Menzies close in Snowboard Big Air final
- editor59343
- 8 hours ago
- 2 min read
Updated: 3 hours ago
Three New Zealand snowboarders came close but couldn't quite claim a medal in the Big Air competitoin at the Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina.
Dane Menzies, Lyon Farrell and Rocco Jamieson finish sixth, eighth and ninth respectively.
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Menzies was the first New Zealander to drop, showing no signs of finals nerves as he stomped a clean frontside 1800 with a locked-in tail grab for a score of 81.25.
Jamieson pushed the difficulty immediately, aiming for a backside 1980. He under-rotated slightly and couldn’t hold the landing, opening with a score of 43.00.
Farrell closed out the Kiwi first-run efforts with a backside 1800 with his signature double grab, executed cleanly for a score 83.50, celebrating in the finish corral before heading back up for round two.
On run two Menzies backed up his opener with a textbook backside 1800 with melon grab, landing clean for 79.50, which temporarily lifted him into third place.
Jamieson returned to the backside 1980, this time getting the rotation around with only a slight hand drag, earning 83.00 to move up the standings.
Farrell looked to build on his strong start with a frontside 1800, but with his weight a little too far forward he washed out on the landing.
All three knew everything would come down to their final attempts and with big tricks being thrown across the field, the judges were looking for near-perfect execution — even the smallest hand drag proving costly.
Jamieson went for an extra stylish frontside 18 spinning off his toes, but couldn’t hold on to the landing and his trick score would be 29.25. Farrell again went for the frontside 1800, but over-rotated slightly and posted 40.75.
Menzies attempted to step things up with a backside 1980, but caught his toe edge on landing, unable to improve his overall score. Having had the podium in his sights earlier in the competition, Menzies said he had mixed feelings about his final result.
“I’m definitely stoked to have been in the final. I’m still processing it. I’m a bit bummed as well, but on to the next event – slopestyle I’m really excited for.”
Rocco described his Olympic final as “an indescribable, insane experience, especially with the two other Kiwi boys. Doing it together, full team, it’s something really special.”
Farrell was quick to agree: “The Olympic experience was unbelievable,” he said. “I’ve been having so much fun, and I’m very grateful for this whole time. Three Kiwis in the top 10 is pretty incredible. I’m even more psyched for Slopestyle.”
Kira Kimura from Japan took the gold with countryman Ryoma Kimata was second anddefending champion Yiming Su of China took the bronze medal.
The snowboarders will be back in action for the Slopestyle qualification rounds on Monday 16 February.