Under what can be considered some of the most adverse weather conditions at a competition, Australia’s Anna Segal braved the elements to take gold, on the very first run of the day. Rainy at times, and down right blizzardy at other times, the X Games slopestyle course was slow, flatly lit and very dangerous for competitors.
Anna Segal, the first competitor to drop, disastered the DFD box to keep her speed up into the jump line where she threw a 360, lincoln loop and 540 on the bottom “money booter” to take the top spot, and stay there all day. No newcomer to the X Games, Grete Eliassen put down 360s, and 720s in both her runs, to claim that silver medal. And rounding out the podium was Kaya Turski, who 270ed the DFD, switched up the flat box and dropped a 540 on the bottom jump to claim the bronze (Kaya, on her first run, stomped said 540 on one ski).
Other highlights included Kim Lamarre sliding the canon box to 270, Keri Herman throwing right and left 360s, and Sarah Burke attempting the only 900 of the day. This is the 8th year that Skiing Slopestyle has been included in the X Games, but the inaugural year for women, making it a momentous occasion. Unfortunately, the day was bittersweet as Kim Lamarre and Sarah Burke had to be taken down in sleds due to injuries sustained during the comp. Kim hurt her knee coming off the canon box and Sarah sustained a lower back injury casing the final jump. Best wishes of a speedy recovery go out to both ladies.
While the weather definitely hampered the potential of all the women, the competitors still threw down and put on a show that only the X Games can squeeze out of people. We will see women’s slopestyle for years to come and the weather definitely couldn’t hold back these women today.
Women’s Slopestyle Final Results:
1) Anna Segal
2) Grete Eliassen
3) Kaya Turski
4) Keri Herman
5) Megan Olenick
6) Kristi Leskinen
7) Sarah Burke
8) Kim Lamarre
Stay tuned later tonight for Men’s Big Air.