NSWIS Snowboarder Jessica Rich has had a strong performance in the Slopestyle event at the 2018 Olympic venue in PyeongChang,Korea.

Rich narrowly missed out on qualifying for the six-woman final by two places, giving her a final ranking of eighth.

The result marks her second top-10 performance of the season at the World Cup level, following a seventh place result in Cardona, New Zealand, back in August 2015.

Current Olympic Champion Jamie Anderson of the USA took victory, with her American team-mate Karly Shorr in second. New Zealand's Christy Prior was third.

In the men's slopestyle event, Angus Waddington finished in 26th place.

Unfortunately OWIA/NSWIS Slopestyle Skier Russ Henshaw was unable to compete at the Olympic test event after suffering a season ending broken collarbone injury just prior to Korea.

IMAGE: Jess Rich (right) and Christy Prior at the PyeongChang, Korea © Jess Rich Instagram

Olympic Winter Institute of Australia (OWIA) athlete Kent Callister has finished sixth in the Snowboard Halfpipe World Cup event in Sapporo, Japan.

Callister finished with a best score of 85.25 in the Final, which he scored on his second run.

Teammate Nate Johnstone, after also qualifying for the ten man final, finished tenth, after falling in each of his three runs.

Scotty James finished 24th in qualifying, after falling in both his qualifying runs.

In the Women's Halfpipe, Holly Crawford just missed out on a spot in the Final after finishing eighth, with only the top six progressing to the final.

Crawford fell just 7.75 points short of qualifying for the final.

Australian snowboarder Emily Arthur has finished second in the halfpipe at the Lillehammer 2016 Youth Olympic Games, with teammate Mahalah Mullins 15th. Arthur, who was the Team flag bearer, won the silver medal with a score of 90.00 with a sensational performance on her second of three runs, in the pipe at Oslo Vinterpark.

She finished behind American two-time X-Games Champion Chloe Kim (96.50) with Korean Yu-rim Yeong (84.50) claiming the bronze.

"I'm so excited," said the 16-year-old from Woronora Heights in Sydney.

"When I landed my second run I was over the moon and couldn't keep back my smile. I'm so, so happy."

Arthur started with a great first run of 87.25 to sit seven points behind Kim. The American then improved to 96.50 and the Australian with some more confidence and amplitude improved to 90.0.

On the third and final run 15-year-old sensation Kim had another great run but could not improve her score. Arthur had a fall on the final run with the silver medal already guaranteed.

"After my first run I was in the high 80s and I was really confident heading into my next run. When I got into the 90s I was amazed and so happy.

"Chloe (Kim) killed it and I just came to land my run and I did that so I'm stoked." 

Arthur, whose parents are here from Sydney, had two falls at her last World Cup in Park City, but delivered here at the Youth Olympics when it mattered most.

"We are so happy for her," said Emily's mum Sandra. 

“The crew and support have been amazing and it was definitely worth the trip.”

Coach Johnny Lipzker was equally as proud of the young gun with a heap of potential.

“It’s awesome,” he said. “She came here to do a run, she landed it and it was good enough for second. We are all so stoked for her.”

“To pull out some of the best runs of your life when it matters the most is every athlete’s dream,” added Australian Chef de Mission Ian Chesterman who was cheering Emily home.

“Emily was not far behind the number one women’s halfpipe athlete in the world so it shows she has class and produces it when it matters the most.”

While the future is bright for Arthur, she is pretty excited just to get back to the Village to see all her Aussie teammates.

“The Village is going to be crazy. I’m excited to see everyone again, I’ve missed all my roommates (since moving down to Oslo) so it should be great.

Mullins from Albury in NSW competed in the pipe for experience and she can now focus on her pet slopestyle event later in the week, where she has finished top 10 in a senior World Cup this season. Arthur will also compete in slopestyle.

The medal here at Lillehammer 2016 continues Australia’s podium streak in Olympic winter competition which started with short track relay bronze back at Lillehammer in 1994.

Andrew Reid
olympics.com.au

OWIA/NSWIS supported Snowboarders Nathan Johnstone and Kent Callister have both finished in the top 10 at the US Snowboard Grand Prix/World Cup event in Park City, UT, USA.

Competing in a very strong field, Johnstone and Callister advanced to the 10-man final in fifth and tenth places respectively.

Both athletes put down two of the three runs in the Final, but were unable to challenge for the podium, with Johnstone finishing in eighth and Callister ninth.

The event served as an encouraging performance for both riders to give confidence for the remaining events in the season including the benchmark event in Sapporo later this month.

In the women's event, NSWIS athlete Emily Arthur finished in 18th place, missing out on the top-6 Women's Final.

In a dominating performance, 15-year-old teen sensation, Chloe Kim of the USA, became the first female to ever perform back to back 1080's and scoring a perfect "100" on her final run, taking out the victory.

IMAGE: Kent Callister & Nathan Johnstone boosting large out of the Park City halfpipe © Andrew Pattison