Logan, Yater-Wallace take wins for U.S. sweep at first halfpipe World Cup of the season

By Published On: August 22nd, 2012Comments Off on Logan, Yater-Wallace take wins for U.S. sweep at first halfpipe World Cup of the season

WANAKA, New Zealand (Aug. 22) – Americans Devin Logan and Torin Yater-Wallace opened the 2014 Olympic Winter Games qualifying period with a U.S. sweep of the FIS World Cup halfpipe skiing competition in Cardrona, New Zealand. American halfpipe skiers have won each of the last six World Cup events dating back to March of 2011.

Logan, who is the reigning Association of Freeskiing Professionals (AFP) overall and halfpipe champion, won by a huge three-point margin after leading qualifications by seven points. Japan’s Manami Mitsuboshi took second followed by her teammate Ayana Onozuka in third.

“This is a great way to start my season and I am glad to start off with points for the U.S.’s national quota,” said Logan, who’s winning run included a left 540 tail grab to flair, mute grab air, alley oop mute grab, 720 mute grab to switch alley oop 360. “I crashed hard on my first run and kind of bruised myself up, and I didn’t ski my best. I had to work hard to make it up and pull it together, but I was glad to be in the lead by three points in finals.”

Americans Jamie Crane-Mauzy and Annalisa Drew joined Logan in the top 10 in ninth and tenth.

Yater-Wallace, the reigning AFP halfpipe champion, posted a winning run of a right double cork 1260 mute grab, alley oop rodeo Japan grab, 900 tail grab, 1080 tail grab to a switch 900 mute grab. The French duo of Thomas Krief and Benoit Valetin rounded out the podium in second and third, respectively.

“We are trying to take it home for America since we are now in the Olympic qualifying period. It was a fun competition and I am so stoked to be here,” said Yater-Wallace.

Americans Christian Allen and Walter Wood also cracked the top 10 in fifth and sixth, respectively. 

Halfpipe and slopestyle freeskiing will make its Olympic debut during the 2014 Sochi Olympics. The New Zealand event marks the first event of the Olympic qualifying period that lasts for the next 17 months.

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About the Author: Eric Williams