In an impressive display of skill and determination, China's veteran Olympian Cai Xuetong and Wu Shaotong have secured their spots in the women's final of the International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS) Snowboard Halfpipe World Cup held at Genting Snow Park in Chongli.
The qualification round, consisting of a single heat, saw the top eight snowboarders advance to the highly anticipated final. Cai, 31, delivered a remarkable performance with a score of 87.75 points from her first run, earning her the third position among 27 competitors. She trails behind Japan's 15-year-old sensation Sara Shimizu with 92.00 points and U.S. competitor Madeline Schaffrick who scored 91.00 points.
Expressing her excitement, Cai stated, \"I feel quite excited about the start of this season. I enjoy my time on the course. I'll present higher difficulty in the final. Next year I'll be participating in the 2025 Asian Winter Games in Harbin. It's my hometown, so I'm really excited.\"
Chinese snowboarder Wu also made a strong comeback, clinching the final berth with a seventh-place finish and a score of 78.50 points after her second run. Wu shared her experience, saying, \"I felt a little bit nervous today since this is the very first competition of this season. My second run went better, but it still had minor flaws. I'll try my best with higher difficulty in the final.\"
The finals are set to take place on Sunday, promising thrilling performances as these talented athletes aim for the top podium spots.
Reference(s):
China's Cai, Wu advance to FIS Snowboard Halfpipe World Cup final
cgtn.com
