Amy Fraser Clinches Career-First World Cup Gold Despite Weather Challenges
Calgary, AB – In a remarkable turn of events, Canada’s Amy Fraser secured her first-ever World Cup Gold in the Mammoth halfpipe competition, overcoming challenges posed by relentless wind and blowing snow that led to the cancellation of the finals.
Fraser’s journey to the top of the podium began with a third-place finish at the season-opener in Secret Garden last December, followed by another impressive performance at the X Games, where she claimed a third-place finish. Building on this momentum, Fraser delivered an exceptional run in Tuesday’s qualifications, earning a score of 85.50, surpassing the reigning Olympic halfpipe gold medallist Eileen Gu (CHN) and World Championships silver medallist Zoe Atkin (GBR).
The cancellation of the finals due to adverse weather conditions was a bittersweet conclusion to the halfpipe World Cup at the Mammoth Mountain Toyota U.S. Grand Prix on Friday. Despite the disappointment, Fraser expressed gratitude for the decision, acknowledging the challenging weather conditions. “It’s definitely the right call that we’re not skiing in this crappy weather today, but maybe it doesn’t feel like a true win,” Fraser said after the awards ceremony.
Reflecting on her breakthrough season at 28 years old, Fraser highlighted her hunger for success. “It’s been nice to just be landing runs. I came into this season super hungry. I had a lot of fourth-place finishes, .5 points off of a podium or whatever. I know my own skiing, and I knew what I needed to do, and it’s all lining up this year. Still lots of work to do, but I’m stoked,” she added.
Fraser’s victory marked the end of Eileen Gu’s dominating streak, who had enjoyed nine consecutive halfpipe victories. Amy’s coach, Trennon Paytner, praised her extraordinary work ethic and dedication to training, stating, “Amy’s work ethic and approach to training is extraordinary. She is always ‘all-in,’ and it’s such a joy to see her efforts paying off. I can’t think of a more deserving athlete to earn a World Cup victory!”
Fraser’s win in challenging conditions at Mammoth Mountain solidifies her as a rising star to watch in the world of halfpipe competitions.
