It was an outstanding Tuesday for Canadian athletes in the big air events in snowboarding and freestyle skiing at the World Snowboarding and Freestyle Skiing Championships in Aspen, Colorado on Tuesday. Two-time Canadian Olympic bronze medalist Mark McMorris of Regina, Saskatchewan won the gold medal in men’s big air snowboarding, Canadian Olympic silver medalist Maxence Parrot of Cowansville, Quebec won the silver medal in men’s big air snowboarding, Canadian Olympic silver medalist Laurie Blouin of Quebec City, Quebec won the gold medal in women’s big air snowboarding, and Edouard Therriault of Lorraine, Quebec won the silver medal in men’s big air skiing.
In men’s big air snowboarding, McMorris posted a winning score of 179.25 points. Parrot won the silver with 178.25 points. Marcus Kleveland of Norway won the bronze medal with 176.25 points. McMorris earned a medal by 12.75 points, and Parrot earned a medal by 11.75 points over fourth-place finisher Ruki Tobita of Japan, who had 166.5 points.
McMorris, who won the bronze medal in men’s slopestyle snowboarding at the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi, and the 2018 Olympic Winter Games in Pyeongchang, has now won three World Championship medals. However, his medal on Tuesday was the first World Championship gold medal of his career. Parrot won the silver medal in men’s slopestyle snowboarding at the 2018 Olympic Winter Games in Pyeongchang. It was his first World Championship medal on Tuesday.
In women’s big air snowboarding, Blouin posted a winning score of 177.75 points. Zoi Sadowski-Synnott of New Zealand won the silver medal with 176.75 points. Miyabi Onitsuka of Japan won the bronze medal with 174.75 points. Blouin earned a medal by 7.5 points over fourth-place finisher Anna Gasser of Austria, who had 170.25 points. This was Blouin’s second career World Championship gold medal as she won gold in women’s slopestyle snowboarding at the 2017 World Championships in Sierra Nevada, Spain. Blouin’s Olympic silver medal came in women’s slopestyle snowboarding at the 2018 Olympic Winter Games in Pyeongchang.
In men’s big air skiing, Therriault, who is only 18 years of age, had 183 points in the final. He earned a podium spot by three points over fourth-place finisher Mac Forehand of the United States, who had 180 points. Oliwer Magnusson of Sweden won the gold medal with 185.25 points and Kim Gubser of Switzerland won the bronze medal with 180.75 points. The medals for McMorris, Parrot, Therriault, and Blouin will give them confidence as they prepare for the 2022 Olympic Winter Games in Beijing.
