Joey Elliss set for first World Cup start
Published Wed 27 Nov 2024
Still at the the start of what is looking like a long and successful career, Joey Elliss makes his next steps into the senior ranks by making his World Cup debut in Beijing.
His appearance comes at the world's first and only permanent big air structure at Shougang Park which hosts its fourth World Cup event this year.
Elliss is the only freeskier from Australia at the event, however snowboarders Valentino Guseli, Josh Robertson-Hahn, Jesse Parkinson and Meila Stalker are also in action this week in China.
The 18-year-old has performed strongly while coming through the junior ranks, always towards the top of the rankings in the major events.
Last year Elliss scored a top 10 performance in Big Air at the Junior World Championships in New Zealand, then backed that up at the Winter Youth Olympic Games in January with fifth place in Korea.
He has scored five top 10 results from 10 starts at Australia New Zeland Cup level including a pair of podiums as a 16-year-old two years ago.
Elliss said he cannot wait to get his first World Cup start after a solid domestic season of preparation including plenty of time spent training at the National Snowsports Training Centre (NSTC) in Jindabyne.
"Super stoked on the World Cup," he said. Crazy going to a place to like China for it as well!
"I’ve been training on the airbag as much as possible trying to get everything down well.
"My main goal for this first World Cup is to just get to clean runs landed, that’s something I would be stoked with."
Qualifiers at the Beijing World Cup are scheduled for Friday (Freeski) and Saturday (Snowboard) with Finals being held on Sunday (Freeski 4pm AEDT / Snowboard 9pm AEDT).
