The second event in the 2016/17 FIS Super Series big air World Cup trilogy is coming to Germany’s Moenchengladbach this weekend, with freeski competition leading off the weekend’s festivities on the big scaffold under the lights of the city’s Sparkassenpark on Friday night, before snowboard competition closes out the weekend on Saturday.
While it’s the second Super Series event, this weekend’s competition will already be the third big air World Cup of this season after August’s El Colorado (CHI) season opener and November’s Super Series kick-off in Milan (ITA). While the Super Series holds its own rewards and accolades, it’s worth remembering that this is the first FIS Freestyle season to feature a full big air World Cup calendar complete with a crystal globe for the top man and lady come time for the season finale in Norway.
With the structure of the Super Series contained within the World Cup program, we’ve currently got two separate leaders to watch out for on both the ladies’ and men’s sides. While Swedes Emma Dahlstrom and Henrik Harlaut are currently sitting atop the World Cup standings, with their victories at the Super Series opener in Milan Lisa Zimmerman (GER) and Kai Mahler (SUI) are leading the way in the city-based Super Series.
While all four of the above mentioned athletes sit where they do due to the fact that each one ranks as one of the best big air competitors in the world, the beauty of the big air format is that almost any of the entries is capable of stepping up, having a big day, and walking away with a piece of the podium, and we saw that in Milan on both the ladies’ and the men’s sides.
For the ladies it was 16 year old Mathilde Gremaud (SUI) in just the second World Cup competition of her young career stomping a couple of silky-smooth 720 variations to knock World Cup leader Dahlstrom down to third place on the day. Meanwhile over on the men’s side, 19 year old Eirik Sateroy (NOR), also in his just his second World Cup, managed to slide into third ahead of big air heavyweight Andri Regattli (SUI) with a pair of big time stomps that included a triple cork 1440 safety.
However, to be the new jack you’ve gotta beat the establishment, and in Moenchengladbach that’s going to mean topping the likes of Zimmermann, Dahlstrom, Silvia Bertagna (ITA) and Coline Ballet Baz (FRA) for the ladies. Meanwhile, over on the the men’s side, things get even meaner, with Harlaut and Mahler and Jesper Tjader (SWE) and Jonas Hunziker (SUI) and Luca Tribondeau (AUT) and others all capable of stepping up with big performances on game day.
So the stage is set, the players are in place, and the second stop of the three-part FIS Super Series is ready to launch in Moenchengladbach this Friday evening.
Links:
BIG AIR WORLD CUP RANKING - LADIES
BIG AIR WORLD CUP RANKING - MEN
Source: fis-ski.com
