MUSIC: Kelly Watch The Stars by Air.
Welcome to the Winter Olympics and Day ten in Pyeongchang. We will have
a new Olympic discipline coming up in snowboarding, the big air. We
will see the qualifying shortly, as well as some more traditional winter
sports. As for me, I've invented my own sport. I give you the big hair!
Is not going to work otherwise, I want to look like Jenny Jones, here
is what is coming up, go, song, go! At 1am, we get our first ever
glimpse of snowboarding big air at the Winter Olympics. As
qualification for the women's competition begins. Aimee Fuller of
Great Britain goes on that one. After that, women's halfpipe skiing
as Molly Summerhayes and Rowan Cheshire try to reach Tuesday's
file. Kelly Coomes at Nick Buckland first appearance in the figure
skating and at 5am, it is Great Britain versus Denmark in the
curling. Here is the plan...
Have you got all that? I'm glad somebody has! We've been asking you
to get in touch with the
to get in touch with the hash tag #bbcolympics, and we have been
asking what drinkers keeping you watching the action. For me, it is
good, old-fashioned builder C. Before you join averse piece of
action let's look at yesterday's men's ski slopestyle file which
featured Britain's James Woods who went on the hunt for his first ever
medal.
medal. This is 2018, the Phoenix. Next up, we have slopestyle, let's
break it down for you... It is the perfect mix. And the field in the
men's event is stacked. In the mixes Mr James Woods, right out of
Sheffield, England. I was a grimy kid, and I really don't care about
anything but going shredding. Woodsy, keep it simple. His runs
when today. Are you ready? We're ready, let's drop it. Too much? A
bit over the top? I think it probably was. Woodsy has been and is
up for this. He loves the course. He thinks it is absolutely mega, and
this is going to be incredible. He stomped his first run scoring 90.2,
but the standard in qualifying was insane and he ended up finishing in
eighth. Some big names didn't even make it including gold medallist at
the X Games, Henrik Harlaut. The top 12 advanced through to the finals.
Bob McAdoo ski slopestyle finals. Conditions are perfect.
Bob McAdoo ski slopestyle finals. Conditions are perfect. Evan
Mceachran, the Canadian. Sent me off the wrong way. The level of
difficulty and technicality was off the chart. There's one, three, 4.5,
16, 20, pow! That is how you start things off. The judges leaving
themselves plenty of room, there. Now the Norwegian, Oystein Braaten.
Big, big name on the jumps.
Big, big name on the jumps. He's got some big tricks. Hold tight. Just
using that little detail up there. To try and pique the judges'
affection. The 450... And so really nice. He seemed to miss his thingy
off the saddle. The double 1260. He winds up hard. The switch double 14.
We are going to see back-to-back 14s, left and right, so much going
on, then he absolutely stomps the landing. Talk us through these,
Murray. The shifting hands and tail grips, that is really hard to do.
And there you go, 95. The judges have gone early. That seems really
high, really soon. Woodsy's first run was almost perfect. Brilliant
control from the Royals on the first two kickers but he didn't make his
newest trick stick. He will be looking to improve in-run two.
looking to improve in-run two. James Woods. He came so close on his first
run. Look at the smile. Really liked by the free ski community. 270 off.
Can you double it this time's you're both of them. -- you heard both of
them. Coming off in different directions which the judges will
like.
like. Using the direction of the Twisted Sister kicker, but going
right off the corner. Better grab, that time. Now, the bottom jump,
here, what has he got for us? The octo is there a! Yes, Woodsy! That
was huge! Great Britain's free ski throws down a run that showcases him
at his very best. Matthew Bourne. So, second place for Woodsy at the
moment. -- 91. Second
moment. -- 91. Second place to Braaten at the moment. We knew that
Israel's were going to be strong but he backed it up with powerful
kickers on his first run. And now he's poised to strike. He is like a
wild Cobra. Into jump two. He has gone really deep on that.
gone really deep on that. The switch 16 triple at the end. Very big, and
the Canadians know it. Solder is 91, bronze is anything above 89.4, and
Alex Beaulieu-Marchand of Canada moves into the second, the silver
medal position. Oystein Braaten remains in gold, James Woods gets
pushed down into bronze. Third and final runs coming up here at the
men's ski slopestyle finals. James Woods, looking to repeat Izzy
Atkin's, this meant yesterday and take a medal here. -- Izzy Atkin's
accomplishment. Up and over the goalpost. I really like that line.
Years missed the 450 amp. A lot of work needs to do, something very
special. He has just tagged his way out of that. He is going to use the
transition.
transition. So, so smooth, there. He's gone straight over the front.
Into the 1260. The earth came to meet him, there. My goodness, it was
perfect! Oh, but he has missed that one rail. Arguably the rail that he
has made look so stylish and clean up to this point. 90 points. If the
450 had been there, it would have been an improvement, he might have
reeled in Alex Beaulieu-Marchand in silver position but instead it is a
long and torturous wait for James Woods.
Woods. Nick Gopper. This will be big. Bronze medal in Sochi. He needs
to up his game a little bit. Nice top section, through the top.
top section, through the top. The right side triple, double grab. And
he made that look easy, opened up early, spotted the landing. And the
scores, 93.6, he goes into silver medal position, Alex
Beaulieu-Marchand goes into bronze and James Woods drops out of the top
three. He shakes the
three. He shakes the hand of Goepper and walks out of the finish area.
Alex Beaulieu-Marchand will watch very nervously in bronze medal
position as Oscar Wester prepares to drop. What has he got? He needs the
run of his life here. Huge 450. Took that the wrong way, so the pretzel
out. And he's gone. That's it. And celebrations can begin down at the
bottom. The Norwegian with a fantastic first run that has stood
the test of time in final, will take the gold medal. In second place, it
is the American, the bronze in Sochi, with the silver here in
Pyeongchang. In third place, it is the Canadian Alex Beaulieu-Marchand,
and heartbreakingly, in fourth, is James Woods.
and heartbreakingly, in fourth, is James Woods. It is a game of
perfection. And not just that, you've got to go above and beyond,
difficulty wise, and that was insane. I've come here, instructed
this run to win. It was definitely a go for broke run, wasn't quite
perfect, but I managed to step up under the knife. That was a show.
Goodness me, it was a good one. So frustrating for James Woods, and so
close to getting his first ever Winter Olympic medal. One man who
already has one is Marcel Hirscher, who took gold in the men's Alpine
combined, but could he make it two in the men's giant slalom?
Marcel Hirscher on a mission. One of the greatest of all time. The one
thing missing from his trophy cabinet is an Olympic gold medal.
Glorious slalom skiing from Marcel Hirscher. At last, he is an Olympic
champion.
champion. It Marcel Hirscher achieves what is capable of and win
three gold medals at these games, he will be the undisputed, greatest
male skier of all time. He has already won gold in the combined and
in the giant slalom he is in spectacular form. He is the reigning
world champion. The only question is, can he deal with the pressure of
expectation? On the first run, the only other skier to win a World Cup
giant slalom was Alexi Panter Row. Set the pace. His team-mate might
have got some information from his partner, Mikaela Shiffrin, to ski in
till a very fast time into second. Then it was the turn of Marcel
Hirscher who improved his class on the first run, skiing Outers .63
lead. He leads the Olympic giant slalom by a massive margin. Manuel
Feller and Luke P Dan Bailey crash spectacularly into the fence on the
final gate. The man who is lying second in the World Cup standings,
Kristoffersen, who could be Marcel Hirscher's biggest rival, was slow
and was in tenth position. The Norwegian, proved he is a big event
skier being in third in the first run. The Italian came in from 18 to
be placed fourth on the first run. There are only six races within a
second of Marcel Hirsch, so this is one for the Austrian Toulouse. Over
to your commentator, Matt Chilton. COMMENTATOR: Kristoffersen had a
disappointing first run by his standards. The second best giant
slalom skier of the season.
Nothing wrong with this top section from Henrik Kristoffersen.
