Freestyle skiing: Cassie Sharpe stages winning comeback, Flora Tabanelli upsets Olympic medallist
Olympic gold and silver medallist Cassie Sharpe made a triumphant return to the freestyle skiing competition after a three-year break as she claimed the crown in the women’s halfpipe event.
The Canadian star last competed at the X Games in 2021, finishing second, and last won in 2019. She has since taken an extended break, which included giving birth to her daughter Louella in August 2023.
Louella was in the stands and later on the podium where a joyful Sharpe dangled the new medal in front of her.
“Out of control. I can’t even describe how special it is. My mom is over there crying, calling my day,” Sharpe said after winning her career’s third X Games title. “I’m just so proud of myself that I can prove it to everybody that it wasn’t just a fluke that I came back and that I came back swinging.”
The Canadian freeskier scored a winning 88.33 points on her first run to finish ahead of the People Republic of China’s Li Fanghui and fellow Canadian Amy Fraser. Li broke out in her second run, scoring 86.66, while Fraser set a 84.66 best score in her first.
Reigning Olympic and X Games halfpipe champion Eileen Gu pulled out of the halfpipe event after getting injured during the women’s street style final earlier in the day. The Chinese skiing superstar also withdrew from the Big Air competition.
Gu’s absence opened the door for two-time Youth Olympic Games champion Flora Tabanelli who staged an upset in the Big Air event, finishing first ahead of senior skiers Grace Henderson and Tess Ledeux. The 18-year-old Italian set the bar with a 90.00 first run that remained unmatched throughout the final.
USA’s Henderson put in a strong effort in her second run, but still fell short of Tabanelli with 87.33 on the board. Meanwhile, top qualifier and Beijing 2022 silver medallist Ledeux struggled with both of her runs, finishing third on 27.00 points.
