Scotty James has made an incredible start to the season, performing one of the finest runs in halfpipe history to score an amazing 99.00 points from the judges to win gold at the World Cup event in Copper Mountain, USA.

The two-time Olympic medallist three-time World Champion had the two highest scoring runs of the day, posting a 97 point first run, and went even better in run two with a massive score of 99 from the judges. With the win guaranteed, James performed a victory lap for his third and final run, high fiving the crowd on his way down the halfpipe to the finish line.

James’ run included a switch McTwist to start, followed by a cab double cork 1440, frontside 1080, cab 900 and switch backside double cork 1260 to finish, giving James the seventh World Cup victory of his career.

“Definitely the highest score I have ever gotten in my life, and I am not going to lie, it might be one of the most satisfying runs I have ever done” said the VIS athlete.

“We worked pretty hard on the switch McTwist and I have to say I felt like I got some soul back. The progression is so rapid these days, and I am really happy to be a part of that, but I also thought that I wanted to make some new additions with some creativity, and as we say as snowboarders get the soul.”

Behind James on the podium was Swiss rider Jan Scherrer with a best run of 96.25 points and Kaishu Hirano of Japan in third with a score of 88.25.

Australian teen sensation Valentino Guseli who won his first ever World Cup event last week in big air, made a strong start in his first halfpipe event of the season qualifying for finals in second place, but had to settle for seventh in the final with his best score of 82.50 coming in his first run.

GUSELI JUST MISSES BIG AIR FINAL
Guseli had a busy week in Copper Mountain, with the NSWIS rider also taking part in the big air event.

Drawn in heat one with the top-five riders advancing to finals, Guesli just fell short placing sixth, and an overall ranking of 11th.

A big air event is scheduled to take place on January 14 in Kreischberg, Austria, which will see Olympic bronze medallist Tess Coady making her season debut with Guseli also likely to compete.

The following week the popular Laax Open takes place on January 18-21, with a World Cup slopestyle and halfpipe event in the Swiss resort.

Teen snowboard prodigy Valentino Guseli has created history, becoming the first Australian to win a World Cup big air event in Edmonton, Canada. At 17 years of age, the victory also makes him the youngest ever male to win World Cup gold for Australia in any discipline.


Guseli is now amazingly the only three-discipline star at open age level, having won medals in the big air and slopestyle disciplines and placing sixth in the halfpipe at the 2022 Olympic Winter Games.


Competing in the city event at Commonwealth Stadium in downtown Edmonton, The NSWIS rider placed fourth in qualifying to advance to the semi-final round and secure a place in the final with a best of three two jump combined score of 148.50 points.


In the final, Guseli had trouble landing his first jump, a backside triple cork, but recovered in his second run to land an outrageously stylish, clean frontside double cork 1440 that earned him 85.50 points and a shot at the podium if he could produce another high scoring third final jump.


For his final jump, Guseli had another attempt at his backside triple cork 1620, this time stomping the landing to earn a score of 87 points and a combined score of 172.50.


His score was enough to narrowly edge out Chris Corning from the USA by half a point while Canadian Nicolas Laframboise took third with 168 points.


“Oh my goodness, I am so hyped right now” said Guseli who hails from Dalmeny on the NSW South Coast.


“I woke up this morning and was just really hoping that I could put my tricks down today, and now I am just so relieved and happy.”


“It’s been a long and very bumpy road the last three years trying to work my way to some podiums and I have finally got a win, and I am so hyped, I am hoping to just keep it rolling to the next comps.”


“Thank you to everyone that’s helped me up to this point.”


Also in action for Australia was NSWIS rider Jessie Parkinson in 49th place in his World Cup big air debut.


Guseli will now head to Copper Mountain Resort in Colorado, USA, for another big air event and the opening halfpipe World Cup competition of the season.