He is getting quicker and quicker. He was the bronze in the slalom four
years ago behind the two Austrians. He will move into gold medal
position. He does so with the lead of 1.14 seconds.
of 1.14 seconds. Much more attack and much more aggression and taking
the right amount of risk with the line. He was running late at times
but just on the edge. It was a good enough time potentially to climb up
onto the podium.
He cannot do it. That is not what Kristoffersen did. He left it all on
the mountain and unfortunately it is not happening. Can he get amongst
the provisional medal places?
the provisional medal places? He is sixth and with two to come,
remarkably, Henrik Kristoffersen is guaranteed an Olympic medal. Leave
Kristian Ernesto Hagen, it wasn't enough on the turns and then
skidding at the end of each turn and that is when it slipped away.
Penultimate skier on the hill. Bronze medallist four years ago in
Sochi.
Sochi. He has a decent lead over Kristoffersen.
Kristoffersen. Managed to make his landing. I don't think he lost too
much speed. It was untidy at worst. It is still very... Handy, that
advantage. This was untidy again. It is a risky second run.
is a risky second run. This one is going to go right to the wire. Final
terms are clean and fast, now he lets them run. Kristoffersen can
barely watch.
barely watch. Kristoffersen stays in top spot.
Seat of the pants skiing. Aggressive on the top part of the cause. Almost
jumped out of the course altogether and then on the steep section,
perhaps a bit too hard on his edges. He was late when he came down most
of those terms on the steep. He had believed, but it just slipped away
by four hundredths of a second. Next up, Marcel Hirscher.
up, Marcel Hirscher. Marcel Hirscher comes into the second run. This
greatest skier of his generation. Already the gold medallist the
Alpine Skiing. Opens up one second over Kristoffersen. They have
enjoyed great rivalry over the last few season. But in the last two it
is usually Marcel Hirscher who comes out on top. He's probably the best
Austrian ski racer of all time. It doesn't matter about that mistake,
you can get away with another couple of errors and still go on and claim
his second gold of The Games.
his second gold of The Games. He is carving beautiful turns, so much
movement and athleticism on display. 1.25 seconds. He is in a different
league. Cruising towards gold medal number two. He is the giant slalom
Olympic champion. It is the golden 44 Marcel Hirscher in Pyeongchang.
It was quite fantastic. Gold medal number two with a superb masterclass
display of giant slalom skiing. On the top section he was sensational,
made a bit of a mistake going on to the steep, got the line wrong and
had to do an edge set. On the steep, one turn was slightly late but
immediately corrected the folds and he took his foot off the gas in the
last couple of gates and crossed the line. Miles ahead of the rest of the
field. Combine gold, big surprise but everybody was expecting tie with
when the gold medal in the GS race. Aggressive conditions appear, not
typical, not used to buy European athletes, so it was tricky to find
the right setup. But we manage this. What does a feel like to emulate
your childhood hero, Alberto Tomba? It is special. Two gold medals and
now it is time to celebrate.
Double gold, but his best event is yet to come. You are here to talk
about the big air, making its Olympic debut, what can you tell us
about it? It is one of the most dynamic disciplines in snowboarding.
This is like taking one of those jumps off the end and asking a rider
for their best trick. It is shorter in its format, more explosive and
dynamic. Instead of seeing 80% of what a rider is capable of, we will
see 110%. In the finals you see more variations, three jumps on the best
two count. In this case, they have done an interesting thing with the
jump. It is bigger, it is enormous but by the scale of the riders, it
is medium to large. So it may not allow for the quad core, which is
the biggest trick. Four rotations where the head goes underneath the
board well they are spinning on a horizontal axis at the same time. It
is called a Cork because it is like a corkscrew rotation. Billy Morgan
was the first person to land it, the British rider. But this jump will
take, you'll have to send it to the bottom of the landing to make space
for that. I have heard murmurings in might be possible but we will kick
off with the women and the women in training, they have been raving
about this job. They say it is incredible. In the Slopestyle, there
were big issues with the wind and Aimee Fuller was gutted with how bad
it was. That is out of the way, so is this a chance of redemption? That
is exactly what will happen. The women's Slopestyle became a lottery
because of those conditions, it wasn't a showcase of the best of
women's snowboarding. When you consider how far it has progressed
in the last Olympic cycle, we have gone from two rotations, to 2.5.
Sina Candrian tried a 1080 in Sochi. All the women now will have the
trick. The progression is huge and to be able to showcase back in
conditions like this, I think today could be a brilliant, brilliant
spectacle. You have set it up beautifully and I am pumped for
this. Aimee Fuller will be looking to make amends in the qualification.
She has been given free rein throughout The Games to write for
the BBC. This is her latest instalment. Amy, I love you. I love
Korea. Where are we going? You are now an Olympian. Nick Butland.
Opening ceremony, baby. It is such a windy contest, it really was
absolutely crazy. Gave it everything I had in the tank, but that last
jump just wasn't meant to be. I am now mother of the Olympian. I always
was.
was. Has been a good crack. Behind-the-scenes.
Behind-the-scenes. I met up with my family and we are walking around the
markets. Nice to get out of the village for a day. I love Korea.
Thank you. Where are you from? Great Britain.
Britain. I would not eat that. Where are you from? Great Britain. I love
you. I am back in the village, straight back to it.
We are at the big air then you, Jessica has just gone down. She is
looking good. Hope it is not too windy. Makes make sure you tune in.
By compete on the 19th, to make sure you tune in. She has been enjoying
herself so let's see how she gets on in the women's big air qualifiers.
We had over to Ed.
herself the first of our commentators is about to go. Not her
favourite discipline in 2006. She sets out with a backside 720. By her
standards, very simple but the great example, first up, of just how
comfortable the woman are on this jump after three days of practice.
It is getting rave reviews from the women. The backside 720. Backside,
because that's the direction of rotation. She turns her back on the
landing, the tail grab air, gets hold of the tale, just a little bit
early, maybe. She lands just off the first line. In the sweet spot of the
landing. A little bit untidy. But she has been held up, there, for
about four minutes. You can forgive her for being a little bit stiff,
the format of qualification, two jumps, and the best run will count.
26 women jumping. 65, always difficult, the first run, Cheryl has
a backside 900. She can take that if she wants.
she wants. Next up, Britain was Mike Aimee Fuller.
Aimee Fuller. Her coach, just behind her. It will be interesting to see
what
what direction Aimee drops in in. She has a cab double under Philip.
She is going for it, and she just sat back on the landing. But the
first double of the day goes down. So, so close.
So, so close. Aimee's got two runs. Just got the grab, a tiny tickle,
the second one, but doubles have become almost standard in women's
snowboarding now.
snowboarding now. The first of them arrived in 2013, 2014, when Aimee
landed this trick in Sochi, at the Winter Olympics.
Winter Olympics. But Katie Ormerod, who is not here and riding, after
she cracked her heel in training for slopestyle. He knows it's all down
to second runs, now. Hello, guys, thank you for waking up early! Aimee
gives it up for the second jump. Yes, doubles are commonplace now,
but there will be a requirement, I think, 1080s or doubles, for the
final. Aimee is throwing it out there. Now, Hailey Langland,
fantastic style.
fantastic style. The 17-year-old from Southern California has such a
relaxed attitude. Never looks like she has been training. Looks like
she has just been doing hot laps in the park for fun. A lot of promise
in 2016-17, but hasn't quite back that up in 2018.
that up in 2018. The cab 720, taking off backwards and rotating
frontside. That's can spin, very simple. She is filming up, there,
for a cab 1080. That is a really stock trick, lovely style on it,
though. You can see she grabs... The stalefish air, the Mellon, and then
onto the tail.
onto the tail. There is. There the stalefish air. She got to grab on
the board, there, so that she can just get hold of those grabs,
beautiful grounds, style- was, a lot cleaner than Cheryl Maas, who took a
65 on her first jump. Hailey Langland moves up into the lead, on
73. Relatively simple. The judges without bad a big discussion. She
has a little shimmy shake going on, there. Canadians giving it up for
the American. Good to see. They are also anticipating the drop of this
woman, Spencer O'Brien, heartbroken in Sochi in 2014, and so
disappointed at the Slopestyle at the beginning of last week.
the beginning of last week. So, can see now make her Olympic dream a
reality, like Cheryl Maas, she's one of the veterans of the sport. One of
the first woman to advocated equal rights for kickers for the women,
she didn't want to ride smaller jumps. Frontside 720, so, so smooth.
