Gremaud and McEachran win opening freeski slopestyle events of 2023/24 World Cup season
Qualifying scores led to victory in Stubai as finals cancelled due to weather conditions.
Freestyle Skiing
Switzerland’s Mathilde Gremaud and Canada’s Evan McEachran emerged victorious at the first freestyle skiing Slopestyle World Cup event of the 2023/24 season in Stubai, Austria.
Gremaud and McEachran topped the women's and men's rankings respectively in qualification on Thursday, 23 November, and their scores became official results after the finals were cancelled due to weather condiitons. Severe winds and heavy snow blanketed the resort on Friday morning, forcing its closure for the day, and more adverse weather is forecast through Sunday.
Triple Olympic medallist Gremaud secured her second FIS win of the season to follow up on an earlier victory at the Big Air season opener in Chur, Switzerland in October.
Switching over to slopestyle, the Swiss star delivered a stellar second run of 87.50 with France’s Tess Ledeux scoring just two points under at 85.50 during Thursday's qualifications, which coincided with her birthday celebrations. If Ledeux claims another Top 3 spot this season, she will tie Norway’s Johanne Killi for the most World Cup podiums in freestyle skiing history.
New Zealand teen Ruby Star Andrews rounded off the women's top three to step on a World Cup podium for the second time in her career.
In the men’s event, McEachran delivered a dazzling 93.00 run to earn his first ever World Cup win.
The Canadian's score put him ahead of two USA freestylers, Mac Forehand and Beijing 2022 Olympic champion Alex Hall. Forehand also surpassed 90 points, delivering a solid first run, while Hall came third with 88.75 to register his 10th career World Cup podium.
Many of the athletes from Stubai will be in action again next week at the next Big Air World Cup event from 30 November in China, at the same venue that hosted the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic competition.