Copper Mountain World Cup Big Air 2023: A Spectacle of Aerial Mastery

Image Credit: Mac Forehand celebrates after winning Visa Big Air Presented by Toyota at Copper Mountain.
U.S. Ski & Snowboard

Copper Mountain, Colorado - The FIS World Cup Big Air event, held at Copper Mountain, Colorado, was a showcase of extraordinary skiing and snowboarding talents. This event marked the third World Cup Big Air contest of the 2023/24 season and was unique for being the first of the season held on a mountain, as opposed to city locations like Chur and Beijing.

Women's Category: A Battle of Titans

The women's competition turned into a dramatic face-off between Mathilde Gremaud and Tess Ledeux. Tess Ledeux set an exceptionally high standard with a left double cork 1620 safety, scoring an impressive 95.75. She maintained her lead with a subsequent rightside double cork 1080 safety. However, Mathilde Gremaud fiercely contested this lead, eventually outscoring Tess on the scoreboard with a score of 93.75. In a thrilling conclusion, Tess reclaimed her gold medal position with a switch left double cork 1260 safety, a trick not seen from her since the X Games.

Tess Ledeux's victory at Copper Mountain was particularly significant as it broke Mathilde Gremaud's winning streak in the first three World Cups of the season. Scotland's Kirsty Muir claimed third place, showing resilience after a hard crash but managing to land her jumps successfully. The women's podium was finalized with Tess Ledeux in the first place, followed by Mathilde Gremaud and Kirsty Muir.

Men's Category: A Competitive Showcase

The men's contest was intensely competitive, with the podium positions changing multiple times. American Mac Forehand emerged victorious, impressively following up his second-run left triple 1800 mute with a switch variant in his final hit. The event also saw remarkable performances from Tim Sivignon of France and Italian Miro Tabanelli, with both athletes showcasing exceptional skill and technique. Birk Ruud also made a significant comeback with a high-scoring jump after an initial crash.

The final men's podium featured Mac Forehand in the top spot, followed by Miro Tabanelli and Birk Ruud, with Andri Ragettli narrowly missing the podium.

Final Results

The event concluded with the following top positions in the Women’s and Men’s Finals:

• Women’s Final:

  1. Tess Ledeux
  2. Mathilde Gremaud
  3. Kirsty Muir
  4. Sandra Eie
  5. Giulia Tanno
  6. Rell Harwood
  7. Daisy Thomas
  8. Ruby Star Andrews

• Men’s Final:

  1. Mac Forehand
  2. Miro Tabanelli
  3. Birk Ruud
  4. Andri Ragettli
  5. Matej Svancer
  6. Tim Sivignon
  7. Alex Hall
  8. Max Moffatt
  9. Luca Harrington
  10. Troy Podmilsak (DNS).

This year's Copper Mountain World Cup Big Air was a thrilling event that underscored the immense talent and progression within the world of competitive skiing and snowboarding, promising an exciting future for the sport.