Halfpipe qualifiers at the Junior World Champs

Halfpipe qualifiers at the Junior World Champs
Photo: Camilla Stoddart

Tue 24 August 10

Over 80 young snowboarders today took on the massive 22ft halfpipe at Cardrona in a bid to earn a prized spot in tomorrow’s semi finals and an opportunity to ride for the 2010 Junior World Championship title

FIS Snowboard Junior World Championships 2010 logo

Over 80 young snowboarders today took on the massive 22ft halfpipe at Cardrona in a bid to earn a prized spot in tomorrow’s semi finals and an opportunity to ride for the 2010 Junior World Championship title.

Of the 84 athletes, 18 men and nine women, made it through the qualifiers to the semi finals and finals in a very tough competition that featured a high level of riding.

It was a young Japanese rider in the men’s heat three who stole the day with the highest scoring run ever seen in a New Zealand halfpipe, second only to Shaun White at last year’s 100% Pure New Zealand Winter Games. Taku Hiraoka (14) scored a 43.8 run which mixed massive amplitude with a perfectly executed frontside air, backside 5, frontside 7, cab 7 finishing with a frontside 9.

2010 Junior world champs halfpipe qualification - Taku Hiroaka
2010 Junior world champs halfpipe qualification - Taku Hiroaka
Photo: Camilla Stoddart

Staale Sandbech (17) of Norway with 41.7 was the second highest scoring qualifier with two consistent runs, following on from his success at Saturday’s slopestyle where he took out the world champion title. Another young Japanese rider 15-year-old Masakaze Yoshida, had the third highest qualifying score with 41.3. All three go straight through to tomorrow’s finals, joined by Seppe Smits (19) of Belgium, Derek Livingston (19) of Canada and Jan Scherrer (16) of Switzerland.

2010 Junior world champs halfpipe qualification - Rana Okada
2010 Junior world champs halfpipe qualification - Rana Okada
Photo: Camilla Stoddart

In the women’s Cilka Sada (18) who is 28 in the world rankings took the clear lead in 41.7. She too skips the semi finals and goes straight to tomorrow’s finals, joined by Japan’s Rana Okada (19) and Kelly Marren (USA).

FIS head judge, Ola Sundequist, said tomorrow’s finals promised a very exciting event. “The best of each heat today were of a very high standard and they will be saving their best tricks for tomorrow’s finals,” he said.

Tomorrow’s semi finals will see the remaining qualified athletes battling it out for the last six finals spots:

Men

Nathan Johnstone (AUS), Ben Stewart (NZE), Manuel Pietropoli (ITA), Ethan Morgan (GER), Dimi de Jong (NED), Benjamin Farrow (USA), Ayumu Nedefuji (JPN), Roope Tonteri (FIN), Ikumi Imai (JPN), Scott James (USA), Ho-un Kim (KOR), Paul Brichta (USA).

Women

Haruna Matsumoto (JPN), Rika Hatta (JPN), Madeline Schaffrick (USA), Rebecca Sinclair (NZE), Ryo Nakakita (JPN), Palmer Taylor (CAN)

The snowboard halfpipe semi finals kick off at 9.35am in the Cardrona with finals scheduled to take place at 11.00am. For further information and full results, go to www.juniorworldsnz.co.nz.

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FIS Snowboard Junior Championships 2010

19-31 August 10

The event, scheduled for 19-31 August, marks the first time a FIS World Championship will be staged in New Zealand, and also marks the first time that snowboarding and freestyle skiing will share the same stage in a World Championship.

Cardrona, New Zealand
Okay all round resort
Freeriding: 55% - No trees & some good off-piste
Freestyle: 80% - 2 Terrain parks & 4 pipes
Pistes: 55% - Some okay slopes
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