Monster Energy congratulates its team of snow sports athletes on a strong performance and six titles in the Bakuriani 2023 FIS Freestyle Ski, Snowboard and Freeski World Championships sanctioned by the International Ski Federation (FIS) in Georgia, Europe, this week.
BAKURIANI, Georgia, March 5, 2023 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- The wins are unstoppable in Georgia! Monster Energy congratulates its team of snow sports athletes on a strong performance and six titles in the Bakuriani 2023 FIS Freestyle Ski, Snowboard and Freeski World Championships sanctioned by the International Ski Federation (FIS) in Georgia, Europe, this week.
In the Men's Snowboard Big Air event on Saturday, 17-year-old Taiga Hasegawa from Aichi, Japan, became the new World Champion in the discipline with a dominant performance. In the Women's Ski Halfpipe final, 18-year-old Hanna Faulhaber from Aspen, Colorado, took the World Championship title. The Men's Ski Halfpipe final concluded with 25-year-old Brendan Mackay from Calgary, Canada, taking the win. In the Men's Ski Big Air discipline, 18-year-old Troy Podmilsak (TPOD) from Park City, Utah, claimed the victory while Norwegian young gun Birk Ruud took home bronze. Also rising to the podium, 22-year-old Tess Coady from Australia brought home the bronze medal in Women's Snowboard Big Air, and Megan Oldham claimed bronze in Women's Ski Big Air.
From February 19 to March 4, 2023, the 2023 FIS Freestyle Ski and Snowboarding World Championships attracted the world elite of snow spots to Bakuriani, Georgia. At two ski resorts in the Lesser Caucasus Mountains, over 700 ski and snowboard athletes from 40 countries competed for titles in disciplines including Slopestyle, Halfpipe, and Big Air.
Overall, Monster Energy athletes claimed a total of 11 medals (6 gold, 2 silver, and 3 bronze) at Bakuriani 2023. Aside from Hasegawa (Japan, Snowboard Big Air), our newly minted world champions are Mia Brookes (United Kingdom, Women's Snowboard Slopestyle) and Birk Ruud from (Norway, Men's Freeski Slopestyle). Silver medals were earned by Zoi Sadowski-Synnott (New Zealand, Women's Snowboard Slopestyle) and Megan Oldham (Canada, Women's Ski Slopestyle).
Here are the highlights for Team Monster Energy on the final weekend of Bakuriani 2023:
Snowboard Big Air: Monster Energy's Taiga Hasegawa Earns Men's World Championship, Tess Coady Takes Bronze in Women's
On Saturday, the newly added Snowboard Big Air event showcased spectacular aerials from the world elite in the discipline with over a 70-foot gap jump. Riders were dealing with adverse weather conditions, including rain, snow, wind, and fog on the mountain at Didveli resort, but the contest still crowned the new Big Air World Champions.
When all was said and done, the rider with the best airs and rotations was a young upstart: 17-year-old Taiga Hasegawa from Aichi, Japan, who claimed the Snowboard Big Air World Championship title with a standout performance.
In his highest-scoring attempts, Hasegawa put down a perfect Cab 1800 mute grab – hitting the takeoff backward and spinning five rotations in the air – for 90.00 points. Maintaining his momentum, Hasegawa followed up by sending a clean frontside 1800 frontside grab for 87.25 points and the win. Hasegawa's combined score of 177.25 points was more than 20 points ahead of the next competitor – talk about a dominant win! The victory also marks the first Big Air gold in a FIS World Cup for a Japanese snowboarder.
"I'm so happy. Super happy. Thank you everyone," said Hasegawa upon winning the 2023 Men's Snowboard Big Air World Championship.
Previously, Hasegawa won the 2023 Kreischberg Big Air World Cup in January. The Team Japan snowboarder also won 2020/2021 World Junior Snowboarding Championship in Big Air. At age 15, he made history as the world's first rider to land 1800 rotations all four ways.
In the Women's Snowboard Big Air final on Saturday, Monster Energy's Tess Coady from Melbourne, Australia, rose to the podium in the bronze medal position.
Coady's high-scoring aerials included a flawless double cork backside 1080 Indy. In her second attempt, she followed up with a frontside 900 tailgrab aerial for 153.25 points and a strong bronze-medal finish. This marks the second career FIS World Cup podium for Coady.
In 2022, Coady earned the slopestyle bronze medal at the 2022 Beijing Olympics. In January, she claimed silver at X Games Aspen 2023, earning the first medal in the Women's Snowboard Slopestyle discipline as an Australian rider.
Ski Halfpipe: Monster Energy's Hanna Faulhaber and Brendan Mackay Crowned New Women's and Men's World Champions
In the Women's Ski Halfpipe final on Saturday, 18-year-old Hanna Faulhaber from Aspen, Colorado, took the World Championship title. Known for her big airs and technical tricks, the Team USA skier literally soared above the competition in Georgia.
