SNOWBOARD HALFPIPE: Emily Arthur has qualified for her first Snowboard Halfpipe World Cup final after finishing fifth in today’s qualification round at Secret Garden, China.

A guaranteed top-eight World Cup result will be a career best for the 18-year-old, and she's "so stoked."

"The girls are riding really good, so it feels good to be up there amoungst them all!"

Arthur was the very first athlete to drop in, scoring 75.00 in her opening run. She improved her score to 83.50 in her second run to secure her name on Thursday’s start list.

"I was pretty happy with my runs, I was able to handle the wind really well and was stoked with my amplitude, it was a fun day," she said.

"For Thursday I’m going to put a solid first run down to have something on the board but then for sure push it on the next two runs and hopefully plug in some new tricks!"

China’s Jaiyu Liu is heading into the final as the favourite after topping the qualification with a massive 95.00. Liu’s teammate Xuetong Cai sits in second on 91.75 and Japan’s Sena Tomita rounds out the top three.

Arthur, who only completed her High School HSC exams a few months ago, won silver at the Lillehammer 2016 Youth Winter Olympic Games before she placed 17th at the 2017 World Championships in Sierra Nevada in March.

Now the youngster is aiming to make her Winter Olympic debut at PyeongChang in less than two months’ time.
Tune into Eurosport at 3pm AEDT on Thursday afternoon to catch Arthur live in the Secret Garden World Cup.
​
Georgia Thompson
olympics.com.au

Sochi Olympian and 2017 Slopestyle Skiing World Cup bronze medallist Russ Henshaw hits the hill this week in Font Romeu, France for the season’s first World Cup and Olympic qualifier.
 
Many of the world’s best riders will compete from December 19 to 23 at the French ski resort in the to qualify into PyeongChang.
 
Slopestyle requires a series of acrobatic and aerial tricks on a specially constructed track not dissimilar to skateboard rails. The sport ‘with no rules’ is one of the most popular disciplines and debuted in Sochi in 2014, where Henshaw placed eighth.
 
In early 20107, Henshaw - from Jindabyne, captured a World Cup bronze medal at Seiser Alm in Italy after recovering from a brutal 2015/16 when he sustained a shoulder injury.
 
In the run-up to PyeongChang Henshaw is reporting that he is in good shape and looking forward to the start of his competitive season.
 
“I'm feeling really good and had an amazing time preparing in Laax (Switzerland). I got quite a few days on the jumps and also had the bonus of skiing a lot of powder so it all worked out great,” Henshaw said this week as he arrived in Font Romeu.
 
With each course specially constructed, he is eager to test out this year’s track.

“I haven't seen anything to do with the course yet. Hopefully it is all good and the weather cooperates this year,” he said.
 
Official training gets underway today and Men’s qualification begins at 7.25pm (AEDT) on Thursday, 21 December with finals on Saturday, 23 December from 10.47pm (AEDT).
 
You can follow the live scoring HERE, check for updates on OWIA Twitter HERE or tune into Eurosport from 10.30pm (AEDT) on Saturday night. Check the Eurosport Slopestyle Skiing broadcast schedule HERE
 

SNOWBOARD HALFPIPE: 2017 World Champion Scotty James’ ‘never-give-up’ attitude has secured him the Superpipe silver medal at the Dew Tour in Breckenridge, Colorado.

The X Games gold medallist bounced back from finishing 9th at the opening Snowboard Halfpipe World Cup event in Copper Mountain last weekend to secure the podium finish this morning with a solid score of 96.00.

After he was left feeling disappointed from last weekend’s event, the 23-year-old was glad he could turn the result around in Breckendrige.

“I feel good, we achieved what we wanted to do,” James said.

“I was happy to come away with a second, which felt like redemption on last week.”

​Not only was James pleased he could turn the scoreboard around, but he was thankful he was able to compete at all in Colorado.

“I took a pretty bad crash during the week on one of my harder tricks and I’m grateful to get up from that and come back and have a good week.

“It was cool to finish where I did considering I’ve still got a lot more to give, so I’m happy with today and grateful that I’m okay,” he said.

A very consistent day saw James’ first final run score 95.00, followed his best of 96.00 and his third run scored 94.00.

19-year-old American Jake Pates, who won gold in both the halfpipe and the slopestyle events at the Lillehammer 2016 Youth Olympic Games, won the gold with 97.33 showing he is a serious contender for next year’s Winer Olympic Games. Pates’ compatriot Ben Ferguson rounded out the podium in third with a score of 92.00.

Fellow Aussie Kent Callister narrowly missed out on today’s top-12 final, finishing yesterday’s qualification run in 13th place, just 3 points off a finals birth.

