FREESTYLE SKI. VOSS/OSLO, 5 MAR 2013 – One of the best displays of halfpipe skiing to be seen in recent memory went down on Tuesday night under the lights of the Oslo Vinterpark at the the 2013 Voss/Oslo FIS Freestyle World Ski Championships. And when it was all said and done, Crown Prince Haakon of Norway personally crowned two new world champions.

David Wise of the USA takes 1st place during the FIS Freestyle Ski World Championship Men's and Women's Halfpipe on March 05, 2013 in Oslo, Norway. (March 4, 2013 - Source: Alexis Boichard/Agence Zoom/Getty Images Europe)

From the get-go it was clear that the World Championships halfpipe event was going to be a special one, as the first 15 minutes of training alone saw a small arsenal of double-corks and 1080+ spins launched out of the near-perfect Snow Park Technologies-built pipe.

Virginie Faivre of Switzerland takes 1st place during the FIS Freestyle Ski World Championship Men's and Women's Halfpipe on March 05, 2013 in Oslo, Norway. (March 4, 2013 - Source: Alexis Boichard/Agence Zoom/Getty Images Europe)

The ladies' competition showcased some strong skiing from the 12th place qualifier right through to the top, but at the end of the day it was the red-hot Virginie Faivre (SUI) who was able to walk away with the gold medal and the title of “World Champion.” Faivre's run wasn't the most technical of the day – that distinction went to silver medal winner Anais Caradeux (FRA) – but Faivre's combination of clean style, clean landings, and consistent amplitude was enough for her to claim the win with a score of 83.6.

Virginie Faivre of Switzerland takes 1st place during the FIS Freestyle Ski World Championship Men's and Women's Halfpipe on March 05, 2013 in Oslo, Norway. (March 4, 2013 - Source: Alexis Boichard/Agence Zoom/Getty Images Europe)

Caradeux, for her part, showed some impressive skiing, including a first-hit 900 that was likely the cleanest of the day, and for her efforts was rewarded with a score just strong enough to eke out 2nd place ahead of top qualifier Ayana Onozuka (JPN). Onozuka skied solidly throughout qualification and finals but just couldn't up the ante on her final, contest-ending run when she needed it the most.

2011 world champion Rosalind Groenewoud (CAN) was in the hunt for gold in both of her finals runs, but her inability to cleanly put down a final-hit 1080 kept her well off the podium.

On the men's side, fans were treated to an event that certainly had to be one of the most progressive contests of the season, with a level of technical proficiency, amplitude, style on display that at times neared the sublime.

If there was a gold medal for biggest air of the day, Joffrey Pollet-Villard (FRA) would have taken it, and then he would have been carried away on the shoulders of the fans. His 3rd hit, seven-meter-plus flat-spin 540 was absolutely astonishing, putting the young skier in the conversation for “biggest single contest hit ever.” And in other 'honourable mentions,' the smoothest style award might have gone to 1st-place qualifier Matt Margetts (CAN), while the warrior award would have been given to Kevin Rolland (FRA), who laid down a solid second run after crashing hip-first into the lip of the pipe from 15 feet in his first run.

David Wise of the USA takes 1st place during the FIS Freestyle Ski World Championship Men's and Women's Halfpipe on March 05, 2013 in Oslo, Norway. (March 4, 2013 - Source: Alexis Boichard/Agence Zoom/Getty Images Europe)

However, at the end of the day it was the young men ranked number 2 and 1 in the world who would stand at numbers 1 and 2 respectively on the podium, as David Wise (USA) and Torin Yater-Wallace (USA) hosted a clinic on the state of today's halfpipe skiing.

Torin Yater-Wallace of the USA takes 2nd place during the FIS Freestyle Ski World Championship Men's and Women's Halfpipe on March 05, 2013 in Oslo, Norway. (March 4, 2013 - Source: Alexis Boichard/Agence Zoom/Getty Images Europe)

Thomas Krief (FRA) threw down what was perhaps the best run of his life to take an early lead in heat one, but when Yater-Wallace dropped in three skiers later, it was clear that that lead would be short-lived. Yater-Wallace's run was absolutely explosive, and his score of 95.6 – to Krief's 94.2 – looked like it might be unbeatable.

Thomas Krief of France takes 3rd place during the FIS Freestyle Ski World Championship Men's and Women's Halfpipe on March 05, 2013 in Oslo, Norway. (March 4, 2013 - Source: Alexis Boichard/Agence Zoom/Getty Images Europe)

However, beatable it was, as the next skier down the pipe was Mr. Wise. Wise and Yater-Wallace ski similarly, both with the ability to spin off any edge, over any shoulder, from any spot in the pipe. However, Wise's incredible right-side double-corked 1260 mute to left-side double-corked 1260 mute combo to finish off his run, stomped clean, was the clincher, and the 22 year old father of one took home a brilliant gold medal and the title of 2013 FIS Freestyle halfpipe World Champion.

David Wise of the USA takes 1st place, Torin Yater-Wallace of the USA takes 2nd place, Thomas Krief of France takes 3rd place during the FIS Freestyle Ski World Championship Men's and Women's Halfpipe on March 05, 2013 in Oslo, Norway. (March 4, 2013 - Source: Alexis Boichard/Agence Zoom/Getty Images Europe)

2011 world champion Mike Riddle (CAN) finished 4th.

TRICK LIST:

Top 3 Ladies:

1.
Virginie Faivre (SUI) – Mute, alley-oop mute, left-side 540 safety, right-side 540 safety, air to fakie, switch left-side alley-oop 540 safety

2.
Anais Cadareux (FRA) – left-side 900, double Japan, left-side 540 tail, alley-oop 540, mute, Japan, left-side 720

3.
Anaya Onozuka (JPN) – mute, alley-oop safety, left-side 540 safety, right-side 540, left-side 720, switch right-side 540

Top 3 Men:

1.
David Wise (USA) – Left-side 900 nose, right-side 720 lead mute, switch double-corked 1080 Japan, right-side double-corked 1260 mute, left-side double-corked 1260 mute

2.
Torin Yater-Wallace (USA) – Right-side double-corked 1260 mute, left-side 1080 tail, switch right-side 720 double Japan, alley-oop double-corked 1080 Japan, double-corked down-the-pipe 900

3.
Thomas Krief (FRA) – left-side double-corked 1260 tail, alley-oop double-corked 900, left-side 900 tail, right-side 1080 safety, switch left-side 1260

QUOTES:

David Wise - “It's a serious honour (to be called World Champion). That was one of the most exciting finals I've ever been a part of. To come out here and have a true World Championships, with all the world's best, to be standing on the top is a huge honour and I'm so grateful.”

“I really feel like I'm part of such a cool sport, and to see those guys (Krief and Yater-Wallace) go out there and land there runs, it was just like, 'Alright, they landed their best, I'm going to go out there and land my best and see how it plays out.”
 
Virginie Faivre - “I've over the moon. I'm very happy. And I'm dedicating my victory here tonight to my friend Sarah Burke.”
 
“I'm really excited (to be World Champion) and I really hope I make it to Sochi because we never know what can happen. We take lots of risks every day and I just want to go back there next year.”

FISfreestyle.com
Wednesday 6 March 2013