Very, very nice. Just gliding through that. Look so relaxed. She
will be really pleased. It is so much talent in this field. A great
view of the 19.5 metre table top the riders have to clear. Lovely.
There's so much talent in this field, so many solid riders. In
perfect conditions like this, it's going to be very, very difficult.
The judges were let off lightly in slopestyle but the win, where it
essentially became a lottery. That is a score of 69.5 for Spencer.
There are quite like directions you can spin, if you bring forward you
can do frontside and backside, and the same when you are going
backwards. Switch backside is going backwards and turning your back on
the landing, that is the hardest. Sina Candrian, talking to some OTHER
COACHES, we have not seen her training over the last couple of
days. I'm not sure if she has sustained any kind of injury in
slopestyle. She was one of the many riders who went down quite hard in
slopestyle, but she has a big one side repertoire. Going frontside ten
81st hit, and just slips down. That is the trick she landed and pushed
the judges very hard with to take Jenny Jones' bronze medal in 2014.
So it's still working very hard for her. The frontside 1080, three ball
spins, taking off the heels, a much harder edge to control. Gets the
grab nice and early, but then let's go, early. She is down on the tail a
bit too soon. Because she hasn't got her edge in contact with the slow,
she can't kill the rotation in her upper body. It keeps rotating. She
just slides out.
just slides out. The teeth gritted. She knew that it was overcooked.
Spots the landing. She can't kill it. Sina Candrian will rely on her
next jump. 31.7 five.
next jump. 31.7 five. The judging is for overall impression, looking at
every aspect of the jump, technicality, how clean it is, the
landing. Julia Marino. Silver medallist of X Games two weeks ago.
She has the cab double under Philip. -- underflip. A little bit more
rotation on it now, Harper tell whether it is the cab double cork
900, for it to be the 900, the Neasden not the two backflips at a
90 degrees rotation. -- there needs not to be the two backflips.
not to be the two backflips. Yes, I can hear the MC calling it the cab
double underflip 900. Means that she is in two double backflip territory,
there. But the corkscrew lets you short cut through horizontal degrees
rotation. Spending on two
rotation. Spending on two axes, 83.75. For me, that trick very
similar to the one that we saw Aimee Fuller falling on early on. An
indication of what score is available if Aimee Fuller lands it.
Zoi Sadowski Synott, we got a glimpse of what she is capable of in
slopestyle. Huge double backflip, and she stomps it, almost to the
fifth line. The youngest women in the field, just 16, and she has been
so exciting. The first time I saw her riding was the World
Championships in 2017. It was a very hot course. And it was a very big
course. Some of them are intimidated by the course, some of the big seas.
And she was doing some of the biggest jumps, and making a mockery
of the biggest names of the business, their fears. She's done it
again, here. Look how comfortable she is in this trip. She knows that
she has over rotated, opens up, lays it out, and stomps it on the
penultimate line of the landing. The biggest we have seen anyone go.
There is no horizontal rotation, no 360, 540, but it is a great
rangefinder. It will be interesting to see whether judges put this. So
just behind Hailey
just behind Hailey Langland on 72.75, third place for Zoi Sadowski
Synott. So the helicopter just circling around this enormous
scaffolding tower. Brooke Voigt, she took 14th in Copper, and eight in
the Beijing Air And Style. She has was done well on home turf in
Canada. Two silvers from the World Championships. The second in Calgary
at the World Cup, there. Frontside 720 with a melon grab. The landing
was lovely. First jump in the bag for Brooke Voigt. As we have seen
with the doubles being thrown down by the likes of Julia Marino and Zoi
Sadowski Synott, it's going to need to be very, very clean to make the
finals.
finals. Candrian has come up with a statement of intent from the
frontside 1080. And now what we have seen from Brooke Voigt begs the
question whether that rotation will be enough for the files any more.
With the amount of practice the women have had, and how comfortable
they are on this jump, it is going to be all about the doubles. Brooke
Voigt, 67.75. I'd imagine the judges are working on the idea that, if all
of the strong jumps are in and landed, you'd be looking at scores
of 80, and above. Next up, double gold medallist in Olympic
slopestyle. She has one goal both in Sochi and here. Can she cap that
slopestyle medal with a gold here? Certainly, her practice on the
airbag in Park city, that $3 million facility that has paid off so well
already for the Americans has taught her doubles. She has gone double.
And she came up a little bit short. Uncharacteristic for Anderson. But
we never really see her pushed. In slopestyle, she doesn't need this
cab double under. She made a debut with it in New Zealand at the first
World Cup of the year but, interestingly, her execution of it
was not as strong as the Slopestyle run she pulled off without that, so
it's not that trick she has Perth -- permanently added to the Slopestyle
run and, as such, you have to ask, is it the finished article? She's
very late on that second dip. That is most definitely a cab. Cab 900.
Underflip. She's got the horizontal rotation in there, as well. Just one
jump left for Jamie Anderson but if the last 12 years of Slopestyle
riding has taught us anything it is that Jamie Anderson can deal with
pressure.
Next in, Enni Rukajarvi. She is so smooth. Winds up, cab 720. One of
her tricks she uses in Slopestyle, regularly. She is so consistent.
That was like clocking in the Enni Rukajarvi. Yes, that is my cab
seven, no fanfare, nothing fancy. Just a very tidy switch sides 720.
Very, very clean. She has been very smart, Enni Rukajarvi. She suffered
from burn-out just before Sochi," into 2013, the qualification process
took its toll on her. Another 720 that measures 70 points. Landed
cleanly and she couldn't break 70 points. So, Enni Rukajarvi looking
around. Fifth place. The judges are saying, we are expecting more than
720, ladies. They have been watching practice and they know what
everybody is capable of. They are not giving out the big scores for
what they see as a run of the mill tricks. We will see anything but a
run of the mill trick here.
Reira Iwabuchi, just 16 years of age.
age. She has thrown this trick consistently over the last three
days in training. I would be very surprised if she doesn't set the cat
amongst the pigeons here first go. Say that, she is dropping in switch.
She has gone very easy as well, cab 900. Two and a half spins, taking
off backwards, landing/ to Reira Iwabuchi, so consistent is already
at 16. She came literally out of nowhere. She got second at the
Junior World Championships in the Czech Republic. She stepped up to
the big stage, second in her first World Cup, second at the big air,
second at the Slopestyle and took Slopestyle in the big air at X
Games. The 16-year-old has arrived already.
already. Just missed the grabs. Didn't quite have that as cleanly as
she would have liked. The judges will penalise her, but 80 points.
Big rotation, puts her into second place. Just behind Julia Marino. The
Japanese rider sandwiched between two Americans. The Japanese have
been pushing so hard in women's Slopestyle and big air.
Now, Yuka Fujimori. Her fourth winter Olympics but second as a
Slopestyle. Usually freestylers get old and they don't want to take the
hits on the big jumps in any more and start riding Snowboard Cross.
Yuka Fujimori, has done it the opposite way around. Far from making
up the numbers here, the 31-year-old has been throwing down some doubles
in training.
in training. Eggs at the world champions in Nevada at the end of
last season. -- eight. Still discussing with the coach exactly
what she is going to do.
Just holding here. Certainly no wind. I take that back, you can see
the flag just down below them. A little tiny bit, but we are in a
little bowl, so whatever there is should be swirling lightly.
should be swirling lightly. So the dreaded W word those rare its head
again. It is a headwind. Can see from that angle. It gives you an
idea of just how big the running is for this. Very steep as well.