The Dew Tour served as a qualification event for the US Winter Olympic Team, meaning the American’s were out in full force over the weekend and putting everything on the line. The US athletes cleaned up the podium in the women’s Superpipe event with Chloe Kim taking gold, Kelly Clark in silver and Arielle Gold rounding out the podium.

James and Callister are back in action next week at the Secret Garden World Cup in China on December 19.
​
Georgia Thompson
olympics.com.au

SNOWBOARD HALFPIPE: Australia’s top snowboard halfpipe riders are taking their Superpipe show to the Dew Tour in Breckenridge, Colorado this weekend.

​The winter edition of the Dew Tour brings together top snowboarders and skiers from around the world for competition during the day before the site turns into a festival and concert at night.

Similarly, the event sees the world’s best skateboarders in action during the warmer months, attracting an urban and creative crowd.

Donning the green and gold in Breckenridge includes 2017 World Champion Scotty James who finished ninth in the halfpipe World Cup season opener in Copper Mountain last weekend.
The 23-year-old won the X Games gold medal in January this year; an event that attracts a similar audience and atmosphere to the Dew Tour.

James won bronze at the 2014 Dew Tour and placed fifth the year before. He is set to face one of his biggest rivals, American snowboarding legend Shaun White at this weekend’s event.

Joining James on the pipe are his fellow Aussie teammates Kent Callister and Nate Johnstone.

Callister finished 23rd in the opening World Cup last weekend, while Johnstone will be looking to kick start his season off on a high on Friday.

Superpipe qualifications kick off at 10.15pm Thursday night (4.15am AEDT Friday), with the finals held at 12.30pm on Friday (6.30am AEDT Saturday).


Georgia Thompson
olympics.com.au

Three-time Olympian Torah Bright has made a successful return to Snowboard Halfpipe competition with two podium finishes on the North-American Cup circuit this week.

In her first event since the 2015 World Championships, Bright won gold with a strong score of 93.50 at the Copper Mountain Nor-Am Cup on Wednesday, and backed up that result with a second place finish at the second event this morning.

The 2010 Olympic Champion has made her intentions clear with Ski and Snowboard Australia that she is aiming to qualify for a fourth Winter Olympic Games at PyeongChang 2018.

The 30-year-old is Australia’s joint most successful Winter Olympian, a title she shares with two-time Olympic medallist mogul skier Dale Begg-Smith.

After placing fifth at her debut Games at Torino 2006, the Cooma-born snowboarder who carried the Australian flag during the 2010 Opening Ceremony, won gold at the Vancouver Games.

Four years later she became the first competitor to compete in three Snowboard events at the same Games, taking on the Slopestyle and Snowboard Cross in addition to the Halfpipe.

At the age of 27, Bright went one better than just making her mark in the history books. After finishing seventh in the Snowboard Slopestyle on Day 2 of the Games, she produced a blistering performance in the Halfpipe on Day 5 to earn the silver medal, before going on to finish equal 18th in the Snowboard Cross, proving she was the most versatile snowboarder at the Games.

Prior to this week, the only major competition Bright has contested Since Sochi is the Kreischberg 2015 World Championships where she placed 6th in the Halfpipe.

If she qualifies for the PyeongChang 2018 Games, Bright will join Colin Coates, Jacqui Cooper, Lydia Lassila and Adrian Costa in the elite group of Australian Olympians who have contested four or more Winter Olympic Games. 

Georgia Thompson
olympics.com.au

Winter athletes have been recognised at the Australian Sports Commission third annual AIS Sport Performance Awards (ASPAs) held on 14 December 2016 in Sydney, picking up three prestigious awards.

Dual Olympian Scotty James took out the ‘Male Athlete of the Year’, 2018 Paralympic Team Captain Mitch Gourley was awarded the ‘Paralympic Performance of the Year’ and the Australian Freestyle Skiing and Snowboard Team named ‘Team of the Year’.

For James, it caps off another strong year of results as his momentum builds towards the 2018 Olympic Games in PyeongChang.  In 2017 he successfully defended his World Title, took out the X-Games in Aspen, won the Olympic Test event in PyeongChang as well winning the World Cup Halfpipe Crystal Globe title.

Australia’s stand out performances on the international stage throughout 2017, saw the Freestyle Skiing and Snowboard team named ‘Team of the Year’, with an impressive 35 World Cup medals and five podiums at the 2017 World Championships in Sierra Nevada, Spain with gold to Britt Cox and Scotty James, silver to Danielle Scott and bronze to David Morris and Alex Pullin, putting Australia fifth on the medal tally behind powerhouses Canada, Sweden and China.

Winter sports have also taken top honours at the NSWIS Awards and VIS Awards of Excellence.

The performances throughout the year have been recognised by many across the Australian sports community with Britt Cox, Tess Coady, Steve Desovich and Jerry Grossi taking home awards at the NSW Institute of Sport Awards – click here.

