NZ’s Andrews wins Freeski Slopestyle Junior World Championships

Queenstown teenager Ruby Andrews has won the freeski slopestyle title at the Junior World Championships in Switzerland.

Ruby Andrews and her coaches.
Photo: Supplied

Andrews started her first run with a technical back swap on the rainbow rail before putting together a solid jump section and finishing off with a 270 onto the final rail.

She was rewarded 85.40 by the judges for this run, her score remaining untouchable for the remainder of the event.

“I could not be happier to take the win here at Leysin today! Feels so good to be back on the podium after not competing for two years! Thanks to everyone who made this possible,” Andrews posted on social media.

Although her second and final run was a victory lap, Andrews dropped in with the intention to add more technicality to her run and bump her winning score even higher. A couple of small bobbles resulted in her run one score being her top score of the day.

There were two New Zealand men competing in the freeski slopestyle finals. Harper Souness (Queenstown, 16) finished in fifth position and Luca Harrington (Wānaka, 18), Big Air silver medallist, finished in thirteenth position.

While the freeskiers were throwing down on the slopestyle course the snowboarders were getting to work on the Big Air jump.

Dane Menzies (Wānaka based, 16) finished just off the podium in fourth place and Txema Mazet-Brown (Raglan, 15) finished in eighth place.