U.S. Freeskiing rider Devin Logan opened the 2015-16 season in style, winning the opening World Cup halfpipe at the Audi quattro Winter Games NZ on Sunday. Broby Leeds (Vail, Colorado) led the U.S. men in fourth, just behind a French podium sweep led by Kevin Rolland.
The pipe was in good condition with good weather, although some wind and clouds starting moving in halfway through the final creating flat-light conditions. Logan clinched the win ahead of the Kiwi favorite Janina Kuzma and Ayana Onozuka of Japan. Rolland led the French sweep ahead of Thomas Krief and Benoit Valentin.
“It feels great to win,” said Logan. “This is the first competition before the Northern Hemisphere season starts up so it’s awesome to put some runs down. I added in an alley-oop flat 5, which is a new one for me, so I was glad to get it in the competition atmosphere. Thankfully, I landed my first run since I fell on my second and third so I’m glad that worked out!”
It was Logan’s third World Cup win — all coming in halfpipe at Cardrona.
“Devin had a clean run which included many of her regular tricks,” said U.S. Freeskiing Coach Mike Jankowski. “But she unveiled a new trick she had learned at our team training camp in Mammoth this past May — an alley-oop flat 540. It’s a corked 540-degree rotation — spinning towards the start of the halfpipe while simultaneously drifting towards the finish of the pipe. This is a rare trick for ladies to do.”
U.S. Freeskiing Rookie Team skier Jeanee Crane-Mauzy (Park City) was seventh. Ski and Snowboard Club Vail athlete Paula Cooper (Steamboat Springs) — just 16 years old and competing in her first World Cup — was ninth.
Leeds scored a 75.60 to just miss the podium in fourth place. He led three Americans in the top 10, including Olympians Aaron Blunck (Crested Butte, Colorado) and Lyman Currier (Boulder, Colorado) in sixth and ninth, respectively.
Logan will lead a large contingent of U.S. Freeskiing Pro and Rookie Team members, along with independent riders, at the opening slopestyle. Qualifying is set for Thursday with finals Saturday.