Steeper than any black run you will be able to ride in any resort,
anywhere in the world. The riders need a vast amount of speed in a
very short space of time. The wind has dropped down and Yuka Fujimori
drops in. Backside 900 and stomps it. Tiny, tiny finger drag, if you
are interested, the women's ski halfpipe, featuring Rowan Cheshire
and Molly Summerhayes is on the red button now. Red button coverage, the
women's ski halfpipe, over there now. We will stay here for the
women's big air qualifying first runs.
runs. Just dragging a tiny bit. Little double grab. Front hand on
the toe edge to backhand on the toe edge. We saw the cab 1080 which is a
little bit easier. Taking off backwards and landing switch. This
is taking a forwards and landing backwards. You can see the impact
from Yuka Fujimori. If you wear it impact shorts, you have a little bit
of padding on your hips. If you fold directly on your hips, it is easy to
get groin strain with a heavy impact on the pelvis., 82 points for Yuka
Fujimori. And I think we are seeing the first of the Japanese riders,
who are really going to start dominating this big air appeal.
Silje Norendal pulled out of X Games Slopestyle because of the snow. She
doesn't have the mass if conditions aren't perfect. She will be watching
and waiting to see what the wind does. The Norwegian, three
consecutive X Games Slopestyle medals.
medals. Very, very experienced rider at this level.
2013, 2014, 2015 X Games gold-medal with a frontside of her toes. If you
imagine he will stand sideways and then open your shoulders. The front
of your body faces in the direction of your travel. You should do it off
your heels, as she has done there, switch 900 and very clean. Not huge,
she didn't take off the biggest part, but she still made it over the
kicker comfortably. She started the rotation really early on the kicker
as well. Watch the replay, she is sliding up the face of the jump.
Again, the double grab. This is a great sign that women feel really
comfortable on this jump. Brings the same hand round onto the toe edge.
That is difficult. Most people if they are doing two grabs in one
jump, she has done almost 180 degrees as she took off. Really
washing through the start of that. At I will be very interested to see
what the judges make of that. Very, very clean landing from Silje
Norendal.
76 for Silje Norendal. Fourth place. Little bit premature on the
take-off, I thought. I would like to see her really pumped into that and
wash through the kicker. It would give her more distance. OK, she is
the current leader of the women's World Cup. She has been dominating
this discipline. She was heartbroken to miss out in Slopestyle. She
redefined what women Slopestyle is that the US open ten months ago.
But, look at the result, gold at X Games two weeks ago at big air. She
took first, the big air, first in Beijing and first in Milan. She has
one every contest she has ended. Switch double on the flip. Very
tidy, very big. That is first place. Finally, the Austrians have
something to cheer about here. After a huge degree of expectation
surrounding Anna Gasser in Slopestyle, where she just wasn't
able to deliver. She is one of the riders who likes conditions to be as
good as possible. She isn't fuzzy, but she knew at her weight, things
wouldn't go her way. She was very courageous and attempted this trick
in Slopestyle but it didn't work for her. She was blown off course on the
first of the three kickers. But she comes in here and lays it down first
go, making it look very, very easy.
Anna Gasser, smiling today as women's Snowboarding gets the
platform it deserves. 88.25 and Anna Gasser moves 4.5 points into the
lead. , another one of the very talented Japanese riders. Miyabi
Onitsuka, I have seen her going through the gears in the last two
years. She was over the moon in 2014. She took second in the
European open Slopestyle contest. That was the trick she used to such
good effect. She has had it in her repertoire for three years and it is
starting to look very, very clean. I have known for a fact she spent the
run-up to these games at the maximised facility in Canada. She
has a lot more to give than the cab 900. Taking off on the left-hand
side of the kicker. Rather than drifting to the right, she actually
drifts to the left. Really interesting.
interesting. She doesn't quite get the grab on that to prove to the
judges that she is really in control of that trick. It is not going to be
the top spot, but high 70s? I think 78, maybe? We have
78, maybe? We have seen Silje Norendal outdo the cab 900, but she
didn't pop into the take-off like Miyabi Onitsuka. Low 80s. I wasn't
100% sure it was worth that much. But the judges obviously rewarding
the pop over the lack of grab. Canadian in next.
Canadian in next. Laurie Blouin. She had a decent black eye, on her left
eye. But, as is so often the case, you see one person take the medal
and then they find their confidence, their Mojo. It could be the case
with Laurie Blouin here.
The cab double under 900. Nice horizontal rotation mixed with the
backflips. Much more of a corkscrew to that.
to that. Laurie Blouin looking very happy and relaxed. You can see the
remnants of that shiner. Lovely rotation. She gets a good bit of
spin in, alongside the Philips. The cab double under corkscrew 900, good
grab, great style on the landing. Grabs on, solid, really holds onto
that. So, decent style. Really clean on the landing. It's going to be a
very strong score, I think. Is it better than Anna Gasser's? According
to the judges it is, 90.25. Laurie Blouin, confidence has got her
honour roll. Very impressive from the 21-year-old Canadian out Quebec.
Next up, Jessika Jenson, one of the few riders in the first run of
slopestyle last Monday to lay down a clean run. She is the fourth pick
for the American women's slopestyle team.
team. Love that, oh, yes! Beautiful! The backside rodeo late corkscrew
seven.
seven. Wow! Very nice. You do not see that in women's snowboarding.
Jessika Jenson, where have you pulled that one from? She comes in
off the toes, then falls into the back of that rotation. Very, very
nice. Just falling off the toes, and dipping the head. It's very hard to
do that on a snowboard. We saw it on skis a lot yesterday. On the ski
slopestyle. Very, very nice riding from Jessika Jenson. This is the cat
amongst the pigeons for the judges. What can they do with this? I
thought she might have caught an edge, I haven't seen that trick from
her. Jessika Jenson giving a shout out to her local resort, Kelly
Canyon in Idaho. 13th on the slope in Sochi. She came into those games,
I remember thinking she'd come out of nowhere, but she got third place
twice in the US Grand Prix qualifiers. Wasn't able to step up
into finals.
into finals. Easily the highest 720 score we have seen, 76.25, because
of unorthodox rotation, but she wasn't able to reel in those big
doubles that we have seen from Anna Gasser, Zoi Sadowski Synnott, Julia
Marino and Laurie Blouin.
Marino and Laurie Blouin. Next in, Sofya Fedorova. She does some big
backflips. In training, we have seen a couple of cab double unders.
a couple of cab double unders. The goofy-foot, dropping in forwards.
The backside 720. She went big. A giveaway. Christopher Walken talks
about it in True Romance, every man has a tail. Lovely jump, there go
the arms. Just as she comes in, she realises she's gone a little bit too
far, she had gone a bit bigger than she thought. And the judges getting
a clear signal from Sofya Fedorova that she was out of control. She let
go of the grab, early. Oh, I have gone a bit too big, she winds down
the windows, still manages is to put it down cleanly, but we have seen
720s in the high 60s, then we see a very unorthodox one beautifully
accomplished by Jessika Jenson in the high 70s, but for Sofya
Fedorova, she needs to up her game, there are, if she wants to make the
top 12. At the moment, Enni Rukajarvi is in the top-10 spot. We
still have eight more riders in the first runs here. Things have just
been brought up to a simmer. Haven't really started to reduce this stock.
The Swiss road very well, for me, she is one of the most courageous in
the slopestyle finals. Lovely tweak on that backside 720. Neat grab,
just pushing it out really nicely styled.
She takes off, the front hand goes down to the toe edge, she
straightens the front leg. Take another look at that take-off, she
might have got a very quick grab in. No, it was just a trailing arm. It
looked for a second like a grab, and she punches the middle of the board,
down by the tail.
down by the tail. Carla Somaini, another one of those riders out of
Laas in Switzerland, who have been using that incredible snow party
training. Of the standard 720s we have seen S definitely the biggest
squirrel. Currently in 11th place. -- the biggest school. That pushes
Enna Rukajarvi into 13th. So a lot of pressure building now. And we are
seeing strength in depth in this field, of women really getting put
to the test.
Next in, Katerina Vojackova, this is very much about experience for the
young Czech. A couple of decent World Cup results.
World Cup results. Dropping in forwards, the double Wildcat and
over rotates, goes really big. But she has come out with one of her
biggest tricks first, the double backflip. She spins back up.
backflip. She spins back up. Martin Cernik, who won the board crashed at
the snowboard festival in the UK in the late 90s, you would have seen
him plying his trade, he won that cup more than a few times. Big body
grab, there.
grab, there. From Katerina Vojackova, Andy left arm locks
underneath the front leg. And the judges really don't like seeing
that. She's got a body grab, and no board grab. Things that will
highlight to the judges that the jump was left -- less than perfect.
