There was almost nothing to do. The weather conditions made any attempt to show off Genting Snow Park difficult. Almost every freestyle skier crashed at least once in the men’s halfpipe final in Beijing on Friday night Eastern Time.
Posted at 10:02 p.m.
Updated at 10:46 p.m.
Noah Bowman was the best Canadian in the circumstances, finishing just off the podium. His second run was his most convincing, scoring 84.75 points. He was on for glory on his third attempt, but he crashed at the very end.
“I’m disappointed and frustrated,” Bowman told Radio-Canada after the competition. But I’m really proud of the way I worked and the effort I put into it. »
“It was difficult to miss the podium, but I fought. »
The weather was the story of the day in the halfpipe. It was windy. The gusts blinded the skiers. And distracted them.
“They were complicated, commented the skier again about the weather conditions. We couldn’t show the world our best level. But we were all here fighting and doing the best we could. »
New Zealander Nico Porteous offered a masterful first run. His 93 points earned him the gold medal. The Americans meanwhile went for a double, with David Wise (90.75 points) winning silver and Alex Ferreira (86.75) earning bronze.
PHOTO MIKE BLAKE, REUTERS
Nico Porteous
Two other Canadians took part in the final. Calgary’s Brendan Mackay fell twice. He ranked 9and thanks to a successful third descent.
Simon d’Artois, from Whistler, British Columbia, also lost his balance on landing on his first two attempts, before finally finishing on a high. The judges awarded him 63.75 points on his third run. He ranked 10and.