U.S. Wins Freestyle & Freeski Marc Hodler Trophy at Junior World Championships
CARDRONA, NZ (Sep. 5, 2023) – The 2023 FIS Park & Pipe Junior World Championships came to a close on Sep. 4th in Cardrona, New Zealand after the big air finals and the U.S. Freeski Junior World Championships Team helped secure the Freestyle & Freeski Marc Hodler Trophy, awarded to the best overall nation.
“The level of skiing at Junior Worlds gets better every year,” said Stifel U.S. Freeski Team athlete Kate Gray, who earned sixth place in slopestyle at the Junior World Champs on Aug. 30. “The women’s field in particular stood out this year with many dub 10s and it set the bar high for this coming competition season. ”
Notable U.S. finishes in big air include Elaina Krusiewski of Ski & Snowboard Club Vail finishing eighth and 16 year-old Eleanor Andrews of Killington Mountain School finishing in ninth. Flora Tabanelli of Italy won the big air event, while Linshan Han and Ruyi Yang of China finished second and third respectively.
For the snowboarders, Hydro Flask U.S. Snowboard Team rookie team rider Brooklyn DePriest took to the big air jump and was the leading American finishing in fifth place. Taiga Hasegawa of Japan won the event. Rocco Jamieson of New Zealand took second and Ian Matteoli of Italy finished in third.
The Stifel U.S. Freeski Team athletes’ results helped secured the Marc Hodler Trophy, finishing with 111 points ahead of Canada with 109 points. The U.S. Junior World Championship snowboard team finished sixth overall. It was a successful Junior Worlds for the U.S. and the next generation of freeski and snowboard athletes are bringing forward undeniable talent as they enter the 2023-24 season.
RESULTS
MARC HODLER TROPHY STANDINGS
