China’s Eileen Gu caps off Freestyle Ski World Cup season with flawless half-pipe run, wins first crystal globe
- Eileen Gu ends the Freestyle Ski World Cup season with a perfect record in the women’s half-pipe
- Gu has positioned herself as the outright favourite to win gold in Beijing next month
Eileen Gu capped the FIS Freestyle Ski World Cup season with a perfect record in women’s half-pipe after a triumph at Mammoth Mountain in California on Saturday to capture the first crystal globe of her career.
The 18-year-old reigning world champion, who was born in the United States but will represent China at next month’s Beijing Olympics, delivered a pair of solid runs and finished with a career best of 97.5.
“I am absolutely blown away,” Gu said in an interview after taking first place. “That’s the highest score I’ve ever gotten. I’m so happy to put a run down today, I think that was probably one of the best runs I’ve done in half-pipe.”
Gu has now won World Cup titles in Steamboat, Copper Mountain and the Dew Tour in the space of a month, continuing a streak of winning in major freeski events since her double gold at the world championships last February.
“So unbelievably hyped to end the half-pipe World Cup undefeated and with my first crystal globe,” Gu added. “Feeling really proud to have landed probably my best contest run ever during my second run.”
Who is Chinese-American ski prodigy Eileen Gu?
Former half-pipe world champion Kelly Sildaru of Estonia claimed the silver medal with a score of 92.5, while American Brita Sigourney’s 87.75 was enough to take bronze. Li Fanghui of China was fifth, followed by Saori Suzuki of Japan.
Gu will head to the Winter Olympics as the freestyle skier to beat after a perfect four-for-four in half-pipe World Cup action this season.
