Finley Melville Ives (Wānaka, 18) has claimed the gold and Luke Harrold (Lake Hāwea, 16) has claimed the silver at the FIS Australia New Zealand Cup (ANC) Freeski Halfpipe competition. 

Finley scored a 92.67 with a technical run executed with precision to take the win.

“I am so stoked,” he said. “It’s so amazing and it’s such a good result at the last halfpipe competition of the season – I am really happy.”

His winning run included a switch left double corked 1080 into back-to-back double corked 1260s. 

Luke, who finished in second place with a score of 90.00, put down a technical run which included his trademark trick combination of back-to-back switch double alley-oop 900s on his final two hits.

“There are just a few of us doing them [the switch double alley-oop 900s] on the World Cup circuit,” he said. 

“They are kind of my specialty, so I really enjoy doing them… it’s a super fun, floaty trick.” 

Both Finley and Luke said the event, held at Cardrona Alpine Resort yesterday (October 1) featured a really high level of competition.

Benjamin Fethke of the USA rounded out the podium in third, and Wānaka’s Ben Harrington finished just off the podium in fourth position. 

It was a tightly fought competition, with numerous World Cup athletes on the stacked start list, Snow Sports NZ said in a statement. 

Head freeski judge Victoria Beattie complemented both of the freeskiers’ runs.

Luke’s run - the first of the day - was “incredible and… it’s always a tricky choice when the first run of the competition is put down so well”. 

“Fin executed his run just that little bit cleaner, landed higher on the pipe wall, showed better control through the bottom and put down a great technical run,” she said.

“Those two athletes were really toying for the top.”

Yesterday’s FIS ANC Freeski Halfpipe competition also included the women’s freeski category where Australia’s Indra Brown took the win; and the snowboarders also took on the pipe, where Kanoe Pelfrey of American Samoa won the women’s and Zensei Nishizuka of Japan won the men’s.

Competition is set to continue today (Wednesday October 2) with the FIS ANC Freeski Slopestyle competition on Big Bucks terrain park and the age division freeski and snowboard competitions in the halfpipe.

PHOTO: Ross Mackay/ Snow Sports NZ