After the race disciplines wrapped up yesterday, it was time for the freestylers to take over and call the shots. In today’s qualifiers for the Halfpipe competition of the 8th FIS Snowboard World Championships in Gangwon, Korea presented by LG, 2007 double World Champion Mathieu Crepel (Halfpipe and Big Air) impressively underlined that he is ready to keep hold on his title. In the first qualification heat, the 24-year-old French rider threw in a solid run including a Frontside 1080, back-to-back 900’s and for example a Backside 540 Alley Oop earning 45.5 points. Thus, the defending champion went directly on to the finals as top ranked freestyler of his heat. Christian “Hitsch” Haller (SUI) accompanied him as second with 41.8 points.

However, the score of Crepel wasn’t the highest one as his fellow team mate Gary Zebrowski was the measure of all things. The 24-year-old seemed to take off to the moon sticking some huge tricks going even higher than Ryoh Aono from Japan. Due to his run consisting of a Backside Air, Frontside 1080, Cab 1080, Frontside 900, a Backside 540 and a final Frontside Air Zebrowski was the one leading the ranking of heat 2 with 48.6 points ahead of the Japanese powerhouse who earned 46.4.
Making their way from heat 3 directly to the final were Olympic Bronze medallist Markku Koski (44.5) from Finland and Xiayoe Zeng from China with a 39.2.

Twelve riders with second chance

While the semi final will provide some top names fighting for the last six spots - including James Hamilton (NZE), Kohdai Watanabe and Kohhei Kudoh from Japan, Finnish rippers Risto Mattila and Ilkka-Eemeli Laari as well as Canada's Justin Lamoureux and Jeff Batchelor, Roger Kleivdal (NOR), Sergio Berger (SUI), Nathan Johnstone (AUS), Olivier Gittler (FRA) and Wancheng Shi from China - one aspirant for the finals from Canada missed the big show. Former World Championships Bronze medallist Brad Martin was edged off to seventh spot of heat 1 by only one tenth.

Chinese girl aims for Gold

What was looming at the last World Cup stop where Jiayu Liu took home victory is getting more and more clear: the young Chinese rider seems to be the main aspirant for the Gold medal. In the ladies' qualifiers Liu underlined this with the biggest air time of all competitors while performing a Frontside Air followed by a Backside Air, back-to-back 540's and a Frontside 720 before finishing her run with a Cab 360. With 47 points she earned her spot for the ladies finals. Making it also from heat 1 to Friday's highlight was Soko Yamaoka (JPN, 44). The National Champion now aims for another WCS medal after she grabbed Silver 2007.

In heat 2, Queralt Castellet (ESP, 40.9) and Australia's Holly Crawford (39.7) are also still in contention of winning a medal as both made it also directly to Friday's finals which will be broadcasted in a re-live feed on www.fissnowboardworldcup.com from 9 AM GMT on.

In the semi finals, Cilka Sadar (CRO), 2007 Bronze medallist Paulina Ligocka (POL), Zhifeng Sun (CHN) from heat 1 as well Rana Okada, Shiho Nakashima (both JPN) and Sarka Pancochova (CZE) from the second heat will battle for the last two spots of the ladies' final.

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