Kiwis quinella World Cup freeski halfpipe event in China

Finley Melville Ives celebrates victory at Secret Garden, China. Photo: FIS

Reigning freeski halfpipe world champion Finley Melville Ives from Wānaka has won the FIS World Cup event in China, with compatriot Luke Harrold second.

For the first time, two Kiwi halfpipe skiers have shared a podium in either freeski or snowboard.

Strong winds at Secret Garden in Heibei Province made conditions tricky for the freeskiers, with Melville Ives using duct tape to streamline his baggy ski pants.

"I honestly have no words," Melville Ives said. "It was such tricky conditions today.

"Everyone skied so well and it was really gnarly... so I honestly can't believe it. Super surreal."

Men's freeski halfpipe champion Finley Melville Ives with runner-up Luke Harrold, left, and bronze medallist Hunter Hess. Photo: FIS

He said he hadn't trained well before the event.

"I had to swap my run with about 10 minutes left of training, and ended up taping my pants to try and get more speed, and skiing in a T-shirt, even though it's freezing."

Fourteen freeskiers qualified for the two-run final, with Melville Ives putting down a huge first run, registering a 90.00 score, which stood as the day's highest. He matched it with his second run.

Finley Melville Ives flies through the air at Secret Garden, China Photo: FIS/Li Runsheng

Harrold, a 17-year-old from Lake Hāwea, near Wānaka, was the last athlete to drop into each run, as the top qualifier. He was second after the first run, with 88.00 points. He amped that up to 89.00, but couldn't eclipse Melville Ives.

The win was Melville Ives' second at a World Cup, after victory in Canada in February, while it was Harrold's second podium, after finishing second at Secret Garden in 2023, aged just 15.

Hunter Hess of the USA finished third.

In the women's event, Mischa Thomas, 17, from Auckland, was seventh in her debut World Cup event.

The freeski and snowboard big air World Cup finals are on Sunday morning NZT in Steamboat, Colorado, while Alice Robinson will compete in the Super G World Cup in St Moritz, Switzerland, on Sunday night.

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