MOGUL SKIING –
Central Coast local, Matt Graham, has won the International Ski Federation’s World Cup Crystal Globe title in Almaty, Kazakhstan, after a long 2020-2021 Series.
Heading into the final event, Graham had an 18 point lead in the standings, solidified after his silver medal placement in the World Championships dual moguls run earlier in the week.
On this final day, a number of delays were announced due to snow and bad visibility, and after waiting as long as they could, event organisers were forced to cancel the competition and Graham was crowned World Cup champion.
The 26-year-old is the first Australian male since Dale Begg-Smith in 2010 to win the Crystal Globe, having won one gold, one silver and a bronze World Cup medal, finishing on 289 points, ahead of Frenchman, Benjamin Cavet on 271 and Ludavig Fjallstrom of Sweden in third place with 258 points.
“I am very excited and very happy to have earnt this, the Crystal Globe is one of those things I have always wanted competing in mogul skiing,” said the 2018 Olympic silver medallist.
“We arrived overseas in November not even sure if events would happen.
“We more or less came over with the intention to train as much as we can and if we got to compete that would be a bonus.
“Winning the globe would be the highlight of my season, it’s been a bit of a rollercoaster, some events didn’t necessarily go my way and I didn’t ski that great, but I managed to hang in there and get enough results and a few podiums to be on top when it counted.”
Graham’s teammate, Brodie Summers, finished the season in fifth place on the standings, the highest end of season ranking of the 27-year-old’s career, with Jakara Anthony the highest ranked Australian female in tenth.
Source:
Media Release, Mar 15
Olympic Winter Institute of Australia