Rich makes finals at Germany Big Air World Cup

Courtesy www.owia.org

Following last week’s seventh place at in Beijing, Big Air, snowboarder Jess Rich brought a stronger trick to her second World Cup over the weekend stage at Sparkassen Park in Moenchengladbach, Germany to make the finals and finish sixth overall.

The highlight of the event for Rich was her second place qualifying result with 86 points in a 27-competitor field behind eventual winner Carla Somaini from Switzerland.

“I did a backside 720 Indy, which is a rare grab for girls in this trick so I think that worked in my favour. I also landed pretty far down the landing which tends to score well,” Rich said of her qualifying jump.

The 120-metre long and 49 metres high scaffolding ramp at Sparkassen Park had been constructed on the hockey field serving again as perfect playground for the athletes who were competing to secure qualification for PyeongChang where Snowboard Big Air will celebrate its much-anticipated Olympic debut.

In the final the top scoring six competitors have three attempts to complete two different tricks, with the lower score of the two being erased and not contributing to the final score.

Rich rode well during the final despite foggy conditions scoring 112.75 points, for an overall sixth place.

“I’m really happy with my riding, although I definitely wasn’t performing my best in the finals,” she said.

“My goal so far has been to just land on my feet, instead of having a results based goal, which tends to just stress me out.

“It was a crazy experience to see that kind of thick fog in a city. It affected the drop in but as soon as you were on the take off the visibility improved.”

Rich is now on her way to North America for the fourth Big Air World Cup of the season at Copper Mountain.