Cover photo: FIS

Let's get one thing clear right from the off: Big Air is SO much sicker on real snow than scaffolding. The jumps are better, and the result is better tricks and a better show. Kreischberg actually put on a super fun event, with great conditions, a big crowd and a pretty fun jump. Thanks to the jump, they crowd was treated to a heck of a show, with some serious bangers from both the men and women on the night.

Women:

Dropping bangers right out of the gate was Flora Tabanelli, with a left double 14... tindy, but we'll take it. Super stomped, looked super easy and set the early bar very high. Lara Woolf is a killer, and got off to a great start too with a steezy, boosted dub 10. Dub 10s were, generally speaking the order of the day, with Daisy Thomas, Liu Mengting & Anni Karava all offered their own take on the trick, but it was Anni's grabbed mute that scored the highest. Sarah Hoefflin went for the switch version, and grabbed mute proper too, and earned a banger 90 for the efforts, leaving her in provisional second.

On the second jump, Flora Tabanelli went with the very strange looking switch bio 10, and things got kinda loose in the air. A 78 definitely left the door open. Lara Woolf immediately took over the lead with a super nice switch bio 9 mute. Sarah went too big and landed buttcheck on a forward dub 10. Anni Karava put down a textbook switch 10 blunt, capped and stomped. Grab took a second to lock in but 78 seemed low considering some of the other 'second' tricks. Liu Mengting went down on an opposite way dub 10 and that left Lara in the lead, and things very open going into run three.

Muriel Mohr put down a dub 10 safety clean, giving her two scores but without one real banger. Daisy Thomas took a brutal knuckle to scorpion but appeared to be fine. Liu Mengting stomped a perfect other way dub 10 for another 85. Safety grab not really cutting it today. Sarah put down a dub 10 japan, her hand did touch, judges saaay, 73.50. An expensive hand. Anni went bigger on her switch 10 blunt, grab better too... 84.5 and the lead by 0.25. Flora T definitely improved her switch bio 10 by enough to immediately take that lead, with and 82.5. With a dub 14 out the gate, she deserved it. Lara Woolf put down a very clean dub 10, but was it better than the first? Judges said no. First event back on the circuit, third place, definitely a boss move regardless.

Men:

Vebjoern Graaberg kicked us off with a casual nosebutter triple 16 safety, but only scored and 84 for his efforts. Safety grab may have been the score killer there. Andri Ragettli stomped a switch dub misty buick for 90 to set the early pace. Elias Syrja is our guy, and put down a switch butter cork 3. Yep, a 3, for 85.25, it was dope. Coulda been higher, how you compare it to a switch dub misty 16, no idea. Matej sent the nosebutter triple 16 too, and stomped it deep. Also 'only' a safety grab. 86.25. He looked surprised but given the 84 for for Vebjoern and taken in isolation... The judges have a shit job. Leo Landroe stomped a switch trip 16 mute, perfectly too, for 88. Luca Harrington rewound the clock a week, and went switch triple 16 esco to gucci. Deserved lead with a 95.75. Relatively speaking, that seemed high but it was dope, no doubt. Tormod went with a very cool looking switch butter dub bio 14 japan, great axis, not as big as Luca, second place. Miro T overcooked a dub 18 tail and that was that for round one.

Run two saw a difficult start, including a terrifying crash from Tim Sivignon, who lost a ski on a nosebud takeoff and scorpion aired, thankfully all the way to the landing and was fine. Andri put down a dub 19 cuban/stale, kinda in between on the grab, but definitely looked shocked to only get 83. Elias Syrja followed with a perfect nosebud dub 16 safety and scored 86. Matej brought his perfect switch landing swag to switch butter dub 18, scoring 90.5 and taking the provisional lead. Leo L went triple 18 mute, slightly over rotated but huge for 87.5. Luca Harrington is on one right now and put down his triple 18 perfect. 92.0 for the lead, and a solid lead at that.

Run three stated with a few scratches, as it traditionally does, before getting into the top 6 or so, who could end up on the podium. Tormod was the first with cards left on the table but again went too big on a carved triple 16. Elias Syrja defintely improved his switch butter 3 cork high safety with a lil overshifty.. not really sure what to call it, but he gained a a couple of points. Andri unfortunately crashed trying to improve his dub 19 tail. Grab was a little better, but there wasn't much obvious wrong with his first. Unlucky day really, if we're being honest. Leo Landroe improved the landing on his forward tip 18 mute and gained a couple of points, provisionally bumping him above Matej. Matej stomped a ridiculously perfect nosebutter trip 16. Still safety, just as big, 88.25 and second. It was never going to be the 96ish points he needed to win but it was fully beautiful for a triple. That left Luca with a victory lap and a deserved win.

*We don't think there is a working replay, unfortunately. It might be accessible on ORF with an Austrian Proxy is your best bet*