NZ FREESKI OPEN: Kiwi takes Slopestyle
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Today’s Slopestyle event for the 2006 NZ Freeski Open was one of the most groundbreaking in recent memory. Sixteen year-old kiwi native JOSSI WELLS threw a switch 630 onto a gap to down box on the last feature of the super-rad slopestyle course. KAYA TURSKI of Canada stomped a switch 900 off the last hit, a remarkable, rarely thrown trick for a female, but then she upped the ante by attempting the first-ever Cab 1080 by a female (she almost had it too—she had the rotation but her ski came off on the landing). And once again, sunny, blue skies welcomed skiers and fans alike up at Snow Park.
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The inventive course designed and shaped by the Breckenridge-based crew of Snow Park Technologies, started with a custom 3-stair feature followed by a gap-to-step down jump, to a 45-foot kicker, followed by a 60-footer, to the last feature—an original design with the option to hit either a gap to down box or a shorter gap to flat-to-down rail. Each of the 12 men finalists had three runs to earn the highest score. Five ladies followed the same format.
As for Wells’ performance, it was a confirmation of his status as one of the world’s best. Competing against the likes of SAMMY CARLSEN and SIMON DUMONT, Wells did not disappoint on his home turf as all three of his Finals runs combined innovation, style, technical prowess, and confidence in his wizard-like abilities, earning him a first place finish in the Southern Hemisphere’s biggest ski event.
“I’m aiming for the world scene,” said Wells after his jaw-dropping final run. “This is definitely a great competition with lots of international riders. Every little step counts.”
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Wells, from nearby Wanaka, started his run off with a 270 on to a blindside 270 off the top rail, to a rightside cork 5, to an super stylie Cab cork double-nose grab 720 off the 45-footer, to a Cab high mute grab 1080, finishing off with the crazy switch 630 onto the gap to down box—a trick I have never seen thrown in a slopestyle comp. In addition, Jossi tweaked and held his grabs so damn long through his rotations that I was sure he was going to crash. I was wrong.
Simon and Carlsen representing.
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