(Above – Mans Hedburg sends it into the black abyss. Photo: Will Sleigh)
X Games Oslo 2016 Big Air contest was a banger! With only two chances each of landing the perfect run, Yuki Kadono stepped up and stomped a backside triple cork 1620 in his first run for a score of 90.66 which would ultimately secure him the gold medal.
Max Parrot came tantalisingly close by matching Yuki’s trick, but didn’t stick the landing quite as clean and scored a 90.33, taking home the silver. The UK’s Billy Morgan reached the podium for the first time in a while, scoring a 79.33 when he stuck the first triple cork of the night, sending a backside triple 1440 deep into the landing. It was a big night for UK snowboarding indeed.
Cheryl Mass claimed the gold medal in the women’s with her second attempt, scoring a 91.33 with a perfect backside 900, stomped in front of her whole family. She was beaming from ear to ear. Christy Prior had the lead for a while, holding strong with an 84.00 from her first run frontside 720 off the toes but got bumped down to silver in the end. Kjersti Buaas took the bronze with a super clean frontside 720 which scored her an 81.00.
Check out the top three runs from the men’s and women’s competitions at the bottom and peep the shots below to see how the riders prepare to drop in from the 150m high scaffolding jump. Security at X Games Oslo 2016 was far from relaxed but that didn’t stop us sneaking through two sets of guards to make it to the top of the in-run at Big Air this evening. While there aren’t a huge amount of riding shots in the mini gallery below, there is something you won’t see elsewhere: behind the scenes action of the riders hanging out up top, waiting to drop in.
Up In The Bird’s Nest