Katerina Vojackova is going to rely on her second run.
She has the talent still -- there is a lot of talent still left to drop,
though. 20th place for Katerina. It's all academic. Six riders left
to drop. And this woman is very interesting, Slovakian, 24 years
old, a frustrating 2017 for her, but you look back through the ages and
she has been one of the trailblazers for women in terms of big air, first
woman to land a front double ten. The first woman to take that into
competition in 2017. And that's what she has gone for. The front side
double cork 1080. Amazingly, she didn't have enough speed. So,
brilliant free
brilliant free rider and always throws it down and relaxed sessions
but she has struggled. She goes frontside air double cork 1080. This
one wouldn't look out of place in the men's competition. You have to
feel for her, because she's been one of the trailblazers, she has just
never got the podiums to match her trick repertoire.
trick repertoire. She just can't settle herself, can't take the
pressure at big competitions, I don't know, but it would be a
travesty if Klaudia Medlova doesn't make the finals.
make the finals. She obviously is confident. She must have thrown this
trick down a lot in training.
trick down a lot in training. Now the Czech rider, Sarka Pancochova,
an integral figure in women's snowboarding over the last 15 years.
Look up shop bales and mass attacks Web series, and you will see just
how good she is.
how good she is. -- shark tails. Not the most technical trick but nicely
done, really nice style. Have a look at this. The ground is beautiful.
And she really gives it a bit of whang in the middle. A little double
poke, very tidy from Sarka Pancochova. Carving
Pancochova. Carving hard, easing up the back leg, extends that front
leg. Actually looks more subtle in slow motion. It was much more
pronounced in real-time. Sarka Pancochova, 65.5. About what we were
expecting for the 720. She has a unicorn. That is excellent news!
Now, Isabel Derungs suffered a horrific leg break riding up a drag
lift. Someone rode in tow, nothing she could do. She has been coming
back from that. She's one of the old hands. -- someone rode into her. She
has been on great form this season. The frontside air 720, she missed
the grab, she will be really disappointed about that.
disappointed about that. So, the Swiss, she has a lovely backside
radio.
radio. -- rodeo. Good to see that come out. Both hands hunting around
for any kind of grab. She knew that she had locked into the rotation,
she was spinning nicely, but just can't settle her upper body on top
of the board. That's a perfect example of why snowboarders grab. A
great indicator of control in a trick and if you're really in
control, then you can start to throw the ball around, to tweak, poke and
bonehead, as it is known in snowboarding. Highly
snowboarding. Highly amusing double entendres but brilliant words to
describe what you can do with the snowboard indy air, once you have it
at your disposal.
Next in, Jessica Rich has been looking very smooth in qualifying.
27 years old. She knows the game. And just like we saw from Shaka
panko Cove, there will be lashings of style.
of style. -- Sarka Pancochova. The Australians have had a consistent is
daily-macro presence in the Snowboarding. Very rare to see the
front seven of the toes. It is called the toedeo.
called the toedeo. You throw your body around the front of the board
as you take-off. The toes are carving one way and the upper body
spins the opposite way so it creates this lovely, conflicted rotation
where the head leads to the front of the spin. Very difficult to land.
Slow the rotation down. She lands on the toe edge and it fires her across
the landing, but lays the elbow down.
The kangaroo and
the category in the Australian Olympics, Matt. Jessica Rich,
waiting for her score. 73.5 so after Jessika Jenson it is the highest
score we have seen for a 720. She will be stoked about that. For the
next of our Japanese riders, fourth and final Japanese rider, they
brought a full quota, just as the Americans have done.
Americans have done. Just as the Swiss have as well. So Asami Hirono,
next to drop. 27 years old.
next to drop. 27 years old. Hasn't had the same success at big air.
Going for a front side 900. Usually, one of the last directions of spin
you will ever see from a rider. Switch backside always scores big
points, but taking forward and landing backwards. One of the
hardest tricks, you are going backwards and you to kill the
rotation. Slipping out, it so difficult to land at that speed on
your heels. You have less control on your heels when you do on your toes.
On your toes, if you can imagine, your toe joints which can subtly
adjust pressure on the edge, your ankles and your knees. And your
heels, you cannot use your ankles, straight through your meals and the
hips. Less movement is available and more position required. Let's see
what Asami
what Asami Hirono gets after falling foul of her frontside 900. At the
top, the last rider of the women's big air qualification.
big air qualification. Elena Koenz, from the south-east of Switzerland.
Frontside 720. While it was clean, it was a little bit small. It was a
little too upright. There was no firing into it, there was no pop, no
explosion. She just flowed through the take-off, sliding into it. Only
just clears the knuckle. Slides the board round. It is still a great
trick, but at this level, we want to see more. First runs, as we watch
this replay, this sums up the first runs for me. Very clean, very
consistent. But, we are coasting. There is a lot more to come from all
of the women riding here. So, the overwhelming strategy to get one in
the bag. 19th place for Elena Koenz. 62 points. Top 12 at the moment,
Carla
Carla Somaini.
Hailey Langland and Zoi Sadowski
Synnott, Carla Somaini on the bubble. We have Jamie Anderson, look
at that, in 23rd. Gold medallist from Slopestyle. Aimee Fuller in
25th. Amy going for the cab under the lip, and if she lands that is,
we will see her go to the other end of the leaderboard. Slopestyle
requires consistency from top to bottom and favours the more
experienced students of the game, but at big air, it is one, big
trick. So anyone can come in. If you are interested, there is Figure
Skating on the red button. If you want to watch the Figure Skating,
you can head over to the red button. We will stay here for qualification
run two of women's big air.
run two of women's big air. We have got a day off before we visit, sorry
two days off before we visit the finals for this. Setting up very
early. We will be back on Friday the 23rd, very early in the morning for
the three runs of finals. Before we can talk about finals, we need to
decide who exactly is going there. We have 26 women competing. There
are only 12 spots in the final. As I was just saying, those 12 spots are
not going to go at the moment to the most experienced and biggest names
in the game. Instead, because this is just the one biggest trick you
have, it is favouring the young pretenders. We have seen a lot of
big tricks going down, Anna Gasser, arguably not a big pretender. She
was in such a 2014. She had just arrived on Snowboarding's biggest
stage and made her presence felt with first place in qualification.
She wasn't able to deliver in the Slopestyle. She had an ignominious
slide down the start gate and had to go back up because the TV cameras
were not ready. The mistakes she made in the run gave Jenny Jones a
bronze medal. In the four years since then she has dragged women's
Snowboarding into the 21st century, kicking and screaming. She has
beaten Jamie Anderson on the biggest stage, the US open. And enforce
Jamie Anderson's hand. Jamie Anderson, the gold medallist in
Sochi. Last year, set about the water jump and airbag the Americans
have installed in Park city. She is now the proud owner of a double. As
I said, as she dropped earlier on, she hasn't needed it, her Slopestyle
run is so strong, Jamie Anderson hasn't needed the double. She wasn't
able to land its first go here, so she is under pressure. At the top of
the jump it is Cheryl Maas. Unbelievably, she broke her neck and
six blazes, diving into a swimming pool at the end of last season. --
in six places. She has battled her way back. She goes down Axel you can
hear the shrieks in the finish area. So disappointing the Cheryl Maas. I
feel like I have said there's a lot, but we have a lot of the
trailblazers of women's Snowboarding here. And Cheryl Maas, redefined
what it was to be an urban rider in the early 2000. Urban riding is
reimagining architecture, buildings, rails, sets of stairs, banks, walls.
Beyond their first design purpose and instead looking at them as
playthings. She would go out into the streets, slide enormous
handrails. She was voted rider of the year by snowboarder. So, she has
never quite had the success she deserves. She browse out here in the
qualifiers. But I promise, it is not the last we will hear from her. Next
in, Aimee Fuller of Great Britain. We saw her try the tumble under
Philip on her first go.
