Henshaw qualifies for men’s World Championships Ski Slopestyle final

Watch the Slopestyle finals live streamed above at 10.18pm tonight Sunday 19 March.

Russ Henshaw has qualified for the men’s Ski Slopestyle final at the 2017 FIS Freestyle Ski and Snowboard World Championships.
 
Henshaw needed to finish in the top six of his heat to have a chance at contesting a third World Championships medal (he won silver in 2015 and bronze in 2011) and he did just that, finishing sixth with 88.33 points.
 
The two-time World Championships medallist felt the pressure in Saturday’s qualifying as weather delays also impacted the competition format, reducing qualification from two runs to one.
 
“I’m stoked to put a run down under the pressure of one run (qualification),” Henshaw said.
 
The Sochi Olympian said he adjusted his run due to the conditions.
 
“I did a right 9 Japan on the first jump, then a switch 9 safety on the second. I hit the up-tube and did a 270 on 450 out, and then on the last jump did a nose-butter dub 10. Then I hit the battleship and did a back 810 off, and then on the final a-frame a switch 2 back 4.
 
“Such a tough course to land a run on so I’m over the moon,” he said.  
 
The 26-year-old is planning small changes to his run for Sunday’s final.
 
“I can definitely clean a few things up from here,” he said. 
 
“Change the top jump, maybe do a right 9 to a dub 12, (need to) figure that out in training as I haven’t done that here yet.”   
 
Australia's Ryley Lucas booked a semi-finals start, opting for a conservative approach that paid-off. 

The 22-year-old scored 40 points which was enough to secure a start in the 40-man semi-final. 
 
“I tried to play it safe (today),” Lucas said.
 
“I put down a basic, clean run, came a little bit unstuck but still skied out so I’m happy.
 
“We had interrupted training for a few days, the weather and the conditions didn’t align too well,” he said.
 
Lucas is proud to be representing Australia at a World Championships for the first time.    
 
“This is the pinnacle of our sport, it’s a big moment and I’m happy that we had one good day for the contest,” he said.
 
The men’s Ski Slopestyle finals will be held on Sunday. The top four from the 40 man semi-finals will meet the top 12 men from Saturday’s qualifying in a best of three run final.
 
Final events will be lived streamed at 10.18pm Sunday 19 March.

Article by OWIA