Riccomini Scores Career-First World Cup Podium, Forehand Second in Laax
The Laax Open wrapped up competition this morning with the second year of men’s and women’s freeski finals in Laax, Switzerland. The Stifel U.S. Freeski team continued to show dominance in the sport with seven athletes set to drop in the innovative and progressive slopestyle course. Jay Riccomini took home his first career podium on the women’s side, while Mac Forehand was second among the men.
It was a wild start on the women’s side with France’s Tess Ledeux taking an uncharacteristic fall and Rell Harwood slipping off the first downrail, a feature proven to be costly for many riders throughout competition. Riccomini turned things around in his first World Cup finals appearance and found himself in podium position after run one, behind heavy hitters Mathilde Gremaud from Sweden and China’s Eileen Gu. Riccomini improved his score with a clean and highly executed second run that led to his first career World Cup podium, ending the day in third place.
The Stifel U.S. Freeski Team was stacked on the men’s side, with five out of 12 competitors representing the stars and stripes, but the pressure was on with no U.S. athletes in podium position after run one. Forehand found himself in 11th place as he dropped in for run two, but backed up his top spot in the FIS park & pipe World Cup standings, executing a stylish and technical line that moved him into second place with only teammate Alex Hall left to drop. Hall laced together an impressive final run and put the results in the judge’s hands, who ultimately scored him fourth overall. Teammates Colby Stevenson finished the day in sixth, Konnor Ralph tied his best World Cup result with seventh place and Cody LaPlante wrapped up his Laax Open campaign in 12th.
The Stifel U.S. Freeski Team sits in second overall in the Nation’s Cup standings as they turn their attention to the Toyota U.S. Grand Prix in Mammoth Mountain at the end of the month.