Philip on her first go. -- cab double under Philip. She was spotted
and she went up to a camp in Mount Hood. Gone early. She went so big on
the first hit, she tried to rotate a bit slower on the second. But she
has gone a lot slower, whether the jump is warming up. That was a big
hit. Amy, on all of her vital organs. Mrs the grab. Maybe that is
the problem. She came up short. She landed just before the first line.
On the first jump, she has opened out. She hasn't... Not getting the
grab mean she has opened up. But she hasn't gone in with the same amount
of speed. Disappointment for Aimee Fuller. Cheers, guys. She says thank
you. 26-year-old. Came so close in Sochi. So unlucky in the Slopestyle
and not able to lay it down here in the big air. Next in, Hailey
Langland. I feel like she went very, very light on others.
very light on others. -- on us. She is capable of the 1080. Which I
think is one of the biggest tricks again.
again. The double under flips we have just seen from Aimee Fuller, we
have seen from Anna Gasser and we have seen from our first-place
rider, Laurie Blouin. I think we will see the ten. Big spin. Nine.
Beautiful and just the style on the turn at the end, she has hurt her
shoulder.
shoulder. So, there it is. She has been pushing through the separated
shoulder all season. Little bit off axis. Obviously, the shoulder is
coming from deck chairing the landing. She is such an exciting
rider. One of the snowboarders you really want to see landing, because
you know what she is capable of. So many tricks, so much style. So,
Hailey Langland has a nervous wait. Currently intends with 73. It is not
all over, but the big trick, we would have expected to have seen
. You can see the two ski jumps facing the snowboard jump. One of
the big traditional disciplines. When it comes to snow. Facing off
against one of the new comers. That verb much the case for Spencer
O'Brien, the Canadian. One of the biggest names in the game. She's had
so much success. She opened with a win at the Dew Tour this year. Can
she find a big trick now? Coached by the Austrian. One of the most
stylish riders still out there. Won a lot of Big Air contests in his
day. Spencer going off the toes again.
CHEERING So, very, very clean, that time.
She's gone for the same jump and cleaned it up. . She's got the
switch backside 720, which is a very difficult trick. There is the no
confidence in that smile or wave from Spencer there. She did let go
again early. She sent it deep. The landing was really, really nice and
easy. I feel... I feel like she's undersold herself here. She's
capable of much, much more. She's gone very, very - dare I say it -
she's painting my numbers with her ability of artistry. She hasn't
backed herself here. Certainly the Canadians are happy, but... 76.75.
So seventh place. I think facial expression said it all - she
breathed a sigh of relief. She wasn't confident at all. Next in
Sina Candrian, the Swiss rider. So, so strong. Especially with her
frontside spins. We saw her go for the 1080. I hope she goes for this
again. I don't want to see her back off here.
One of the biggest tricks we will see today, if she can land it. She
is lining up - yes! It's down! CHEERING AND APPLAUSE
Yes! Very, very nice. Sina Candrian delivers! That is going to be one of
the top five spots. Most definitely! When we look at the tricks, a slight
hand drag there, but three full spins. We really don't see many of
those. Or, the wasn't in there for very long. Backhand just drags -
almost a carbon copy of the 1080 we saw in Sochi four years ago. I know
that because I watched it again and again and again on the replays.
Because it was Sina Candrian's run that
that threatened to put Jenny Jones into fourth place. It was a very big
trick back then. It's clean. Let's see what she gets. Third place -
very deservingly - with an 86. Sina Candrian, the woman who hasn't
trained that much, has a spot - I would say almost guaranteed at this
stage in the finals on Friday. Next-up Julia, currently in fourth.
Lovely that cab double underflip. A more 900. More horizontal access.
The persons making their voices heard. Wait patiently on this score
and see if she can better that 83.75. Certainly it looked a lot
cleaner.
So, coming in backwards. Just drifting, floating in. Nasty split
in her pants there. The Nasa outfits weren't built for snowboarding
obviously! Cab double underflip. The American judges seemingly happy with
that one. So, yeah, two-point - well, 1 .75 improvement.
APPLAUSE 1.5 improvement even. My maths needs
improving! Into fourth place. Just behind Sina Candrian. Next up: One
of the most cherished squat rats. Her -- skate rats. Her parents
bought snow park, the old snowboarding and freestyle skiing
facility outside Wanaka in New Zealand. Zoi Sadowski Synnott has so
impressed the snowboarding world. She stomped a huge double backflip
on her first jump. It is only good enough for 13th at this stage. So
what can she add? Where can she go? I don't think she can do that double
backflip any better. Maybe she can keep it a bet tidier -- bit diddier.
Dropping in switch. Switch becomeside! Yes! Oh! Yes! That was
absolutely beautiful! CHEERING
Switch back spins are the hardst rotation in snowboarding. The joint
youngest rider here, Zoi Sadowski Synnott, has taken it on. I thought
she'd overcooked it in the middle of that cork. Let's take a look at it.
So concentrated on the cork. Switch becomeside 900! -- backside 900. I
house it was a 540. Dare I say it that's the biggest trick we have
seen so far today. It's what Spencer O'Brien had in her bag of tricks. It
is what I wanted to see from her. But Zoi Sadowski Synnott - if you
didn't know about her at slopestyle when she did the huge double wild --
wildcat you do know! This young woman is going to go very, very far!
I think it's the most technical trick we've seen so far. The judges
do too! 92 points for the young New Zealander!
CHEERING AND APPLAUSE We have been talking about the Kiwis
in snowboarding since men's slopestyle where
slopestyle where we saw Garcia-Knight. Garcia-Knight
qualified in the men's in second place. The New Zealanders have
completely rebuilt their freestyle programme since 2014. They have come
out guns blazing. Next in - Brooke Voigt. A 24-year-old.
CHEERING Backside 720. Just goes down! The
drama unfolds here. But if you are looking
looking for figure skating, Coombes and Butland are on the ice. Head
over there now. So, after the majesty of Zoi Sadowski Synnott's
switchback side 900, back down to earth with Brooke Voigt and the
backside 720 - quite literally. Not able to put that one down. Great
takeoff style. See, she's using that leading arm to go for the grab, but
she doesn't get it. And then the upper body overrotates as she lands.
Heavy on the tail. Brooke Voigt will not be making the finals. She isn't
going to improve on that 67.75. Best she can hope for is 16th. There we
have it. Current standings: Zoi Sadowski Synnott in first, Laurie
Blouin in second, and Anna Gasser in third. Fourth place, Sina Candrian,
Julia Marino in fifth. Now, all eyes on Jamie Anderson. Currently in 23rd
place.
And eighth. So the mute grab... She's got a good bit of rotation.
It's not 90 degrees spin double backflip 90 degrees spin, it is
actually bit of rotation through each of the corkscrews. So, - double
under flip 9 is the official total. 90 points.
CHEERING Mmm. I would say that's maybe a
little high. Puts her in above Anna Gasser. For me Anna Gasser - on the
same trick was a little bit cleaner. But Laurie Blouin - the Canadian -
still in second place with the same trick. So, the judges just dividing
up the cav double underflips there essentially. Now Rukajarvi. One of
the most experienced riders who needs something big here. Currently
in 16th. Dropping in switch. She too... Can go switchback side. But
she's gone huge front... Switch frontside 1080 double cork. And the
first big scalp is gone!
first big scalp is gone! Cav double cork 1080 from any Enni Rukajarvi.
And the bronze medallist from slopestyle, the silver medallist
from Sochi fighting for the end of that rotation. She actually came
down over the board. Such a shame! Big, big spin there. Spots the
landing. And then really corks into the last 360 degrees, just deck
chairs over the back of the board. So, Enni Rukajarvi - disappoint for
her. She's managed her competition schedule so, so well over the last
five years after suffering burn-out in 2013. Chronic fatigue. She came
back and she took the silver in Sochi and then took another medal
here, the bronze, in slopestyle. So, she can be very, very proud. Next in
Reira Iwabuchi. The Japanese rider who has taken 2018 by storm with the
trick that we will hopefully see now. Currently sat in ninth place on
80 points. It's a gamble if she can't better that score. She will
be, I think, very lucky to hold on to a qualification spot if she can't
better that 80 points.
better that 80 points. Drops in switch. So, we're not going to see a
big trick that she's been warming up.
