The FIS ANC Freeski & Snowboard Halfpipe competition was held on Saturday (October 8) in the Cardrona SuperPipe, followed by the FIS ANC Snowboard Big Air held on Big Bucks terrain park. 

Kiwi athletes swept both the men and women’s Freeski Halfpipe podiums, showing just how strong the talent pathway is here in New Zealand, a statement from Snowsports NZ said.

It was a tightly contested battle for the top of the freeski men’s podium, with the young athletes impressing judges with the technicality and amplitude of their runs. 

Current Freeski Halfpipe Junior World Champion Gustav Legnavsky (17, Wānaka) narrowly took the win over talented up and comer Luke Harrold (14, Lake Hāwea).

Cardrona NZ Freestyle Nationals judging coordinator and head ski judge Victoria Beattie said Gustav had huge amplitude.

“He landed a huge left double cork 1260 and was just head and shoulders above the rest amplitude wise. Luke was very tightly behind Gustav; he landed a switch left alley oop flat 540 that the judges really liked and a right double cork 1260 with nice grabs.” 

Gustav has had a successful and progressive year, including winning both FIS ANC Halfpipe events this New Zealand season. 

Finley Melville Ives (16), also of Wānaka, rounded out the podium in third place.  

Sylvia Trotter (14, Wānaka) took the win in the women’s freeski halfpipe field. Although it was a small field she didn’t hold back, spinning on every hit including back-to-back 540s. She was joined on the podium by Ella Miles (16, Wānaka) in second and Madeleine Disbrowe (14, Queenstown) in third. 

Lucia Georgalli (15, Wānaka) had another solid performance in the women’s snowboard halfpipe division, finishing on the podium in third place. 

Lucia Georgalli in action in the FIS ANC Snowboard Big Air

After the FIS ANC Halfpipe competition wrapped up, the snowboard athletes moved to the Big Bucks terrain park where they competed in the FIS ANC Snowboard Big Air event. 

Lucia finished in third position, making it three from three for ANC podiums this week. Mari Fukada of Japan took the win with a huge score of 178.67, with Bianca Gisler of Switzerland in second place.  

 The men’s snowboard Big Air field was of such a high standard that Su Yiming of China (the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Snowboard Big Air gold medallist) was competing. He took the win, with Japan’s Ryoma Kimata in second and two-time Winter Olympian Nicolas Huber of Switzerland in third.  

Head judge Milu Multhaup gave a special shout out to Kiwi Rocco Jamieson who finished in fourth place in the men’s Big Air, holding his own in the world class field landing a huge frontside double cork 1440. 

“The level of riding was amazing today, it will be really pushing the Kiwi athletes,” Milu said. “It’s a great representation of what Kiwi athletes can expect to see overseas. Rocco is riding with the Olympic gold medallist, so you can’t get much better than that.” 

Saturday was the final day of the 2022 Cardrona NZ Freestyle Nationals and marks the end of competition for the New Zealand winter.