U.S. Sweeps First 2014 Olympic Qualifier

WANAKA, New Zealand (Aug. 22) – Torin Yater-Wallace (Basalt, CO) and Devin Logan (West Dover, VT) opened the 2014 Olympic Winter Games qualifying period with a U.S. sweep of the FIS World Cup halfpipe skiing event at Cardrona, New Zealand. Halfpipe and slopestyle freeskiing will make its Olympic debut during the 2014 Sochi Olympics. The New Zealand event marks the first event of the Olympic qualifying period that lasts for the next 17 months. American athletes have won the last six World Cup halfpipe skiing events dating back to March 2011.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Torin Yater-Wallace (Basalt, CO) and Devin Logan (West Dover, VT) won the opening FIS World Cup of the 2014 Olympic Winter Games qualifying period.
• U.S. Freeskiing’s results placed five men in the top 15 and three women in the top ten.
• The 17 month qualifying period provides individual athletes with opportunity to achieve required international ranking to be eligible for Olympic selection and helps the USA earn nation's quota spots.
• American halfpipe skiers have won each of the last six World Cup events dating back to March of 2011.
• Logan, who is the reigning Association of Freeskiing Professionals (AFP) overall and halfpipe champion, won by a huge three point margin after leading qualifications by seven points.
• Logan’s winning run: left 540 tail grab to flair, mute grab air, alley oop mute grab, 720 mute grab to switch alley oop 360.
• Yater-Wallace, the reigning AFP halfpipe champion,  posted a winning run of a right double cork 1260 mute grab, alley oop rodeo Japan grab, 900 tail grab, 1080 tail grab to a switch 900 mute grab.
• For the women, Japan’s Manami Mitsuboshi took second and fellow countrywomen Ayana Onozuka came in third. For the men France’s Thomas Krief took second and Benoit Valetin came in third.
• Next up is the New Zealand Freeskiing Open at nearby Snow Park, Aug. 28 – Sept. 1.

QUOTES
Devin Logan
This is a great way to start my season and I am glad to start off with points for the U.S.’s national quota.

I crashed hard on my first run and kind of bruised myself up, and I didn't ski my best. I had to work hard to make it up and pull it together, but I was glad to be in the lead by three points in finals.

Torin Yater-Wallace
We are trying to take it home for America since we are now in the Olympic qualifying period. It was a fun competition and I am so stoked to be here. 

ToTo [Thomas Krief] and I had the same first runs, I did a left 1080 to switch and he did a flat 360. I landed my first run, but it was sketchy. My second run went really well and I landed everything.

OFFICIAL RESULTS

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