Julia Krass (Hanover, N.H.) won the freeski big air silver medal at the 2019 FIS Snowboard, Freestyle and Freeski World Championship, presented by Toyota, in front of a capacity crowd in the Canyons Village at Park City Mountain, Utah.

“Today was unbelievable, it couldn’t have gone better,” said Krass. “I have never done an event at night like this with so many people watching and to have it be in my hometown is crazy. My whole family is here and all my friends, it’s unbelievable. My family doesn’t get to watch me ski very often so it’s pretty special to have them here. For a second I was thinking of doing a mellower trick on my last run, just to put something really clean down, but my coaches told me I got this, just grab it clean, and that I could do it. I had nothing to lose, so I went up there and did the best trick I knew. I’ve never done something like that. The slope course looks great and to start World Championships like this is epic. I’m excited to keep it going!”

Krass dropped in and immediately stomped what is arguably her most difficult trick, the left double cork 1260 mute grab. She has previously landed this trick at the Stubai, Austria World Cup and in training at the Seiser Alm Italy, World Cup, but this was the first time she was able to put it all together and earn a spot on the podium utilizing the double cork. Krass made history medaling at the first ever freeski big air World Championship competition and will have a shot at another medal is slopestyle during Wednesday’s freeski slopestyle competition.

Maggie Voisin (Whitefish, Mont.) also competed but was unable to reach the podium. Although it was not her night, she commented on the amazing crowd in Park City, saying, “it was such an honor to ski in front of this crowd tonight. I seriously cannot believe how many people showed up. It’s so awesome and it really helped all of the skiers get stoked. We can’t ask for much more than that.”

Either side of Julia Krass was Tess Ledeux of France who earned the gold and Isabel Atkin of Great Britain who closed out the podium with the bronze.

In the men’s competition, Alex Hall (Salt Lake City, Utah) finished just off the podium in fourth but put down some amazing runs in front of his hometown Park City crowd.

“I’m stoked on how I skied,” said Hall. “I landed everything like I wanted to and was able to go a little bigger on that last jump. I didn’t think I would slide into third there, so just being in podium contention for a moment was great. Everyone who placed ahead of me killed it and I’m really stoked for them. It was sick tonight, there were so many people and I was really hyped on this event. It was a really fun night overall.”

Swiss freeskier Fabian Boesch finished took home the gold, crowd favorite Henrik Harlaut of Sweden earned silver and Canada’s Alex Beaulieu-Marchand earned the bronze.

With freeski big air slated to join the Olympic programme at the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games, it was long overdue that the event sees its premiere in world championships competition and the debut did not disappoint. Freeski World Championships competition will continue with slopestyle on Wednesday, Feb. 6 and in the halfpipe at Park City Mountain Resort on Saturday, Feb. 9. Tune in to NBC to catch all the action.

TRICK LIST

Men’s Freeski big air
Fabian Boesch -Left Double Cork 1620 Opposite Tail Grab | Right Triple Cork 1620 Safety Grab to Opposite Tail Grab
Henrik Harlaut - Switch Left 1440 Mute Grab | Left Double Cork 1620 Tail Grab
Alex Beaulieu-Marchand - Left Triple Cork 1260 Safety Grab | Switch Left Triple Cork 1440 Bow and Arrow Grab

Women’s Freeski big air

Tess Ledeux - Left Double Cork 1260 Mute Grab | Switch Left Bio 1080 Japan Grab
Julia Krass - Right Double 1080 Safety Grab | Switch Right 1080 Safety Grab
Isabel Atkin - Right 900 Opposite Tail Grab | Switch Right 1080 Mute Grab

RESULTS
Men’s freeski big air
Women’s freeski big air

HOW TO WATCH
*Same-day broadcast
**Next-day broadcast

FREESKI
Wednesday, Feb. 6
1:00 p.m. - FIS World Championships men’s and women’s freeski slopestyle - Olympic Channel-TV and NBC Sports Gold

5:00 p.m. - FIS World Championships men’s and women’s freeski slopestyle  - NBCSN*

Saturday, Feb. 9
1:00 p.m. - FIS World Championships men’s and women’s freeski halfpipe NBC-TV and NBC Sports Gold