Snowboarding

Langland Second in World Cup Big Air Opener

by
USSA
2016-11-12 21:02
 

MILAN, Italy (Nov. 11, 2016) - Hailey Langland (San Clemente, CA) kicked off her 2016-17 FIS Snowboard World Cup season in fine style with a second-place finish at the big air event in Milan, Italy in front of an impressive crowd.

“It was a little scary,” said Langland, after competing in her first scaffolding big air event. “I was really nervous, but I got to look down to all these people who came here to watch and it made me a little more nervous but also excited.”

“This scaffolding style of jump can be very intimidating and we are super happy that Hailey was able to land on the podium in her first city big air,” said Head Coach Mike Jankowski. “The Milan big air was such a great kickoff to the season.”

Austria’s Anna Gasser and Norway’s Marcus Kleveland took the victories in the opening round of the World Cup season – a career-best result for both.

The young Norwegian stood out a bit more as he dominated the men's competition in his World Cup debut. The 17-year-old Kleveland stomped the best three tricks of the night to grab victory with a score of 188.00 for his cab triple 1440 indy and backside triple 1620 melon. Seppe Smits of Belgium, the 2011 big air world champion was second and Canada’s 2014 Olympic slopestyle bronze medallist Mark McMorris, who just came back to business half a year after he broke his femur during the Air & Style in Los Angeles, was third.


A rider launches off the Milan big air scaffolding jump. (FIS)

In the women's competition, which featured the top six athletes from the afternoon qualifications, Gasser, also coming back from injury, paved her way to victory with a score of 174.25 at her first scaffolding jump competition with her signature trick, a switch double underflip 900 indy.

The 16-year-old Langland now has now a fourth, third and second place finish in three World Cup starts under her belt. “I'm extremely happy,” Langland said. “I got to ride with all the girls that I have looked up to my whole life. Coming right behind of Anna [Gasser] who is one of my heroes is great. I had a lot of fun, I can't complain.”

Sarka Pancochova of the Czech Republic rounded out the podium in third.

Other U.S. finishers were Jessika Jenson (Rigby, ID) in sixth, Karly Shorr (Milford, MI) 15th and Julia Marino (Westport, CT) in 16th for the women. Chris Corning (Arvada, CO) led the U.S. men in fifth, followed by Ryan Stassel (Anchorage, AK) in sixth. Eric Willett (Breckenridge, CO) was 15th, Chas Guldemond (Reno, NV) 16th, Eric Beauchemin (Grand Blanc, MI) 27th, Lyon Farrell (Haiku, HI) 37th, Nik Baden (Steamboat Springs, CO) 45th and Red Gerard (Silverthorne, CO) 49th.

Besides serving as World Cup opener for the new season, the big air and the city event staged at EXPerience park right across the iconic Tree of Life also marked the kick-off of the first ever Super Series.The newly launched series will crown the world’s best after three in-city big air stops of the World Cup tour, featuring Milan, Moenchengladbach, Germany and Quebec City, Canada.

The World Cup tour continues with this season's second big air event November 25-26, 2016 at Korea’s Alpensia Ski Stadium, serving as the official Olympic test event for the 2018 Olympic Winter Games in PyeongChang.

HIGHLIGHTS

  • Hailey Langland nailed second place in the FIS World Cup big air in Milan, Italy.
  • Austria’s Anna Gasser and Norway’s Marcus Kleveland each scored their first World Cup victory.
  • It was Gasser's second World Cup podium and Kleveland's World Cup debut.
  • The big air and the city event staged at EXPerience park right across the iconic Tree of Life also marked the kick-off of the first ever Super Series.
  • The World Cup tour continues with this season's second big air event slated to take place November 25-26, 2016, at Korea’s Alpensia Ski Stadium, serving as official Olympic test event for the 2018 Olympic Winter Games in PyeongChang.
  • Winning tricks Gasser: switch double underflip 900 indy, corked backside 720 mute.
  • Tricks Langland: backside 540 stalefish, frontside 720 mute.
  • Tricks Pancochova: backside 720 mute, frontside rodeo 720.
  • Winning tricks Kleveland: cab triple 1440 indy, backside triple 1620 melon.
  • Tricks Smits: backside triple 1440 indy, cab 1260 mute.
  • Tricks McMorris: backside triple 1440 mute, switch backside 1260 backside grab.

QUOTES
Hailey Langland

It was a little scary. I have never done a scaffolding jump before and I was really nervous, but I got to look down to all these people who came here to watch and it made me a little more nervous but also excited. I just wanted to get the people a good show and land the things that I wanted to do. So, I'm extremely happy. 
I got to ride with all the girls that I have looked up to my whole life. Coming right behind of Anna [Gasser], who is one of my heroes, is great. I had a lot of fun!

Mike Jankowski
The Milan big air was such a great kickoff to the season. The jump setup was one of the best that we have seen in a city big air and the Italian crowd was awesome. This scaffolding style of jump can be very intimidating and we are super happy that Hailey was able to land on the podium in her first city big air. More great things to come as the team heads to the Korea Olympic test event next week. 

RESULTS
Men - Milan Big Air
Women - Milan Big Air
World Cup and Super Series standings men
World Cup and Super Series standings women

 


 


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