CHINESE youth athletes shone at the Big Air World Cup in Steamboat, the United States, on Saturday, as both Gu Ailing and Su Yiming claimed World Cup titles in their respective categories. In the snowboard men’s big air event, Su put down a backside 1800 Indy grab and a front-side 1800 tail grab in his first two runs to score 85.00 and 70.25 points each. Despite an incomplete third run, a combined score of 155.25 points from two best runs, 15.75 points clear of second-placed Clemens Millauer of Austria, was enough for Su to secure the first World Cup title in his career. The 17-year-old has also become the first-ever Chinese rider to stand on the podium in either big air or slopestyle, as well as the first rider ever to land 1800s two ways in FIS competitions. “It feels incredible,” Su said after the match. “I still cannot believe this just happened. I’m really hyped to ride with all the boys, they killed it. I have so much respect for them. They make me want more and more. I’m hyped to ride with them.” Gu also claimed her first freeski big air World Cup title to complete major international wins in all three freeski events, following her freeski slopestyle and halfpipe World Cup victories in Calgary, Canada, in 2020, and slopestyle and halfpipe World Champions in Aspen, the United States, in March this year. With a left double 1080 safety grab in her first run, and a right double 1260 safety grab in the second, the 18-year-old has already secured the top spot, making the final run a victory lap. (Xinhua) | 