Mitch Gourley’s great results were also recognised at the Victorian Institute of Sport Awards where he picked up another Award of Excellence – click here.

Ski & Snowboard Australia

Touted as likely to be the toughest Big Air World Cup field this season, the women’s Copper Mountain event lived up to predictions with 37 riders, many of whom were from the US and vying for a place on the American Olympic squad.

Just turned 17-year-old Tess Coady, who burst onto the international scene eight months ago winning two Junior Snowboard World Championship titles for Australia in Slopestyle and Big Air, made an exciting start to her Olympic season, placing tenth in the qualifying.

Despite not making the final in such a competitive field, Tess was ‘stoked’ with her result.

“I was very happy to land two solid jumps and particularly happy to score 80 points and finish in the top ten,” she said.

“The vibe on course was intense -  being a US Team qualifying event. All the girls were riding really well and the standard was really high.”

“We had some pretty rough days of practice weather wise which made it hard to get the feel for the jump but on comp day the sun was out and there was no wind and the jump was riding super well,” Coady explained.
 
“I was super stoked to land both of my runs. It was a new trick that I have never done in a competition before (double wildcat) and it helped me break away from the rest of the field a bit.”
 
“All the girls were riding super well in quals and unfortunately my trick wasn't quite enough to get in to finals but I am heading back to Mammoth now to hopefully clean it up a bit.”

NSWIS team-mate Jess Rich, who was coming off seventh and sixth places at two previous World Cups in Europe placed 20th, scoring 60 points.
 
With the Big Air World Cups now completed before the PyeongChang Games in February, Rich and Coady will now turn their attention to Snowboard Slopestyle World Cups in January at Snowmass, USA on January 10 to 12 and then Laax in Switzerland from January 17 to 19.
 
Belinda Noonan
OWIA
 

Australian halfpipe World Champion Scotty James has finished ninth in the opening World Cup of the season.

After topping the qualification heats on Friday, James was unable to replicate his near perfect scores finishing with a best total of 38.75 in the ten man final.

Japan's Ayuma Hirano claimed the victory with a score of 95.25 ahead of the USA's Ben Ferguson and Shaun White.

The VIS rider was unable to stick any of his runs, opening with a 19.00, before putting together his best run of 38.75 before closing out with a 16.75.

Fellow Australian Kent Callister finished 23rd overall.

In the women’s event Lillehammer 2016 Youth Olympic silver medallist Emily Arthur put down two solid runs of 58.66 and 60.00 to finish ninth in her qualification heat and an overall placing of 16th.

The women's event was an American clean sweep, with Chloe Kim taking the win ahead of Maddie Mastro and Kelly Clark.

James and his Australian teammates will now turn their attention to the Dew Tour event at Breckenridge which begins on Thursday.

Matt Bartolo
olympics.com.au

It didn’t take very long for Scotty James to show why he is the world’s leading halfpipe rider.

The 23-year-old VIS World Champion threw down a near perfect 97.00 second run to win his qualification heat and record the highest score of the day at the opening World Cup of the season at Copper Mountain.


Competing in the opening qualification heat, James scored 92.33 on his first run before going even bigger next time down.

Japan’s Raibu Katayama also impressed with a 96.00 in his opening run of the second qualification heat while USA star Shaun White scored a 94.33 to set up a tantalising final on Sunday morning.

Fellow Aussie and Sochi 2014 Olympian Kent Callister scored 64.00 and 63.33 to finish 11th in James’ heat.

In the women’s event Lillehammer 2016 Youth Olympic silver medallist Emily Arthur put down two solid runs of 58.66 and 60.00 to finish ninth in her qualification heat.

The USA’s Maddie Mastro and Chloe Kim dominated proceedings with best scores of 91.33 and 89.00 as they easily progressed through to the eight-strong final.

With qualification out of the way James will now look to perform when it counts – in the ten-man final.

That goes down from 5am on Sunday morning (AEDT).

Live scoring will be available here>>> and you can watch the event live on Eurosport – Channel 511 on Foxtel. 

Matt Bartolo
olympics.com.au

IMAGE: the Copper Mountain Halfpipe © FIS

By his own account, last season for the two-time World Champion Scotty James was “hectic”.
His season couldn’t have been much bigger with X Games gold, defending his world title and taking home his second Crystal Globe.

“It was a pretty great year and awesome to reflect on,” James said. “I was very happy and excited at how it all turned out.”

This year, there’s a big goal on the horizon and it all begins for the 23-year-old in USA at Copper Mountain this weekend at the Snowboard Halfpipe World Cup as a step towards the PyeongChang Olympics and the only major prize not on his already golden resumé.

A veteran of two Olympics, the lessons learned and maturity gained since he made it onto the Vancouver team as a fifteen-year-old at the last minute is being put to good use.

