Gremaud and Ruud on top in Modena Skipass big air
Nov 04, 2018·Freeski Park & Pipe
Modena (ITA)-The 25th anniversary of the Modena Skipass winter sport and tourism festival closed out with a bang on Sunday night, as the northern hemisphere’s first FIS Freeski big air World Cup of 2018/19 saw some of the sport’s brightest stars putting on a standout show on the massive Modena big air ramp. And, when it was all said and done, it would be 18-year-olds Mathilde Gremaud (SUI) and Birk Ruud (NOR) both walking away with the second victories of their respective World Cup careers.
Sunday’s event was the first competitive action for Gremaud since her and her teammate Sarah Hoefflin went one-two at the PyeongChang 2018 Olympic Winter Games slopestyle contest, where Hoefflin took the gold and Gremaud the silver in what was a remarkable day for the Swiss Freeski team.
Despite the nearly nine-month layoff, Gremaud showed no signs of rust on Sunday, qualifying in first place and then stomping a picture-perfect right-side bio 900 safety on first jump. After falling on her second jump, Gremaud needed a clean final run to climb onto the podium, and she delivered just that, landing a switch left-side 720 mute in the final ladies’ jump of the competitions to earn a combined score of 172.50, her second World Cup win, and her fifth podium in just 10 career events.
“I was so excited at the top before my final jump,” said a smiling Gremaud before the awards ceremony, “It was like, ‘I just want to land this, even if I don’t win.’ But I had a good feeling and I did land and to win this comp was really cool.”
Reversing the roles of their Olympic result, Hoefflin would finish runner-up to her younger teammate Gremaud on Sunday, landing cleanly a switch left 720 safety followed by a switch right 720 mute on her first two runs, but scrubbed her landing on her final hit leaving her with 160.25 points and well back of Gremaud.
“I’m super happy for Mathilde,” said Hoefflin, “It’s cool to be on the podium with her again. I didn’t really expect to be on the podium today because I thought I would keep it mellow, but I’m happy to get it.”
Third place on the day went to Kea Kuehnel (GER), as the 27-year-old earned her second career World Cup podium on the strength of a left corked 720 tail grab and right rodeo 720 safety one-two punch that gave her a score of 159.00.
Fourth place on the day went to Elena Gaskell (CAN), who was able to hold on to the yellow big air World Cup leader’s bib with 150 points through two events in 2018/19.
Ruud stands apart in stacked men’s finals
Over on the men’s side of things, Norway’s Birk Ruud continues to impress so far in a 2018/19 that has seen him emerge as one of the few new “triple threats” in recent seasons of freeski competition, as he took the win on Sunday just a couple of months after claiming fourth in slopestyle and third in halfpipe at the Cardrona junior world championships, as well as fourth in the big air World Cup at the same venue.
While Ruud’s last big air win came on home soil in Norway against a somewhat lightweight field, his win on Sunday at Modena was against some of the very best in the business. Putting down a switch left double 1620 tail on his second hit and a hyper stylish left double 1440 tail-to-tail on his final jump of the evening, Ruud earned a combined score of 178.25 and a place amongst the world’s best with the victory.
“It feels really amazing to win today,” said Ruud, “I didn’t have the best practice, but I was able to put down two really good tricks in the finals. To end up on top of the podium feels really good.”
Just behind Ruud in second was Alex Hall of the USA, who stomped one of the highest scoring tricks of the evening with his first-hit switch left double 1440 seatbelt Cuban, and then followed that up with a left double 1620 Cuban on his final jump of the competition for a score of 177.50 and his first big air World Cup podium.
“I’m so stoked,” Hall said from the finish area, “It was crazy, everyone was skiing so well. I fell on my second run, so I had to land my third to try and do well and I landed it. I was really nervous, but I’m hyped now. I haven’t really been doing to many big air events so it’s fun to ski with my friends here in a city and do well.”
Third place went to Andri Ragettli (SUI), who ended up with a score of 173.75 for his two jumps - a left triple 1440 indy truck driver and switch left double bio 1620 safety grab. With the podium, Ragettli managed to stay just ahead of Ruud on the big air World Cup standings, with 160 points to Ruud’s 150.
Next up for the FIS Freeski World Cup tour is a visit to the Stubai Zoo in Austria, where the first World Cup slopestyle competition of season is set to go down from November 22-24, 2018.
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