The 2011 FIS World Cup wraps up in La Plagne, France
The 2011 International Skiing Federation (FIS) World Cup reached its’ climax on Sunday, 20th March, at La Plagne, France.
The final day of the freestyle World Cup featured four halfpipe competitions – two of them being men’s events and the other two being women’s events – with the first men’s and women’s event taking place in the morning and the second taking place at night.
America’s Torin Yater-Wallace won gold in the first of the two men’s events and France’s Kevin Rolland won gold in the second. Canada’s Sarah Burke clinched the gold at both the women’s halfpipe events on Sunday.
La Plagne was reaching a landmark of hosting100 World Cup events in freestyle disciplines with Sunday’s two halfpipe events. An impressive line up of skiers had shown up to participate in the World Cup – featuring only the halfpipe discipline this year-
after getting free from 2011 Winter X Games Europe (WXE) in nearby Tignes. The event was also receiving substantial media attention due to all the talk about halfpipe skiing becoming a Winter Olympic event in 2014.
The 16-year-old Yater-Wallace topped the men’s field in morning’s halfpipe final with his best score of 45.7 to bring the gold medal to USA. Yater-Wallace had secured the bronze at the 2011 WXE last week, and it was just a matter of time before the young
skier found himself sitting at the top in a pipe contest.
France’s promising skier, Benoit Valentin, secured the silver with his best score of 45.3. The bronze medal went to America as well as David Wise finished in third place with his best score of 44.5.
At night, La Plagne’s local Kevin Rolland reminded everyone why he is allegedly the most dominant pipe skier of all time. The 21-year-old French had been amassing victories in pipe contests for over a year now, and was making his way to the 2011 World Cup
after a fresh victory at 2011 WXE. He carried on with the momentum in La Plagne by throwing down a spectacular third run to earn a score of 46.6 and sealing the fate of the World Cup.
After securing bronze in the morning’s event, America’s Wise secured the silver medal at the night event with a best score of 44.2. Canada’s Justin Dorey finished in third place to bring the bronze medal to Canada.
Canada’s 28-year-old Burke has been nailing the pipe contests for years now and is considered one of the most intimidating names in the field. Completely doing justice to her repute, Burke won gold medal at both the FIS World Cup halfpipe competitions on
Sunday in La Plagne.
She won the freestyle National Cup for the sixth consecutive time after finishing with the highest overall points for the season. There seems to be no stopping the exceptional skier and her pipe domination. She is indeed a force to be reckoned with and lady
to beat at every ski pipe contest.
Burke won the morning event after earning her best score of 45.8. America’s Devin Logan finished in second place with 43.1 and took home the silver. French Anais Caradeux took home the bronze and clinched the last available spot on the podium.
At night, Burke attained another gold medal with her highest score of 46.4. Logan again finished behind Burke after earning her best score of 44.5. Virginie Faivre’s best score of 42.7 allowed her to take the bronze medal to Switzerland.
The 2011 FIS World Cup may have wrapped up on Sunday, but the freestyle skiing action will continue at Stratton Mountain in Vermont, USA, where the Sprint US Freestyle Championships will be kicking off on the 26th of March.
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