Quel week-end for Vernon freestyle skier Elena Gaskell.
Downtown Quebec City was the scene of the last Big Air event of the 2018-19 season. Gaskell earned the bronze medal in the women’s FIS Freeski World Cup competition and, in the process, gets to take home the Big Air Crystal Globe.
Gaskell did a right cork 900 tail and a switch left 900 mute in her third jump, which propelled her to third place with total points of 158.00, just ahead of her compatriot Yuki Tsubota (156.00). The young Megan Oldham came in fifth with a score of 152.75.
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“I’m speechless! I’m so happy,” said Gaskell about receiving her first career Crystal Globe. “I had a good season, even if there were little injuries along the way that meant I couldn’t train as hard as I would have wanted, but in the end I was able to ski well at the right time.”
Of Saturday’s competition, Gaskell explained, “I didn’t get my grabs in the first two runs, so I felt some pressure at the starting gate right before my last run. Luckily, I got it on the third try, and that’s what got me my best score of the day.”
Vernon’s Noah Morrison placed 15th in the men’s competition. Philippe Langevin of Mont-Tremblant, Que., was the top Canadian, finishing fifth. Max Moffatt of Caledon, Ont., was sixth.
roger@vernonmorningstar.com
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