Corning Claims Second Junior World Title

SEISER ALM, Italy (March 29, 2016) – Snowboarders battled foggy conditions at the 2016 FIS Junior World Championships big air on Wednesday. Despite the weather, Chris Corning (Aspen, CO – Aspen Valley Ski and Snowboard Club) claimed his second Junior World Champion title after also winning slopestyle the previous day. Nora Healey (Plymouth, NH – Wateville Valley BBTS) also earned her second medal of the week, taking second for the ladies.

The contest was plagued with fog and there were many course holds, resulting in a long day for the athletes. Corning went all in, using a backside triple cork 1440 to win the contest with authority. “I tried it once in practice and kind of fell on it,” Corning said. “I also had tried it twice the day before and fell on those too but I finally was able to get enough speed and was able to land it. I was debating on what I should do and just said, ‘Go for it and see what happens—you have nothing to lose.’” 

 

Big air finally went down today after waiting around for 9 hours and I ended up snagging 2nd place and @oceanefillion taking the bronze Do or die finals went down with only having one run for scoring Italy has been amazing can't believe I have to go home already

A photo posted by Nora Healey (@noratheexplora16) on

Mar 30, 2016 at 11:54am PDT

It’s not surprising that Corning doubled up on wins at the the Junior World Championships this week, as he is also the 2016 winner of the FIS crystal globe award for slopestyle. The Aspen Valley Ski and Snowboard Club member had a number of podiums throughout the season, including a World Cup win at Cardrona in August and a second-place finish at the final World Cup of the year in Spindleruv Mlyn in March.

Behind Corning, Canadians Carter Jarvis took second and Francis Jobin was third.

Lyon Farrell (Haiku, HI – U.S. Snowboarding Rookie Team) also qualified into the final after winning his heat, finishing 12th overall. Chandler Hunt (Park City, UT – U.S. Snowboarding Rookie Team) just missed the final, finishing 15th overall.

The ladies went straight to finals, which were reduced to a one-run format for both men and women, so the pressure was on to land a trick. 

“I went up with Chris, so I was up there at 8:00 a.m.,” Healey said, who also took third in Tuesday’s Junior Worlds slopestyle. “Girls’ finals finally went down at 4:00, so I was up there for a while, standing around and running up and down the hills to stay warm.” 

Rounding out the podium, Tuesday’s slopestyle second place finisher Sofja Fedorova of Russia was first and Oceane Fillion of Canada was third. 

For Healey, who was the slopestyle Junior World Champion in 2015, her silver medal was a great way to cap off her experience at Junior Worlds. “(Getting two medals) means a lot because this was my last Junior Worlds because I’m 17,” she said. “It was a good experience and everyone there was so happy for me.”  

HIGHLIGHTS

• Chris Corning took the win for the men. His jump scored 97.25: backside triple 1440.
• Nora Healey was second for the women. Her jump scored 68.75: frontside 540 tail.

QUOTES

Chris Corning

The day went very well. I was riding pretty confident and I kind of just went for it in finals. It ended up working out so I’m pretty happy about it. I tried (the backside triple cork 1440) in practice and kind of fell on it. I also had tried it twice the day before and fell on those too but I finally was able to get enough speed and was able to land it. I was debating on what I should do and just said, “Go for it and see what happens—you have nothing to lose.” It means a lot to me to be able to come here and get my revenge from last year. It was really cool to meet all the kids that came here and I’m really happy on how it all worked out.  

Nora Healey

I went up with Chris, so I was up there at 8:00 a.m. Girls’ finals finally went down at 4:00, so I was up there for a while, standing around and running up and down the hills to stay warm. I think we had three practice runs and then they sent us into finals and it was one run—whoever landed, landed. My mindset was just to land, in any possible way. (The frontside 540) is a pretty comfortable trick for me that I know I can land somewhat without fail. But the landing was pretty slushy and landing switch on it was pretty hard. (Getting two medals) means a lot because this was my last Junior Worlds because I’m 17. It was a good experience and everyone there was so happy for me.  

Dave Reynolds, U.S. Snowboarding Rookie Team Slopestyle Coach

It went well—it was a challenging day, very foggy and a lot of delays. We ended up having a pretty shortened schedule with finals being a one–run final—do-or-die, land-it-or-go-home style. So it was clutch because they only got one chance to land and both of them did. Out of 12 medal potentials we got five of them. Stoked.     

RESULTS

Men’s Snowboard Slopestyle
Women’s Snowboard Slopestyle