Ski, snowboard World Cup opens in Pyeongchang
Star skiers and snowboarders from around the world have gathered in Pyeongchang, Gangwon-do Province.
These leading athletes are taking part in the International Ski Federation’s (FIS) Ski/ Snowboard World Cup from Feb. 18 to 28 at Bokwang Phoenix Park in Pyeongchang.
This is an official, second test event ahead of the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympic Games. The first official test event was the 2016 AUDI FIS Alpine World Cup held on Feb. 6.
Throughout the FIS Ski/ Snowboard World Cup, athletes will display their capabilities across four sport disciplines: freestyle ski slope style, ski cross, slope style snowboard and snowboard cross. Slope style features five or six judges who mark technical implementation, the level of difficulty, and overall landing of each racer.
A skier jumps during the qualifications at the FIS Ski/ Snowboard World Cup on Feb. 18.
A total of 159 athletes from 29 countries will take part in the event. Some of the noticeable athletes include Joss Christensen from the U.S., the world’s current top skier and who won a gold medal in free style skiing at the Sochi Winter Olympics, Tiril Sjåstad Christiansen from Norway, the world’s top female skier, and Jamie Anderson of the U.S., who also won gold at the Sochi Winter Olympics.
Keri Herman from the U.S. (second from left) and friends pose for a photo during the qualifications at the FIS Ski/ Snowboard
World Cup on Feb. 18.
On Feb. 18, Christiansen topped the qualifications with a total score of 90.40 in the women’s freestyle ski slope style. In the men’s freestyle, ten athletes, led by Jesper Tjader from Sweden, who won with a score of 92.00, qualified.
By Yoon Sojung
Korea.net Staff Writer
Photos: PyeongChang Organizing Committee for the 2018 Olympic & Paralympic Winter Games (POCOG), Keri Herman’s Facebook profile
arete@korea.kr
RELATED TOUR