CHEERING switch 900. That was a little bit
cleaner than the first jump.
cleaner than the first jump. A I'm very surprised. From what we have
seen in training - some very clean and consistent 1080s - very
surprised she hasn't used that trick here. Just a switch, frontside 900.
The stalefish grab on it.
So, off the heels. Yet, she's drifting off to the left. An optical
illusion that one. On her heels she should be drifting more to the
right. Look at that! Perfect landing! Absolutely stomps it.
Little salute claim there. Japanese coach is very, very happy with that.
So a big smile. Awaiting a score. I think it will be an improvement.
Low-to-mid-80s, I think. But she needs to move up just to make
herself safe. Three places I don't think is enough when you've got the
likes of Silje Norednal - 92.75! CHEERING
First place! Wow! Personally I disagree with that. I think that Zoi
Sadowski Synnott was definitely better on the switchback side 900.
It is a harder rotation. The judges rewarding the very, very clean
landing there, the pop and the size of that jump, obviously. Next in -
Yuka Fujimori. The 31-year-old. Second oldest here after Cheryl
Maas. Winds up. Lovely! CHEERING
Backside 900. Very, very nice. This is brilliant! We're starting to see
exactly what the women are capable of. Look at how stoked she is as
well! This is just qualifying A lot still being held back, but even at
this level, we're starting to see the consistency that we saw in men's
slopestyle ski finals yesterday. And it's beautiful! Get to see exactly
what level the women are at. Huge there. Great style. Holding on to
that grab all the way through. And on the strength of the scores we've
seen for both Zoi Sadowski Synnott and Reira Iwabuchi this is going to
be a big one! I tell you what - they thought it was something when a
snowboarder cross-codes and took an Alpine gold medal. It is going to
happen again here within snowboarding. It will be just as
much of a shock if a 31-year-old... Look at that! 94.25!
CHEERING AND APPLAUSE I was going to say if a snowboard
cross-rider can cross the floor, aged 26, and come out and win a goal
aged 31 -- gold medal aged 31 - it is just qualifying. We are going
through the gears very, very nicely. Starting to get some real momentum
on this final. This is yet another woman who could add some fuel to the
fire. She's currently in 12th position on a 76. She is not going
to want to sit there for too long. She needs this jump now to take her
destiny into her own hands. Looking at those rankings, I have just
noticed that Hailey Langland has dropped out of the top 12. So,
dropping in - switch! Double grab. 900. Sits back! Just a little bit...
CHEERING Hand to her heart. Just to calm
herself. She was obviously nervous about that one. So, did she get a
cleaner takeoff? That's one of the big questions. She's certainly gone
bigger. Got the double grab again. Not both hands, but one grab, then
the other grab. Sits back. Let's see it. Almost 180 - yes! Way better on
the takeoff. The grabs... It is the same hand. Melon grab to mute grab.
But we saw how much the judges enjoyed Zoi Sadowski Synnott and
Reira Iwabuchi's landings. So, they are - I think they are going to mark
her down for this one.
She waves while waiting on tenterhooks. 77.5. So, cleaner
takeoff, more pop, gives her a little more. And it pushes her up
two spots. It is now Jessika Jenson on the bubble. But bib number 1,
Anna Gasser, is in the start gate. Currently in sixth place. She was in
second place at the end of round 1, but way more consistency from some
of the big guns has seen her drop down. Can she reinstate herself for
the top of the standings? CHEERING AND APPLAUSE
Switch, frontside double cork 1080! That is the top spot!
CHEERING Wow! This is heating up very, very
nicely now. We have seen some really, really big tricks. And it
isn't without a little bit of sentiment -- sentimentality that I
mention some of the big names that are being retired by these big
tricks. Enni Rukajarvi, Spencer O'Brien, Cheryl Maas... Really,
really strong riders who just haven't been able to keep up with
this, the phenomenal level of progression in women's Big Air and
slopestyle snowboarding. This is what we missed out on in slopestyle
the other day. Anna Gasser managing to - did she keep the trailing arm
off the snow? No. A tiny touch. But on a trick that big, that
progressive - look at that smile! A 98!
CHEERING AND APPLAUSE The judges sending it now! I have
been looking at those top spots. A very, very interesting mix. For a
while we had Zoi Sadowski Synnott and Reira Iwabuchi - the two
16-year-olds - dominating. Then the 31-year-old jumped up to the top in
the shape of Yuka Fujimori. And now Anna Gasser has reinstated herself
with a cab double cork 1080. Now it's the turn of... Going for a
diddier version, the cab 900. We calm things down just a touch.
Currently in ninth -- Miyabi Onitsuka currently in ninth. Get the
real scale of this jump. For the women it is absolutely perfect. It
would be remiss of me not to mention that for the men it isn't quite as
big as it could be. But at this moment, I really don't care, because
the jump is perfect for the women. They have been raving about it all
week. It really is giving us the very, very best of women's
snowboarding at the moment. Letting go of the grab touch a touch early
there. But I think overall it's a little bit cleaner than her first
jump. So, she could improve on the 81.75 we saw first time around.
81.75 we saw first time around. Very popular celebration - rabbit ears
with the mits, the bottom of the slopestyle course, big Air and
halfpipe. So the judges... They are deliberating over this one long and
hard. The cameraman getting a good reflection shot.
Hmm. I don't see why this one should be taking... 86.5. I think they are
probably looking at Jessika Jenson on the bubble and what they want to
see. There is a very big gap at the moment between ninth and 10th.
moment between ninth and 10th. Eight points between Julia Marino and
Silje Norednal. The judges are probably saying that the 85 -
mid-80s - is where they would like to see the finals. But Laurie Blouin
will not have any bearing on those positions at the moment. It is only
gong to be the running order for the finals that she can adjust, because
she's currently in fifth. CHEERING
She's gone huge! Isn't it all the way to the bottom! Not as tidy as
some of the cab double underflips we've seen. Only because she did go
enormous. So, what do the judges make of this? Do they want to see it
clean or do they want to see it big? Blouin into that -- floating into
that. The takeoff was lovely. Wasn't rushing. Really, really patient.
Just falling gently off her heels into this. Laurie Blouin, one of the
riders who's worked so hard at maximise - the facility in Canada -
where they have a rope tow that you can ride again and again and again,
up to 12 hours a day, just dialling tricks in, with an airbag, then with
the chopped up landing... Until you get it absolutely perfect. Laurie
Blouin one of the riders who has benefitted from that. 92.25. She
moves up one spot. Unbelievably, Zoi Sadowski Synnott's incredible switch
backside 900 has now been pushed down into fifth place. There you can
say Reira Iwabuchi in third. Yuka Fujimori in second. And Anna Gasser
in first. Jessika Jenson in desperate need of a big score now.
She had that lovely offaccess 720 first jump. Where can she go?
CHEERING Oh! I don't know... That's a really
interesting decision. I don't know if she could have gone any better.
The first run was so perfect. I can only surmise from that that's her
biggest trick. . She had nowhere else to go. It's a beautiful late
dip 720.
Watch. She comes off the toes, but then let's herself float backwards.
And then dips her head here. Underneath the board. Really
unorthodox rotation, but she makes it look so good.
Down. But the upper body weight is just over the back leg a bit too
much. Clinging valiantly to the back of that. Looked like a run away
stall on, didn't -- stallion, didn't it? Unfortunately could get the
reins on it's. 39.75. A very nervous wait for Jessika Jenson, who is in
12th place.
We have eight riders still to drop. Sofya Fedorova, the Russian. I have
seen her ride and I have seen her look really, really loose and quite
wild. But in slopestyle, in difficult conditions, she looked
really clean last Monday. Backside 720. A little bit under-rotated. Not
enough speed. Not enough purchase on the takeoff. And the Russian will
not be advancing into the finals.
