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Irving Earns First World Cup Victory at Mammoth Grand Prix

By Andrew Gauthier
March, 9 2019
Birk Irving at Mammoth Mountain
Birk Irving (center) on the freeski halfpipe podium at the 2019 Toyota U.S. Grand Prix at Mammoth Mountain. (U.S. Ski & Snowboard - Sarah Brunson)

U.S. Freeski Pro Team member Birk Irving (Winter Park, Colo.) took the top spot in the halfpipe finals, earning his first-ever world cup victory Saturday at the U.S. Grand Prix at Mammoth Mountain, Calif.

“I’m real hyped, I still can’t believe this,” said Irving. “I have never thought I would get on the podium or win here at Mammoth. It feels great to not get fourth or fifth. Practice didn’t go that great, so coming into the competition I just wanted to put down a stock run. I was able to do that on the first one and realized I didn’t have much to lose. I stepped it up it up and did a run I thought I would get me on the podium and it ended up working out. I was little nervous watching Simon (D’Artois) and Dave (Wise) drop last, but they are also my good friends, so I would have still been happy for them if they would have won. It ended up working out in my favor and I couldn’t more be more stoked. With the season coming to end, I plan on going sledding and skiing at my home mountain of Winter Park.”

U.S. Freeski Team member and double-Olympic gold medalist David Wise (Reno, Nev.) finished fourth, Jaxin Hoerter (Breckenridge, Colo.) finished fifth after being in podium contention for most of the event. Hoerter also landed two consecutive runs after blowing out his bindings in training in using his slopestyle skis for the competition. Canadia Simon D’Artois finished in second-place and Thomas Krief of France in third.

For the women, Olympic bronze medalist Brita Sigourney (Carmel, Calif.) finished in sixth place. Although she was unable to podium, both Sigourney and Irving earned the title of U.S. Grand Prix National Champion.

Cassie Sharpe of Canada won the event with arguably the best run in women’s halfpipe competition history landing back to back 900’s as well as landing both right and left 1080’s in one run. Estonian Kelly Sildaru finished in second-place and Kexin Zhang of China finished third.

The U.S. Freeski Team finished the season strong in the halfpipe FIS Cup standings with Wise in third, Hess in fourth, and Irving in sixth. For the women, Sigourney finished sixth, Abigale Hansen (June Lake, Calif.) seventh and Svea Irving (Winter Park, Colo.) was 11th.

Freeski competition continues at the Mammoth Grand Prix with slopestyle qualifiers and finals on Sunday. Catch the action live and head out to Mammoth Mountain Ski Area, or tune in on NBC.

CUP STANDINGS
Men’s freeski halfpipe
Women’s freeski halfpipe

RESULTS
Men’s freeski halfpipe
Women’s freeski halfpipe

SCHEDULE
All times PST (local time)

Sunday, March 10. 
7:30 a.m. -  Men’s and women’s freeski slopestyle qualifications & finals - Mammoth Mountain, Calif.

HOW TO WATCH
Subject to change
All times EST
*Delayed broadcast

FREESKIING
Sunday, March 10

4:45 p.m. - Toyota U.S. Grand Prix men and women’s slopestyle - Mammoth Mountain, Calif. - NBCSports.com & NBC Sports Gold

Thursday, March 14
12:30 a.m. - Toyota U.S. Grand Prix men and women’s slopestyle - Mammoth Mountain, Calif. - NBCSN*
 

Irving 1st U.S. Grand Prix