SKI SLOPESTYLE. In a historic day for Freestyle Skiing, the first ever Angry Birds FIS World Cup ski slopestyle competition took place in Jyväskylä, Finland, on Saturday. The first step on the road to the 2014 Games in Sochi, where ski slopestyle will make its debut on the world stage, Saturday's competition pitted some of the best young freestylists against each other on a course featuring a myriad of jump and rail lines.

Antti-Jussi Kemppainen of Finland competes on his way to second place in the men's slope style finals of the FIS Freestyle Ski World Cup in Jyvaskyla, central Finland, February 25, 2012. REUTERS/Roni Rekomaa/Lehtikuva

First place for the men went to 19-year-old Swiss Cyril Hunziker, whose winning run featured both left and right-side 900s, a fakie-to-fakie 1080 and several different spin-on, spin-off rail combinations.

FIS World Cup ski slopestyle in Jyväskylä, Finland, Photo by Konrad X Rotermund

After the contest, Hunziker was clearly excited by his win: "It's unbelievable, I don't really know how to describe it right now. To win the first ever FIS World Cup in ski slopestyle is an indescribable feeling."

Hunziker was followed by the top Fnnish competitor, 22-year-old Antti-Jussi Kemppainen, and the same aged Norwegian Per Kristian Hunder.
If there was any more notice needed that the future of freestyle lives healthily in the worlds of slopestyle and halfpipe, the oldest competitor on the men's side, 26 year old American Colby West, finished in 4th.

FIS World Cup ski slopestyle in Jyväskylä, Finland, Photo by Konrad X Rotermund

On the ladies' side youth was again the story, as 16-year-old Norwegian Linn-Ida Murud took victory thanks to her first major combinations, laying down a solid second run that included a left-side 720, a regular-to-fakie 540, solid jibs, and confident style that belied her age.

"It's amazing," Murud said after competition, "It's so fun to win the first competition that I compete in outside my home country. My first run in the final wasn't so good, but I just kept calm and landed all my tricks in the second run."

Athletes across the board expressed a positive review of the event. With the level of competition and excitement on display, Saturday's event bodes well for FIS World Cup in ski slopestyle rapidly moving forward.

For more details visit www.fisfreestyle.com

Contributed by Chad Buchholz

FIS news
March 01, 2012

Photo by Konrad X Rotermund

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