Killi and Ruud sweep top of podium for Norway at slopestyle season-opener in Stubai

Second place for the women went to two-time Stubai winner Kelly Sildaru of Estonia, who put down another typically solid run – including a switch left 720 mute to switch right 900 reverse tail through the jumps, and a left foot front swap to 270 pretzel out on the final rail feature – but had to settle for a score of 78.22 and the runner-up result this time around.

The podium was Sildaru’s 12th in 14 career World Cup starts, making for a run of consistency that’s one of the most impressive in FIS Freeski World Cup history, and which seems destined to continue well into the future for the 20-year-old.

Landing in third place for her first career World Cup podium was the USA’s Grace Henderson, as the 21-year-old stepped things up in a big way on her second run, with tricks like a switch right 900 tail grab on her first hit, and a right slide to 630 off on her first rail for a score 76.58.

RUUD MAKES IT TWO-FOR-TWO TO OPEN 2022/23

After claiming last season’s Freeski overall crystal globe with three wins and four podiums in five World Cup competitions, Birk Ruud has come out firing even harder so far in 2022/23, following up his victory at the Big Air Chur season-opener with another outstanding performance for the win in Stubai.

There are few who would disagree that Ruud is the most complete freeskier in the game right now, and his performance on Saturday in a stacked finals did nothing if not prove that point further while the 22-year-old locked down his 10th career World Cup win.

Ruud opened up his winning first run with a switch right double cork 1620 safety, followed by a left double bio 1440 mute through the two jumps, before going right foot backside 810 off on the first rail, and then a switch left 270 back swap 360 to forward, and finally a right side 450 on to 270 pretzel out on the final rail feature, riding out to a score of 88.96 and his second straight victory in Stubai.

“To me there’s two things – to stay present, and to have good preparations,” Ruud said when asked how he manages to rise to the occasion at seemingly every competition, “Those are the only things that matter. So if you ask me what’s going through my mind when I ski, I would just say there’s nothing. I’m completely present. I don’t think about anything, I’m just right in the moment. That’s something I’ve been practicing and it’s a beautiful thing when it works out.

“My mental training is good and my preparations (leading up to the competitions) are good and I think that’s what allows me to be one of the best.”