Olympic champion Birk Ruud captures second Big Air Freestyle Ski World Cup in a row, winning Copper Mountain
In the second World Cup stop of the 2022-23 season, the Norwegian Ruud was at his high-flying best in Colorado - again. Megan Oldham of Canada claimed the women's crown.
Freestyle Skiing
Birk Ruud is picking up right where he left off at from Beijing 2022.
The Norwegian Olympic champion in big air freestyle skiing opened the day with a switch left triple 1980 mute to take the lead and never looked back, capturing the FIS World Cup in Copper Mountain, Colorado, on Friday (16 December).
It's a second consecutive win in the post-Olympic season for Ruud, who won in late October in Chur, Switzerland.
Ruud's overall of 192.00 was some eight points ahead of French newcomer Timothe Sivignon at 184.25, who landed on his first World Cup podium, while Sebastian Schjerve - another Norwegian - took third at 182.50.
Canada's Megan Oldham took the women's crown minutes earlier, also having led after the first run. The 21-year-old had finished fourth in big air at the Olympics. It's a sixth World Cup podium for Oldham and second gold - including a first since the 2018-19 season.
Oldham's 176.00 was four points north of Mathilde Gremaud of Switzerland, the Beijing champion in slopestyle - and bronze medallist in big air. Olivia Asselin, Oldham's countrywoman, finished third with a 169.00.
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.
Tess Ledeux, the reigning Olympic silver medallist and winner with Ruud in Chur, fell hard on her opening run. She finished sixth.
'Hyped' Ruud now two-for-two this season
"I'm so hyped," came the voice of Ruud to the FIS camera at the completion of the afternoon, the 22-year-old basking in the Colorado sun after his win.
Ruud would lay down three 90-plus scores on the day, with only the top two going to his final tally. But with the win already in his pocket, the Olympic champ notched a 95.25 on a monstrous run to up his victory margin - though nothing topped his 96.75 to open, the biggest score of the day.
Olympic champ in the free ski slopestyle, American Alex Hall finished in ninth.
Consistency was the name of the game for Oldham, who - unlike Ruud - took a celebratory run in her third with the win already sealed.
Grimaud scored a 84.00 for her switch left double 1080 safety on her final attempt having struggled in run two.
Ledeux, the Frenchwoman, had the biggest single score of the day, a 95.00 on her second run.