Monster Energy Athletes Claim Victories At 2024 Tignes FIS Freeski & Snowboard World Cup
We have a new King of Big Air! Monster Energy congratulates team rider Alex Hall on taking first place in the FIS Freeski World Cup in Tignes, France. In the heated Men's Freeski Big Air competition the 25-year-old from Park City, Utah, soared above the competition to claim his third World Cup win of the season and earn his first Crystal Globe trophy as the World Champion in the discipline. Teammate Olivia Asselin takes third in Women's Freeski Slopestyle.
Also claiming a victory at the Tignes Mountain Shaker, 19-year-old Kokomo Murase from Gifu, Japan, took the win in Women's Snowboard Slopestyle, and Taiga Hasegawa from Iwakura, Japan, claimed third place in Men's Snowboard Slopestyle.
From March 9 -16, the Tignes Mountain Shaker brought some of the world's premier freeski and snowboard athletes to the French mountains. The action sports festival featured concerts, film screenings, and fan activations alongside several high-profile World Cup events sanctioned by the World Ski Federation (FIS).
On Friday night, the Freeski Big Air competition finished the 2023/2024 FIS World Cup season in the discipline by crowning Crystal Globe winners. On Saturday, freeski and snowboard athletes competed in the penultimate Slopestyle discipline World Cup of the season.
Men's Freeski Big Air: Alex Hall Clinches Victory and Career-First Crystal Globe in Discipline
With energy levels riding high, the Men's Freeski Big Air final on Friday night escalated into a trick showdown for the ages. As riders threw down never-been-done tricks and boundary-pushing moves, 25-year-old Alex Hall from Park City, Utah, rose above the rest of the pack.
Unfazed by the high level of competition, Hall proceeded to display his signature blend of technical control and unique trick selection. On his first run, the Olympic gold medalist put down a rightside 1080 bring-back to 900 safety grab for 90.50 points.
Sealing his victory, he landed a flawless switch left tailbutter 1800 opposite Japan for a whopping 96.00 points. With a combined score of 186.50 points, Hall claimed his third victory of the 2023/24 FIS World Cup season as well as his career-first Crystal Globe trophy.
"I'm so hyped! I've been competing a long time but never got the Globe, so it feels really good to get one," said Monster Energy's Hall upon claiming the Men's Freeski Big Air victory in Tignes on Friday.
"The crowd was so sick tonight. The jump was great. I was nervous for that last jump but stoked to put it down and put on a show with all the boys and girls tonight. It was sweet," said Hall.
Snowboard Slopestyle: Kokomo Murase Claims Victory in Women's Event, Taiga Hasegawa Takes Third Place in Men's Final
Saturday marked the first time for Snowboard Slopestyle competitions to be showcased at the Tignes Mountain Shaker. Under blue skies, the Women's Snowboard Slopestyle contest saw 19-year-old Kokomo Murase from Gifu, Japan, claim first place in an international field.
After struggling to land her first run, Murase found her groove on the second attempt. She put together frontside double cork 1080 truckdriver on the first jump, into a backside 720 mute grab on the second hit, followed by backside bluntslide 270 out the waterfall rail, 50-50 backside 180 the donkey kick rail, and switch back blunt 270 melon the canon rail, and a huge Caballerial 900 mute grab on the last jump for 90.00 points and the win.
The victory in Tignes marks Murase's first Slopestyle win in two years and sixth FIS World Cup victory of her career.
In the competitive Men's Snowboard Slopestyle final, 18-year-old Taiga Hasegawa from Iwakura, Japan, claimed third place. Charging the course with speed, Hasegawa hit the first jump with a massive backside 1260 melon into a Caballerial 1440 tailgrab. In the rail section, he finessed Caballerial 270 on 270 out the waterfall rail, 50-50 to backside bluntslide 270 out the A-frame, and frontside bluntslide 810 out the canon rail. On the final jump, he threw a switch backside triple 1440 mute grab for 85.00 points and third place.
Women's Freeski Slopestyle: Canadian Team Rider Olivia Asselin Takes Third Place
The Women's Freeski Slopestyle final concluded with a Monster Energy rider claiming a podium spot: Hailing from Québec City, Canada, 20-year-old Olivia Asselin took third place in an elite field.
In Run 2 of the final, Asselin put down a huge rightside rodeo 540, 450 off the canon rail, and a big left cork 900 tailgrab on the final jump for a 74.81-points score and third place, the second FIS World Cup podium of her career.
Next up, stay tuned for the final event of the 2023/24 FIS Snowboard season with Slopestyle competitions at Silvaplana's Corvatsch in Switzerland from March 21-23. Don't miss it!
For more on Alex Hall, Kokomo Murase, Taiga Hasegawa, Olivia Asselin, and the Monster Energy snow sports team, visit http://www.monsterenergy.com. Follow Monster Energy on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and TikTok for exclusive updates as the 2024 snow sports season continues.
