 10s in a contest.
 
“Despite not skiing my best, I am feeling really confident leading into the next Big Air competition in Kreischberg. I’m hoping to clean up my tricks and really show everyone my potential in the next few competitions.

Stalker 15th in Snowboard Big Air

NSWIS snowboarders also competed in Klagenfurt, with Meila Stalker and Jesse Parkinson in action.
 
Stalker finished 15th in the women’s event which was won by Mia Brookes of Great Britain, and Parkinson placed 31st in the men’s event won by Taiga Hasegawa of Japan.
 
The next event will also take place in Austria, moving to Kreischberg for freeski big air on January 10 and snowboard big air January 11.