FREESTYLE SKIING: Teens score big in Slopestyle season opener in Austria

Estonia's Freestyle star Kelly Sildaru

The famed Stupai Zoo snow park was the site for the first Freestyle Slopestyle event of the 2018-19 World Cup, but inclement conditions pushed the final back to Friday from the weekend. It only meant the athletes would have a free weekend, and Kelly Sildaru (EST) and Henrik Harlaut (SWE) enjoyed it the most.

Harlaut, 27, nailed his first run and scored 88.88 points to set down the mark to beat as the 14th starter out of 69. American William Borm, 21, jumped into second place with his first-round run scored at 86.54.

But in the second round, Ferdinand Dahl from Norway jumped into second at 86.76 and looked like he would stay there. But despite being 46th in the bib order, 17-year-0ld Mac Forehand came up with the run of his young life to score 88.08 and claim the silver medal in his World Cup event! Dahl got the bronze and Borm ended up fourth.

In the women’s event, Sildaru also waited until the second round to complete her best run, scoring 88.46 and taking over the lead from Swiss Sarah Hoefflin (86.36). Just 16, Sildaru won her third career World Cup medal and second win after taking the Cardrona (NZL) Slopestyle title in mid-2017. Another teen, Swiss Mathilde Gremaud, 18, got the bronze.

Summaries:

FIS Freeski World Cup Slopestyle
Stupai (AUT) ~ 22-23 November 2018
(Full results here)

Men’s Slopestyle: 1. Henrik Harlaut (SWE), 88.88; 2. Mac Forehand (USA), 88.08; 3. Ferdinand Dahl (NOR), 86.76; 4. William Borm (USA), 86.54; 5. Andri Ragettli (SUI), 86.38. Also: 9. Alexander Hall (USA), 83.76.

Women’s Slopestyle: 1. Kelly Sildaru (EST), 88.46; 2. Sarah Hoefflin (SUI), 86.36; 3. Mathilde Gremaud (SUI), 83.46; 4. Coline Ballet Baz (FRA), 78.16; 5. Isabel Atkin (GBR), 71.20. Also: 7. Julia Krass (USA), 61.20; 8. Maggie Voisin (USA), 24.98.