Aussie teen makes World Cup halfpipe breakthrough

Australia World

Australian snowboard ace Val Guseli has won his second career FIS World Cup event, claiming halfpipe gold at the Calgary snow rodeo.

Guseli was in supreme form on the pipe in Calgary, earning scores of 89.25 and 91.50 in his first two runs.

Nobody could best his score, giving the teenager a victory lap in his third and final run in which he displayed his immense aptitude for amplitude to wow the spectators.

It was his second World Cup medal of the season after the a historic 1-2 in Laax last month.

The 18-year-old, who made his Olympic debut on the halfpipe in Beijing, finishing sixth, has proven himself to be a genuine triple-threat rider, excelling in all three park and pipe disciplines: Halfpipe, slopestyle and big air.

Val Guseli gets some air

Val Guseli showed his customary amplitude on the pipe.(Supplied: FIS Snowboard/Buchholz)

His only previous World Cup gold came at the Edmonton Style Experience Big Air competition last season — when he also became the first rider in history to medal in all three disciplines in a single year.

“I really do like Canada,” Guseli said.

“The two wins I have had in a World Cup are in Canada, and I am super happy.

“The pipe was great, the snow was great, and the crowd was great, my favourite thing is when there is a massive crowd out to support us.

“Today was a good day, I landed all of my runs, and I am happy.”

Guseli’s victory means he finished second in the overall World Cup halfpipe standings behind Calgary silver medallist Ruka Hirano and ahead of James — who missed this event after injuring his knee in training.

Guseli will now shift his focus to slopestyle events, with the next World Cup taking place at Spindleruv Mlyn in Czechia in March. 

Double medals for Scott

Danielle Scott competes

Danielle Scott sits second in the overall rankings.(Supplied: FIS Freestyle/Mateusz Kielpinski)

Reigning World Cup series champion Danielle Scott continued her impressive run of form with a double-medal winning performance at Lac-Beauport.

Scott claimed silver on Saturday night in Quebec with a double full-full triple twisting double back somersault that earned her 84.24 points.

“It’s been a really tricky day,” Scott said on Saturday.

“I think everyone struggled at the beginning, the jump shape changed, so we had to make that quick adjustment.

“But I got my jumps done and I am pretty happy with them and still have room for improvement

Her second place — her third silver medal of the year — was enough to move her into the overall lead on the World Cup standings.

Danielle Scott holds up her hands

Danielle Scott earned the yellow bib for the World Cup leader, momentarily.(Supplied: FIS Freestyle/Mateusz Kielpinski)

However, she was usurped by Sunday’s winner, American Winter Vinecki, with Scott finishing third.

Vinecki only scraped into the super final in sixth spot, but pulled out all the stops in the final, competing a back lay-full-full, the only woman to attempt a triple in the competition, to win her third title of the season and claim the leaders yellow bib.

Fellow Australian Abbey Willcox continued her excellent return to the World Cup circuit by making her third-consecutive super final.

Willcox finished fifth on both days to sit seventh in the overall standings.

The final World Cup of the season is in Almaty, Kazakhstan, on March 10.

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