Guess who just defended her slopestyle crown in style? The Chinese skier Gu Ailing 🏂 clinched her record-extending 20th win in the FIS Freeski World Cup this weekend in Laax, Switzerland!
The Laax course was designed to push limits: a spherical rail challenge kicked off the run, and a custom 'butter pad' jump demanded top-notch control for creative tricks. With only two runs in the finals, Gu nailed it on her first try, earning an 85.13 score—over 13 points ahead of American Marin Hamill (71.38). Austria’s Lara Wolf snagged third with 67.85. 🎉
This slopestyle victory is extra special for Gu. It was the only freeski event she didn't win gold in at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics (she took silver), and as she gears up for the Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Games next month, she's the clear favorite to add Olympic slopestyle gold to her trophy shelf.
Laax wasn't just slopestyle action. Here are some highlights:
- Men’s snowboard slopestyle semis: Su Yiming was the only Chinese athlete. A slight hiccup on run one (60.78 points) and a slip on run two left him 12th, but he still squeaked into Sunday’s final—riding first on the start list. 🏂
- Women’s snowboard halfpipe final: China's Cai Xuetong grabbed bronze with 75.25 points. Victory went to Choi Gaon from the Republic of Korea (92.50), and Japan’s Rise Kudo took silver (82.75). 🥉
Stay tuned as Sunday’s finals wrap up and we see if Su Yiming can land on the podium. And don’t miss Gu Ailing’s journey to Milan-Cortina—she’s rewriting freeski history! 🌟
Reference(s):
China's Olympic champion Gu wins women's slopestyle gold in Laax
cgtn.com
