Eileen Gu continues perfect start to halfpipe season at Copper Mountain
The Chinese star’s first run in the final was enough for her third win out of three this campaign with Alex Ferreira taking the men's victory.
Freestyle Skiing
Eileen Gu made it three halfpipe wins out of three in the new FIS Freestyle Ski World Cup season on Saturday (21 December) at Copper Mountain, Colorado.
The reigning Olympic champion representing People’s Republic of China scored 90.50 on her first run, and that proved to be enough to take her career tally of World Cup victories to 17.
Her rivals came close with Britain’s Zoe Atkin just behind on 89.75 with her third run. That was after Canada's PyeongChang 2028 gold medallist Cassie Sharpe scored 89.00 on her second run to move temporarily into second place.
What should have been a victory run for the 21-year-old did not go to plan as she fell forward and faceplanted in the snow late on. She soon rose to her feet and was able to walk away with only damage to her pride.
Gu told FIS, “Landed a little too far forward, obviously, and went to my face, I guess. I’m OK, just pretty sore. Definitely not ideal but really happy to get my 17th World Cup win and my 14th straight halfpipe podium. I’m going to train hard going into the next one and hopefully not have another one of those.”
Alex Ferreira took victory in the men’s event with 94.75 on his second run, overtaking Canada’s Brendan Mackay (91.25). Nick Goepper made it two U.S. skiers on the podium with 89.25.
There was a delay after Aaron Blunck fell heavily on the last trick of his first run. The local favourite eventually got to his feet after receiving treatment, and returned for the third run but was unable to move off the bottom of the leaderboard.
Matt Labaugh took a hard fall at the end of his second run and did not take his last attempt due to a back injury.
The athletes have a long break until the next halfpipe round in nearby Aspen at the start of February.
Results from FIS Freestyle World Cup event in Copper, Colorado, USA on 21 December 2024
Women's final
- Eileen Gu (CHN) 90.50
- Zoe Atkin (GBR) 89.75
- Cassie Sharpe (CAN) 89.00
- Svea Irving (USA) 85.75
- Li Fanghui (CHN) 81.50
- Amy Fraser (CAN) 75.25
- Rachael Karker (CAN) 72.75
- Chen Zihan (CHN) 39.75
Men's final
- Alex Ferreira (USA) 94.75
- Brendan Mackay (CAN) 91.25
- Nicholas Goepper (USA) 89.25
- Finley Melville Ives (NZL) 87.75
- David Wise (USA) 87.00
- Hunter Hess (USA) 84.25
- Birk Irving (USA) 84.00
- Matthew Labaugh (USA) 81.75
- Luke Harrold (NZL) 78.75
- Aaron Blunck (USA) 77.25