Perfect conditions bathed the Copper Mountain halfpipe on this sunny Saturday morning, without a breath of wind and the first WC stop out of the way. The stage was set for an incredible showdown in skiing's most fearsome freestyle arena. The stunt ditch.

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Recap

Women

The ladies kicked things off with a bang. Amy Fraser's left to right 9 combo was a great way to finish her opening run, but missed grabs and a loss of amplitude in the middle of her run kept her score down. Zoe Atkin was the first to break into the 80s, going huge on a left 5 mute opening hit, some missed grabs docked points but the run has potential closing out with a switch 10. Rachel Karker didn't trouble the scoreboard much though her opening flair (with a missed rev mute) would be a highlight later on. Svea Irving had a great run, opening with an alleyoop flat 5 and closing with a left 900 safety, earning 85.75. Nobody else troubled the 80s before Eileen's run, though shoutout to Cassie Sharpe for still ripping the ditch, amplitude killed her score. Eileen dropped last and just makes halfpipe skiing look too easy: right 9 Buick to left 9 Japan, right 7 blunt to switch 3 Japan, AO 5 to AO 3 blunt. This earned 90.50 leaving room to improve switch 3 Japan can go to 7.

A new judging rule of DNI (did not improve) has been implemented to keep scoring quick and easy. Amy Fraser & Rachel Karker logged early DNIs either side of Zoe's 2nd run. Atkin improved her score to an 88.00 by upping her 3rd hit switch left 3 to a switch left 7. It seemed inevitable that the field was (and always is) fighting for 2nd rather than challenging Eileen, this is dominance. This didn't stop the ladies coming out swinging, Svea Irving also DNI on run two getting undone on the second hit left 9 safety. A scary looking fall but she skied out all good. Fanghui Li put down a clean run, with great amplitude and good variety, grabs let her down and an 81.50 would put her just out of the podium in 4th. Casie Sharp's second run was fire, opening things up with back to back 9s, losing some amplitude mid run on an air to fakie Japan, though closing out with a left 10 tail - the judges spent some time on this one, the score was worth the wait for Cassie, 89.00 took her into 2nd. Eileen looked to improve her run, final hit AO 3 blunt to AO 5 Japan, though she washed out the landing - DNI.

The final run seemed like a fairly foregone conclusion - at least the battle for gold - but Zoe Atkin squeezed a few extra points out of her run but adding amplitude, she wasn't stoked with her grabs - "grabs are hard," I get that Zoe, I really do - but scored an 89.75 which would put her above Cassie. Svea Irving fell and wouldn't improve her final score. Rachel Karker wouldn't drop for run 3 given her fall on run 2. Fanghui Li would scratch her final score after a wobble. Cassie would do the same, taking her first podium since taking maternity leave from halfpipe skiing. Eileen would take another victory lap and took a nasty looking bail on the final of her back-to-back flairs. a heart in mouth moment but she walked away with the W.

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Men

Finley Melville-Ives came out swinging and really set the tone for the mens final, his opening score of 87.75 would hold in first for the duration of run 1. The aggression and intensity was what set this apart. Left dub 12 mute to AO dub 14, closed out with a switch left dub 10 to right dub 12. Aaron Blunck took a nose diving fall on his final hit and wouldn't return to the field for run 2. David Wise wasn't happy with the judging, it seemed, when his run came back earning a 79.25. Birk Irving was the next to really push into the 80s. His run, peppered with doubles; switch left dub 10, to right dub 12, to left dub 14. His final hit left dub 16 was monstrous, 84.00. The only other rider to trouble the 80s in run 1 was Alex Ferreira, with both way dub 16s - lead tail on the right 16. 86.00 and second place after 1 was his reward, with Birk in 3rd and Finlay in 1st.

The podium got shaken like a martini in run 2 for the mens. Finley wouldn't improve his score and spot in first place got decimated. David Wise got fairly scored, his amplitude and grabs were all taken up a notch, the judges saw something they liked this time and he scored an 87.00. Birk Irving improved his 84.00 to an 85.00. Brendan Mackay was the first to enter the 90-club with possibly the most amplitude on the circuit - switch left dub AO 9, switch left 10 Japan, back to back dub 12s and an AO flat 5 poked mute to finish, 91.25. Ferreira and Geopper would put themselves on the podium at the end of run 2. Geopper in 3rd with his 89.25, his right dub 16 safety and switch left bone air 900 being the highlight. Alex Ferreira showed why he was unbeaten for the 23/24 season: switch right dub 10 dub Japan, dub 16 safety, right 10 to switch left 10 blunt with a dub 16 lead tail to close out the run. Final trick, pole swing - obviously. 94.75 and the score to beat going into the third.

Aaron Blunck showed true warrior status coming back from that first run bail to put down a clean run. Only worth a 77 on the board but worth a lot more in terms of grit. With the level of skiing required to get into podium positions, a lot of riders would pull the pin early after bobbles in run three. Hunter Hess managed to turn it on for run three, improving his amplitude through the run, things looked pretty clean, he landed a bit low on his left dub 12 but kept up his amplitude, the final hit misty 5 mute was HUGE though it wasn't enough to move out of 7th. Alex Ferreira put it down again but DNI'd. Geopper was the last to drop with a chance to change things up but would squat out of his right 16 and wouldn settle for 3rd behind Brendan Mackay and Alex Ferriera.

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Results

Women

Men