In impressive news overnight, Jindabyne’s Abi Harrigan has taken silver in her first World Cup podium at Tignes in France.
The 2022 Olympian qualified for finals in sixth place with a best score of 64.66, alongside teammate Daisy Thomas who qualified seventh on 62.58.
In the best of two run final high up in the French Alps, Harrigan put two down clean runs, scoring 67.85 for her first run, and then improved in the final run with a score of 75.41 to put her in second place, securing Australia’s first World Cup ski slopestyle podium since Russ Henshaw in 2017, and just the second Australian female to do so joining former X-Games and World Champion Anna Segal.
Harrigan’s silver medal run included a right spinning 540 with grab on the first jump, switch 720 with grab on the second jump, smooth rail sections and left spinning cork 720 with grab on the final jump.
Joining Harrigan on the podium in first place was Kirsty Muir of Great Britain on 77.98, third place went to Ruby Star Andrews of New Zealand on 72.75
17-year-old Thomas finished in eighth place, with her best score of 59.83 coming in the second run.
“Feeling pretty surreal to get my first podium here at Tignes,” said the 22-year-old Harrigan from Jindabyne in the NSW Snowy Mountains.
“I had a large training block after the Laax open, got a lot of stuff done, but also just had a blast skiing and love the sport so much right now which has given me a new mindset towards competing.”
“This is the best thing leading into World Champs. It’s definitely going to give me a big confidence boost. Just stoked to ski a new course and see what we can get done.”
The podium performance improved Harrigan’s final World Cup slopestyle ranking to 11th.
The freeski season will now conclude with the prestigious FIS World Championships in St Moritz, Switzerland, slopestyle qualifications are on March 19 and finals on March 20 then big air qualifications on March 27 and finals March 29.
