Elena Gaskell of Vernon, British Columbia won the gold medal in women’s big air freestyle skiing at a World Cup in Cardrona, New Zealand on Friday. For Gaskell, it was her first World Cup medal.
Gaskell posted a score of 170.4 points. Caroline Claire of the United States won the silver medal with a score of 147.8 points. Meanwhile, another Canadian reached the podium in the women’s big air freestyle skiing event as Yuki Tsubota of Vancouver, British Columbia won the bronze medal with a score of 146 points.
Gaskell and Tsubota comfortably reached the podium. Gaskell had 139 more points and Tsubota had 114.6 more points than Silvia Bertagna of Italy, who finished in fourth place with a score of 31.4 points.
In men’s big air freestyle skiing, Evan McEachran of Oakville. Ontario won the silver medal with a score of 180.4 points. Andri Ragettli of Switzerland won the gold medal with a score of 182 points. Finn Bilous of New Zealand won the bronze medal with a score of 180.2 points. McEachran reached the podium by 1.8 points over Birk Ruud of Norway.
Big air freestyle skiing is one of six new events that will be included at the 2022 Olympic Winter Games in Beijing.The others are women’s monobobsled, short track speed skating mixed team relay. mixed team ski jumping, mixed team aerials and mixed team snowboard cross.
