Kreischberg hosts first Big Air World Cup of the season

A shortened Big Air World Cup season is about to start today in Kreischberg (AUT), after previous events scheduled for late 2020 in China and the U.S. had to be cancelled.

Following a couple of training days, Freeski and Snowboard athletes will finally see some World Cup action in the qualification rounds later today and tomorrow, before competing in the night Finals (local time) on Friday 8 January (Freeski) and Saturday 9 January (Snowboard).  

Tess Coady and Matthew Cox are the best chances for an Australian medal in the Snowboard Big Air, while unfortunately the Australian Freeski team will miss out on the Big Air season opener. 

Australian freeskiers haven’t yet travelled to the northern hemisphere for training or competition this season, and have spent time on home soil working hard in the gym, practicing trampolining, diving and acrobatics at facilities in Jindabyne and Sydney, and taking advantage of the opportunities provided by the new water ramp training facility in Brisbane.

NSWIS National Freeski Development Coach Leon Tarbotton confirmed that our skiers are now itching to get back on snow. 

“It has been hard sitting at home and having access via social media to see so many athletes and competitors on snow - skiing, jumping and improving while we are not. There were periods where the motivation levels dropped and these factors clearly influenced that.

“However it was nice for the freeskiers to be home for Christmas with their families. Next week I am finally heading to Europe along with Abi Harrigan, Bailey Johnson and Cameron Waddell and we will be training at Absolut Park in Flachau (AUT),” Tarbotton said.

Once in Europe, the Freeski team will continue their preparations ahead of the remaining World Cup events in Calgary (CAN), Font Romeu (FRA) and Silvaplana/Corvatsch (SUI), and possibly the rescheduled FIS Freestyle Ski, Freeski & Snowboard World Championships, for which an official replacement venue has not been confirmed yet. Or at least this is the current plan, as training and competition schedules are forever changing this season.  

“That’s not only as competitions are postponed, moved or cancelled, but we have also to accommodate for new outbreaks and health management protocols established in areas we plan to travel to,” recognised Tarbotton, giving us some insight into the logistical complexity of the season. “For each resort we travel to train or compete at, we need to factor in their management of the restrictions and customer numbers.

“When we travelled to Brisbane to access the water ramp facility, our travel coincided with the outbreak in the NSW Northern Beaches and forced us to isolate until we were able to get the team tested and receive negative results.

“All athletes and staff practiced the most stringent of protocols during our domestic season and we believe that we can do the same while we travel to the northern hemisphere resorts for the competitions we plan to attend.”

Coach Tarbotton and the Freeski team will closely follow the competition unfolding in Kreischberg and wished good luck in particular to the Australian snowboarders participating in the Big Air event. 

“Tess and Matthew will surely hear us screaming for them from here. But we wish all the competitors at Kreischberg Big Air well, and can’t wait to see them at the next event,” Tarbotton said.