Birk Irving, Rachael Karker sweep Copper Mountain World Cup in freestyle ski halfpipe
Irving, the American, stunned with his final run - overcoming leader Brendan Mackay. Karker and Amy Fraser finished 1-2 for Canada.
Freestyle Skiing
Birk Irving saved the best for last on Saturday (17 December) at the FIS World Cup in Copper Mountain, Colorado.
In third place heading into the final run of the freestyle skiing halfpipe, Irving jumped ahead of leader Brendan Mackay - 93.75 to 92.50 - for his first win at Copper Mountain, having grown up in nearby Winter Park, Colo.
Noah Bowman, another Canadian, finished with bronze. All three of the top men scored their biggest run of the day on their final attempts, while six of the top seven . It marks a third World Cup win for the 23-year-old Irving.
It was a strong day for Canada in Copper, however, with Beijing 2022 bronze medallist Rachael Karker capturing just her second-ever World Cup title - an 11th podium overall and ninth consecutive.
Amy Fraser, another Canadian, was second, while Estonia's Kelly Sildaru - a bronze medallist in the freeski slopestyle in Beijing - placed third.
American Brita Sigourney, the Olympic bronze medallist in 2018 was seventh, while Beijing bronze medallist on the men's side Alex Ferreira of the U.S. finished in fourth.
Olympic champion Eileen Gu was absent as the Chinese superstar focuses on training and her studies at Stanford, with a plan to return to competition in early 2023.
On Friday (16 December), another Birk - Birk Ruud of Norway - and another Canadian - Megan Oldham - captured respective titles in the freeski big air.
Results - FIS Freestyle Skiing World Cup - Copper Mountain
Halfpipe - Men
1. Birk Irving (USA) 93.75
2. Brendan Mackay (CAN) 92.50
3. Noah Bowman (CAN) 91.00
4. Alex Ferreira (USA) 90.25
5. Jon Sallinen (FIN) 87.75
6. Finley Melville Ives (NZL) 87.00
7. Gustav Legnavsky (NZL) 82.25
8. Hunter Hess (USA) 77.50
Halfpipe - Women
1. Rachael Karker (CAN) 89.50
2. Amy Fraser (CAN) 85.25
3. Kelly Sildaru (EST) 82.00
4. Svea Irving (USA) 76.50
5. Dillan Glennie (CAN) 64.75
6. Hanna Faulhaber (USA) 57.75
7. Brita Sigourney (USA) 54.75
8. Carly Margulies (USA) 26.00