After sitting in second place after Run 2, Faulhaber put down her biggest tricks on the third and final attempt to win the Women's Ski Halfpipe World Championship. On Run 3, Faulhaber put down a massive straight air tail grab, left 900 safety, right flair critical, and a newly unveiled switch right 720 Japan, and left 540 Japan for 95.75 points and the win.
"I'm at a loss for words. I'm on the verge of tears right now. I'm just, so stoked…I can't believe it. I'm just so happy to be up here, skiing this amazing pipe with these amazing people to be around," said Faulhaber upon winning the World Championship.
Raised in the Monster Army amateur support program, Faulhaber had her breakout season in the 2021/22 campaign earning top-five finishes in four-out-of-four events entered. She also earned bronze in her X Games debut at X Games Aspen 2022.
The Men's Ski Halfpipe final concluded with 25-year-old Brendan Mackay from Calgary, Canada, taking the win. Mackay was leading the competition after second runs but found himself leapfrogged by Finland's Jon Sallinen on run three.
Looking for a perfect run with big tricks, Mackay came through on his last of three attempts: Combining a switch left alley-oop double cork 900 critical, switch left double 1080 safety, right 900 lead rail, left double 1620 safety, and massive right double 1260 safety earned the Canadian 97.25 points and the gold medal.
"I was really hoping I could just put some runs down, and putting down the first run felt great, but I was pretty damn sure I was going to need more because everyone is skiing so well," said Mackay upon winning the Men's Ski Halfpipe title.
Mackay finished his 2022/23 FIS World Cup season and Crystal Globe race in second place.
Ski Big Air: Monster Energy's Troy Podmilsak Claims Men's World Championship Title,
In the Men's Ski Big Air discipline, 18-year-old Troy Podmilsak (TPOD) from Park City, Utah, claimed the victory. Currently riding for the Monster Army support program, the Team USA skier also landed a never-been-done trick in competition.
In the final session featuring ten qualified riders, Podmilsak stunned the competition despite qualifying into the final in last place. On his first attempt, he pulled out a technical switch right double bio 1980 safety to start off on a strong 91.25-point score.
Maintaining his strong momentum, Podmilsak went where no other went before: Landing the first-ever right triple cork 2160 mute in a ski competition earning 95.50 points as the highest score of the day. With a combined total score of 187.75 points, the American rookie claimed the Bakuriani 2023 Men's Ski Big Air gold medal.
"I actually did not think I would be world champion here. I thought maybe a few years down the road. It feels good, and I'm really proud of myself and my team. I can't even really believe it. It almost feels like a dream to me. We worked really hard for this," said Podmilsak upon winning the Men's Ski Big Air title in Georgia.
Speaking on the never-been-done 2160 aerial, Podmilsak said: "That was the first time I've ever done it! I did it on the airbag a few times and didn't really land it. I just went for the win today. I didn't'' want to get second place. I just wanted to win. That's the first time I've ever really landed it, ever."
Podmilsak was joined on the podium by 22-year-old Birk Ruud from Oslo, Norway, in the bronze-medal position. Ruud has earned podium finishes in every FIS Freeski competition in the 2022/23 season, and kept the streak going on Saturday.
In his first run, Ruud put down a perfect switch left triple cork 1980 mute grab. On his second run, he followed up with a left double bio 1800 mute for a combined score of 183.50 points for the bronze medal, just one point behind Austria's Lukas Muellauer in second place.
Earlier this week, Ruud ended a dominant FIS World Cup season by winning the Men's Freeski Slopestyle World Championship title at Bakuriani. In 2022, Ruud won the gold medal in Men's Ski Big Air at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics.
Also claiming a podium spot, 21-year-old Megan Oldham from Canada claimed bronze in Women's Ski Big Air. Oldham was coming in hot after landing the first-ever women's triple cork aerial to win X Games Big Air gold at X Games Aspen 2023 in January.
On her first attempt, Oldham stomped a perfect left double cork 1080 mute. Keeping the tricks coming, she posted a switch left double cork 1080 Japan on run two, and Oldham took home bronze.
This third-place finish is the second medal of the Bakuriani 2023 World Championships for Oldham after her Slopestyle silver medal. It also marks the third World Championships medal of her career.
Visit http://www.monsterenergy.com for exclusive updates during the 2023 snow sports season, including photos, videos, and contest results as they happen. Follow Monster Energy on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and TikTok for exclusive behind-the-scenes looks and athlete features.
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About Monster Energy
Based in Corona, California, Monster Energy is the leading marketer of energy drinks and alternative beverages. Refusing to acknowledge the traditional, Monster Energy supports the scene and sport. Whether motocross, off-road, NASCAR, MMA, BMX, surf, snowboard, ski, skateboard, or the rock and roll lifestyle, Monster Energy is a brand that believes in authenticity and the core of what its sports, athletes, and musicians represent. More than a drink, it's the way of life lived by athletes, sports, bands, believers, and fans. See more about Monster Energy including all of its drinks at http://www.monsterenergy.com.
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