Faulhaber & Mackay Claim Bakuriani World Championships Halfpipe Golds, Podmilsak Wins Big Air
It was an epic morning at the halfpipe venue here at the Bakuriani 2023 FIS Freestyle, Snowboard and Freeski World Championships, where the USA’s Hanna Fualhaber snagged her first international win and claimed the World Championships title in the women’s event, while Canada’s Brendan Mackay used the final run of halfpipe action here in Georgia to storm to the men’s gold.
After Friday’s qualifications the world’s best pipe skiers were back at it again with top-8 women and top-10 men ready to drop it just one more time in best-of-three runs finals. With a world-class halfpipe, optimal weather conditions and some spectacular showings from a stacked-field of athletes, the halfpipe competition was a truly remarkable showcase of what pipe skiing is all about.
Faulhaber claims gold with her first international win
In the women’s event it was 18-year-old Hannah Faulhaber who came through with the biggest performance of her career, upsetting some of the favourites on her way to her first international win on the biggest stage of the season and walking away from Georgia as the new halfpipe World Champion.
Faulhaber was on fire on day long, boosting the biggest airs in the women’s competition and landing one solid run after another. Sitting in second spot after the second run Faulhaber stepped things up yet again on her final run of the day, starting with a massive straight air tail grab and then lacing a nice combo of left 900 safety, right flair critical and her brand new switch right 720 Japan, before finishing things off with a left 540 Japan for a final score of 95.75 points.
“I’m at a loss for words,” Faulhaber smiled from the finish area, “I’m on the verge of tears right now. I’m just, so stoked…I can’t believe it. I’m just so stoked to be up here, skiing this amazing pipe with these amazing people to be around. It’s amazing.”
Second place on the day went to Great Britain’s Zoe Atkin, as the 20-year-old claimed her second career World Championships podium by adding silver to her bronze medal from Aspen 2021. On her second run of the day Atkin stomped a run of left 540 mute, right 720 lead tail, switch left 720 safety, right 540 lead tail, right alley top 360 safety and finally a switch left alley-oop 360 for a final score of 94.50
Canada’s Rachel Karker rounded out the podium in third place, as the pre-event favourite walked away with her second World Championships medal - though likely not the one she was hoping for. Karker kicked the competition off strong in run one, putting down a right 900 Japan, left 900 Japan, right flair high safety, left 720 safety and finals finishing things off with a switch left alley-oop 360. However, a missed grab on her final hit likely hurt her score, and she would have to settle for a 92.25 and the bronze medal.
Mackay goes all in on run three for gutsy gold
Over on the men’s side of things proceedings got dramatic in run three, with a multitude of podium changes and some of the most exciting skiing we’ve seen over the course of these two weeks in Bakuriani.
None of the runs that went down on Saturday morning were more exciting than the final one from Brendan Mackay, however, as the 25-year-old stepped things up when they mattered most on his way to becoming the first Canadian in 12 years to claim halfpipe World Champs gold.
After leading the competition from run one through run two, Mackay found himself sitting in silver medal position before his final run after Finland’s Jon Sallinen put down an exceptional final effort of his own.
With all eyes on him, Mackay opened up his winning run with a switch left alley-oop double cork 900 critical, which he followed up with a switch left double 1080 safety, then a right 900 lead rail, and then a left double 1620 safety - the first time we’ve seen him stomp a 16 in competition, before finishing it off with an absolutely massive right double 1260 safety.
When the scores came in for Mackay it would be a huge talley of 97.25 and the gold medal for his efforts.
“The second Jon put down his (third) run I was pretty sure they were going to put him above me. That run is crazy” Mackay said just moments after his final effort, “I was pretty sure I needed something big the second he landed and when I saw his score come in it was like, ‘Alright, let’s go, it’s on.’ I had to try to compete with it and I’m happy I did.
“Last Word Champs I qualified in first and couldn’t put it down. Doing the same here (qualifying in first) I was really hoping I could just put some runs down, and putting down the first run felt great, but I was pretty damn sure I was going to need more because everyone is skiing so well.”
Second place and the silver medal would go to Sallinen, the 22-year-old Finnish skier who has established himself as one of the world’s absolute technical best over the past couple of seasons. He reiterated that point on Saturday at Bakuriani.
Beginning with a switch left double 1080 Japan, Sallinen would flow into a right double 1260 double Japan, then a left 1080 Cuban, a switch right double 1080 Japan, and finally a left double 1260 safety to Japan to finish things off in style for a score of 95.75 and the first ever World Championships freeski halfpipe medal for Finland.
Third place would go to the USA’s Alex Ferreira, as the two-time Olympic medallist once again showed his ability to step up when it matters most, putting down his own standout final run that included a switch left 900 Japan, a switch right double cork 1080 Japan, a left double 12 safety and then back-to-back 1620s to finish things off - first with a right double 16 Cindy, then a left double 16 Cindy. Add it all up and you’ve got a score of 93.00 and the first career World Champs medal for Ferreira.
Troy Podmilsak made history today when he landed the world’s first triple 2160 and won gold in big air at his first-ever World Championships—all at just eighteen years old!
The big air events at World Championships got off to a bit of a bumpy start when men’s qualifications were delayed three hours due to heavy winds. However, Podmilsak didn’t let the delay or the wind hinder his performance. He stayed focused and was able to put down two clean runs to qualify into finals. Unfortunately, Podmilsak’s teammates Cody LaPlante and Hunter Henderson weren’t able to nail the tricks they were hoping for and did not advance to finals.
The weather in Bakuriani continued to pose a challenge, and big air finals were bumped up by a day in an effort to evade inclement weather coming into the region. Fortunately, the plan was successful and finals were able to go off with no wind and just a bit of light snow. Podmilsak was the first to drop in finals and wasted no time getting the show going. He stomped a switch double bio 19 safety grab and called it, "the best he’s ever done." But Podmilsak was just getting started.
In big air, the athletes' best two jumps out of three count, so TPod knew he needed another exceptional run, and boy, did he deliver. On his second run, Podmilsak stomped the world’s first triple 2160 mute grab to put him into first place. Not only was this the first time the triple 2160 had ever been, but it was also the first time Podmilsak had ever attempted that trick on snow. Needless to say, it was a day of firsts. However, despite Podmilsak's epic second run, there was still one more run to go, and in big air, it’s not over until it’s over.
Podmilsak dropped last on run three, so he anxiously watched his fellow competitors do everything in their power to usurp first place from him. But alas, their efforts were to no avail. When it was finally TPod’s turn to drop, he had already secured the gold medal and was able to take a victory lap amidst the cheers of his fellow competitors and the fans.
When asked how he was feeling after taking first place at his very first World Champs, Podmilsak said, “I can’t even really believe it. It almost feels like a dream to me. I’m proud of myself and I’m proud of my team. We worked really hard for this.”
Big air was the final event in Georgia and Podmilsak’s win was the perfect way to wrap up the 2023 FIS Freestyle Ski, Snowboard and Freeski World Championships. Next up, the U.S. Freeski Slopestyle Team will travel to Tignes, France for their second to last World Cup of the season.
