Scotty James scored the second-highest score in men’s snowboard halfpipe history to win the FIS World Cup event in Copper Mountain as Queralt Castellet, Birk Irving, Marcus Kleveland and Anri Kawamura also sealed weekend victories on the slopes.
On Friday at Copper Mountain, Australian James recorded the second-highest score in the history of International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS) events with a 99 to win the men’s snowboard halfpipe leaving Swiss Jan Scherrer in second and Japan’s Kaishu Hirano third.
James started with a switch McTwist Japan leading into a cab 1440 stalefish, frontside 1080 tail grab, cab 900 indy, and ended with a switch backside double cork 1260 indy to bank the 99 that is second only to Shaun White’s 100 given at the 2018 Aspen Snowmass World Cup.
James, 28, said: “The progression is so rapid these days, and I’m really happy to be a part of that, but I wanted to make some new additions with some creativity and get the soul back.”
In the women’s snowboard halfpipe, veteran Spaniard Castellet turned back the clock with a slick best run of 89.75 to win from Canada’s Elizabeth Hosking and Japan’s Mitsuki Ono.
In Friday’s women’s freeski big air at Copper Mountain, Swiss Mathilde Gremaud banked a score of 172 to finish second behind Canadian Megan Oldham with Canada’s Olivia Asselin in third place.
In Saturday’s men’s freeski halfpipe at Copper Mountain, American Irving pulled out a brilliant 93.75 to edge out Canadian duo Brendan Mackay (92.50) and Noah Bowman (91) as Estonian Kelly Sildaru’s 82 saw her claim third in the women behind Canadians Rachael Karker and Amy Fraser.
In the men’s snowboard big air, Norwegian Kleveland got the better of American Chris Corning and Italian Ian Matteoli thanks to a 184.25 that included a backside 1800 Indy to bolts and a nollie frontside dub rodeo 1440 tail grab while American Hailey Langland and Japanese boarder Miyabi Onitsuka came second and third behind Japan’s Mari Fukada.
On Saturday in Alpe D’Huez, Japan’s Kawamura secured victory in the dual moguls from France’s Perrine Laffont and Australian Jakara Anthony.