“Life has changed. I think I’ve developed more as a person and as a rider, and starting to make better decisions for myself,” he said.

“There have been a few transitions in my performances because I’m always looking at how I can better myself and in life too – there’s been lots of changes from that side.”

“There’s always been my will to win but I’m my team better and that’s had a huge impact. More maturity of course, but a wealth of experience and I am making better decisions.”

“The experience is huge. It’s been an awesome ride for me so far which has been fantastic.”

James has been reported as the most recognised Australian sports star in USA and any added expectations that may bring are easily borne.   

“That’s an error people make - by putting people on a pedestal. I didn’t do that (before) and I don’t do it now,” he said.

Now based in USA, James is aware of the pitfalls that come with a high profile, especially surrounding the expected showdown between him and the 31-year-old two-time American Olympic gold medallist, Shaun White.

“It’s Shaun who has earned the credit to have, but he is beatable, and he is human. We are all made out of the same thing and it’s about where you position yourself. I just focus on my goals and what I need to do. I know if I do the work I can show up and do well.”  

Appreciative of his large fan base in North America, James has enjoyed the past year.

“It (the recognition) doesn’t faze me too much. I do what I have to do and don’t let too many things get in my way. Getting exposure has been great. They’re very cool fans in America.  It’s been fantastic, especially with the success I’ve had in last year.”

On the edgy, fun side of Halfpipe is the fashion and other than the addition of red boxing gloves last season, James prefers normal snowboard gear.  

“Snowboarders have the opportunity to wear whatever they like. We don’t have uniforms or anything like that apart from Olympics. You can dress however you want. That’s a fun aspect and gives people the opportunity to do what they want.”

“I totally get it,” he says of some of the more flamboyant gear. “It attracts kids to the sport. When I was a kid, I was dressing absolutely ridiculously.”

Not so ridiculous are the now signature red boxing gloves, giving the nod to Australia’s famous sporting icon – the Boxing Kangaroo.

The Australian Olympic Team’s official glove supplier and manufacturer XTM has come to the party designing a combined snow and boxing glove for James to wear in PyeongChang.

Away from the limelight, hard work was how James spent the Australian winter in Warrandyte and at twice-daily endurance and fitness sessions.

“Preparation has been about spending a lot of time at the VIS (Victorian Institute of Sport) and utilising that as much as possible.”

“I miss being home, seeing my family. I really am a home body and love Warrandyte - seeing all my friends and just doing normal things like going out for breakfast and playing with my dog.”

“Having a pipe here (in Australia) would be something I’d like to work on over the years to potentially make that happen. It would be fantastic for the kids.”

For now, there’s a busy competition schedule in run-up to PyeongChang. James will begin his season at the Copper Mountain FIS World Cup this Sunday morning 5am (AEDT), then the Dew Tour event at Breckenridge and possibly two more World Cups before defending his X Games title before PyeongChang.

Scotty James will be joined at Copper Mountain by fellow Aussies Nate Johnstone and Kent Callister. 18-year-old Emily Arthur, who is looking to making her Olympic debut next February, will also be in the starting line up in the Women’s event.

Watch all the action live on Eurosport from 5.00am (AEDT).
 
Belinda Noonan
OWIA

Following last week’s seventh place at in Beijing, Big Air, snowboarder Jess Rich brought a stronger trick to her second World Cup over the weekend stage at Sparkassen Park in Moenchengladbach, Germany to make the finals and finish sixth overall.
 
The highlight of the event for Rich was her second place qualifying result with 86 points in a 27-competitor field behind eventual winner Carla Somaini from Switzerland.
 
“I did a backside 720 Indy, which is a rare grab for girls in this trick so I think that worked in my favour. I also landed pretty far down the landing which tends to score well,” Rich said of her qualifying jump.

The 120-metre long and 49 metres high scaffolding ramp at Sparkassen Park had been constructed on the hockey field serving again as perfect playground for the athletes who were competing to secure qualification for PyeongChang where Snowboard Big Air will celebrate its much-anticipated Olympic debut.
 
In the final the top scoring six competitors have three attempts to complete two different tricks, with the lower score of the two being erased and not contributing to the final score.
 
Rich rode well during the final despite foggy conditions scoring 112.75 points, for an overall sixth place.
 
“I’m really happy with my riding, although I definitely wasn’t performing my best in the finals,” she said.
 
“My goal so far has been to just land on my feet, instead of having a results based goal, which tends to just stress me out.” 
 
“It was a crazy experience to see that kind of thick fog in a city. It affected the drop in but as soon as you were on the take off the visibility improved.” 
 
Rich is now on her way to North America for the fourth Big Air World Cup of the season at Copper Mpuntain and her third next weekend.