But great experience for Fedorova. She's come here and ridden on the
biggest stage. Just 19-year-old. So, in women's snowboarding, you see a
lot of the women coming into their prime mid--to-late 20s. If you think
Jenny Jones was 33 when she won her bronze, we have Cheryl Maas here at
33, few -- Yuka Fujimori at 31. A longer shelf life in the women's
snowboarding than there is in the men's. Billy Morgan, one of the
older riders at 27 in the men's. Shaun White an exception at 31. So,
next in - Carla Somaini. The 26-year-old goofy-footer. Won her
first event in the build-up to these games - the Big Air. She came fifth
in the test event here. She's got pedigree in Korea. Can she make it
pay now when it counts?
Currently in 19th. She needs to improve on that first run score. She
can't. She will be really, really disappointed by that. We were
robbed. I was really excited to watch her ride in her home resort at
the Europe Open this year. The biggest contest on European soil,
but the women's slopestyle was cancelled and we were robbed of
seeing her ride on home soil which I think would have given a great
indicator of just how far she's come. She had one very nice run at
the slopestyle a week ago. But, sadly, unable to deliver here at Big
Air.
Air. As it stands at the moment, the Swiss have bought a full contingent
of four riders, and they only have one in the top 12 in the shape of
Sina Candrian. So, Carla Somaini - that run 1 score only good enough
for 19th
Next up, cat Ripa Vojackova. What are we going to get from the
21-year-old Czech rider. She's been riding under Martin Chenick. She's
gone short! Really short. Oh, terrible mistake. Just killed too
much speed at the top there. And she had committed so heavily to that. I
was very, very worried she was going to come up on the knuckle halfway
through that second flip. Oh, look at that! It was so close. Very, very
lucky to get away with that. Just a big old hit in the solar plexus, I'd
Madge. Could have been worse - exposing all of her vital organs to
the knuckle there. The arms - oh. Still, the snow here in Korea is
always subzero. Despite the sunny condition, the sunny outlook, it is
ice-cold here and the snow reflects that. Now, Klaudia Medlova, first
woman to land the double backside rodeo 900. First woman to land the
frontside double cork 1080. Can she make all of this progress pay in a
competitive arena? I hope so! That is beautiful! No! The rotation, the
grab, the height, everything was there. But Medlova can't put it down
and the best rider never to win in competition continues that
tradition. Oh, what a disappointment! I feel like we have
been cheated ever so slightly.
been cheated ever so slightly. -- slightly from seeing Klaudia ride in
the finals. Very, very good rider, but you can't that it hasn't been
the perennial issue with Klaudia Medlova. She just doesn't seem to be
able to replicate the progressive nature of her riding in competition.
So we go back up to the top. We see Sarka Pancochova, one of the most
enduring images from the slopes - women's slopestyle in 2014 with
Sarka Pancochova. Riding away from an enormous slam in the rider's area
at the bottom holding her helmet which had split clean in two with
the impact. So dropping in forwards. She's a regular rider, going for the
900. Oh! Everything about that, she knew she got the 720 as good as she
could get it, but you got the feeling she knew she got the 7, so
she may as well go for a nine and see if it could make it work Thank
you, guys. Unfortunately, that trick certainly not the finished article
for her. The body position was wrong and body language here, she actually
braces for impact. -- impact in the last 180. She's not settled and
ready to control the board. So Sarka Pancochova enjoying what will sadly
be her last Olympic experience, I'd imagine. Another one of the big
names in women's snowboarding who has been retired by the doubles we
see dominating the top spots there. Anna Gasser, Yuka Fujimori, Reira
Iwabuchi, Laurie Blouin, Zoi Sadowski Synnott with that
incredible switchback nine. Now, it's Isabel Derungs. Made finals at
slopestyle in Sochi, qualified first in her heat and banked the fourth
highest score of anyone in qualifying, but then fell in both
runs. She injured herself. A masters in environmental science, can she
master this environment? Frontside 720. She's landed her trick, but I
think we have seen the 720s at best making it to 76. That is the
threshold score at the moment with Jessika Jenson, and put this
frontside 7 with a very short grab up against that majestic backside
720 we saw from Jessika Jenson and it's not going to hold up. Great
scale on this jump there. The 20m table top. This jump is going to
provide a very, very interesting stage for the men who qualify
tomorrow because this is so far within their comfort zone and within
the women's. It means - there we go 59.25. Back to what I was saying -
the women are very, very comfortable on that jump so the men will be
equally so and in that case, as we have seen here, it becomes about the
biggest tricks and how stylishly you can do them. That is always a treat.
It's not spin-to-win with quad corks where there's no room for any style.
Instead we'll see all the biggest tricks up to the quad corks, done
with an amazing array of grabs and laissez faire style. Now, Jessica
Rich, beautiful frontside 720 off her toes. Currently sat in 13th
place. So Jessika Jenson will be nervous if she can really float
through this. Beautiful! It was beautiful. So two 720s effectively
going up against each other. Jessica Rich is frontside version of the
toes against Jessika Jenson's backside version. She just dips her
head late, grab is lovely on that. Landing is clean. If not completely
- it's such a lovely spin. It was considered - it was massively
popular in the late '90s, 98, 99. Like anything that's incredibly
fashionable, the phase or a fad, it went out of fashion incredibly
quickly. But it's been the women who have brought it back. 74.25. It was
an improvement, but not enough to knock Jessika Jenson out of
qualifying spots. So Jenson has another run with just two riders
left to drop. It's nervous times for the Americans at the moment who
already have Jamie Anderson and Julia Marino in the qualifying
spots. They are guaranteed Spencer O'Brien and Jessika
O'Brien and Jessika Jenson waiting nervously now as Asami Hirono drops
in.
Asami Hirono, just waiting for the wind again. She wasn't happy the
first time around, if you remember.
So you can see the flag there, great shot that gives us an indication of
what the wind is doing. And it is an issue for the lighter riders. They
can get really pushed around. It's like this, and that certainly
applies a lot of the Japanese riders. Reira Iwabuchi is absolutely
tiny. The 16-year-old really struggles for speed sometimes. Go
for... Frontside 1080!
for... Frontside 1080! Wow, she really, really wanted that and that
is a brilliant barometer of just how hard the women are pushing in this
qualifier. So coming around to 720 there, got another 360 to go and
she's so unlucky, just underrotates. If she had gone a tiny, tiny big
quicker. If she let go on the run-in, really sent that, she would
have made it. She was centred over the board perfectly there. So she
lands early there. She needs another - just two or three feet. Tiny, tiny
bit more speed. That is the cruelty. So Asami Hirono - 37.75. And that
means that at the top of the standings, Spencer O'Brien is
assured qualification. Just one rider left to drop - Elena Koenz and
Jessika Jenson, I think on paper certainly, in all of the
competitions I have seen them both ride in, Jessika Jenson has the
measure of Elena Koenz. Koenz is going to need to step a long way out
of her comfort zone. -- zone to beat Jessika Jenson. She needs a jump
with 76. 25. CHEERING AND APPLAUSE Slightly over-rotated but a lot, lot
cleaner, a lot more impressive than her first jump but again we come
back to the debate - it's a very, very easy comparison. 720 for 720.
Jessika Jenson's was a lot better. So Elena Koenz letting go of that
grab early and, yeah, it's Jessika Jenson all the way for me on this
one. It will be a slight improvement for Elena Koenz. She currently in
21st out of 26.
Maybe 67, 68 I think is possible.
The judges taking their time making sure they get this one right. I
think Elena's face says it all. Looking back, just waiting. This
final has been brilliant. 65.75. After the fiasco that was the
wind-affected final in slopestyle, we have seen the - have been given a
glimpse, I should say, what the women are capable here. Anna Gasser,
number one seed in World Cup, takes the lead here. The two Japanese
women, Iwabuchi and Fujimori there, Blouin. Zoi Sadowski Synnott a very
solid performance from her.
Hailey Langland we expected to see in the mix, and Enni Rukajarvi the
experienced Fin are out. And Cheryl Maas and Sarka Pancochova not making
it and in 25th, Aimee Fuller not making it after two valiant attempts
at her cab double flip.