Career firsts for Derungs and Olimstad in Seiser Alm slopestyle
Jan 26, 2019·Snowboard Park & Pipe![Markus Olimstad (NOR) on his way to victory in Seiser Alm [ o ] FIS Snowboard](https://assets.fis-ski.com/f/252177/1469ee651c/9w3a5053.jpeg/m/1680x810/smart)
Seiser Alm (ITA) - The final World Cup slopestyle competition before the snowboard world sets its eyes on the USA for the Utah 2019 FIS Snowboard, Freestyle & Freeski World Championships took to the perfectly-sculpted course at Seiser Alm (ITA) on Saturday, where Isabel Derungs (SUI) and Markus Olimstad (NOR) both capped an incredible day of riding with their respective first World Cup victories.
After a week of frigid temperatures that kept the course in pristine shape but kept those riding and working at the Seiser Alm venue shivering, Saturday dawned almost spring-like, and the riders responded to the more agreeable temperatures by putting down clean run after clean run throughout the day.
Derungs came into competition in Italy fresh off a seventh-place performance at arguably the biggest competition of the season in Europe at the Laax Open last weekend, but the 31-year-old stepped things up a notch in her riding on Saturday in Italy.
While her second run score of 76.75 would have been enough to give her the day’s victory, Derungs stepped things up a notch on her third and final attempt, stomping a run that included a bluntslide 270 out, frontside 180 up to switch boardslide to regular, and 50-50 backside 360 out through the rail sections, followed by a backside rodeo, switch backside 540, and frontside 720 through the jump line for a score of 79.15 and her maiden World Cup win.
“It’s my first World Cup win and it feels so good. I didn’t think it would happen today, but I guess happened!” Derungs smiled from the finish area, “The backside rodeo is kind of my signature trick, or favourite trick, and I think maybe I had lost confidence in it the last few seasons and it was affecting my runs. But today I felt so good, I did it a lot in training, and suddenly it was just back and felt like my anchor like it used to. And to stomp my rail line in all three runs…that used to be my weakness, but now it’s almost my best strength.”
With the win, Derungs jumps into third place on the slopestyle World Cup leaderboard, behind the Japanese pair of Miyabi Onitsuka and Reira Iwabuchi.
Second on the day went to top qualifier Brooke Voigt (CAN) in what was her first World Cup competition in more than a year. Riding super smoothly throughout the day, Voigt earned a score of 76.00 even for her final run that included back-to-back 720s through the last two kickers, giving the Canadians their first of two podiums on the day.
The second of those went to Jasmine Baird, who earned her first World Cup podium in her fifth World Cup start, with a score of 73.25.
Silky smooth Olimstad tops in thrilling men’s competition
Over in the men’s competition it was Norway’s Marcus Olimstad earning his first career World Cup podium in the best way possible, with a hugely impressive victory in what was a heavy day of riding on the picture-perfect Seiser Alm course.
Starting things off through the rail sections with a hard-way backside 270 boardslide 270 off, to half-cab up to backside 360 on backside 180 off, and finally a cab 270 boardslide 270 off, Olimstad then put down a backside 1260 mute, cab 1260 indy, to frontside double corked 1080 indy on the last jump, Olimstad’s second run earned him a score of 88.00 for the win.
“It feels pretty good,” said the understated Olimstad after celebrating with his teammates in the finish area, “I was feeling confident in practice, and it feels good to land one in finals. Once I landed that first rail I was feeling pretty good about the rest of the run. And to be on the podium with Stian all season and we’ve both been struggling together to get to this level. But now we’re finally both up there. It’s a nice feeling.”
Second place on the day went to top qualifier Lyon Farrell, whose run was likely the most technical of the day with an incredible jump line that included a cab double cork 1260, backside triple cork 1440, and a frontside double cork 1080, however a couple of small bobbles along the way likely cost him the victory. As well, Saturday’s result put him into second place on the slopestyle World Cup leaderboard behind countryman Chris Corning.
Third place on the day with a score of 84.75 went to Olimstad’s teammate Stian Kleivdal who, like Olimstad, was earning his first career World Cup podium in what was a strong day for the ever-impressive Norwegian squad.
Please note: An initial set of results was released that incorrectly listed Kleivdal as the second place winner, with Farrell in third. However, after an inquiry by his coach, a video review of Farrell’s best run revealed that a scoring error had been made on his cab double cork 1260, and judges amended his score in accordance to a jury decision. The results now available are the correct, official results.
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