Strong start to northern hemisphere season for Kiwi freeskier + snowboarder

New Zealand winter Olympians Tiarn Collins and Finn Bilous have started the Northern Hemisphere winter season with a bang, both finishing eighth in the Big Air World Cup finals held in Modena, Italy. 

For Queenstown snowboarder Tiarn Collins the World Cup marked his first competition in six months, after he sustained a shoulder injury.

The 18-year-old threw down a backside 1440, followed by a switch backside 1260 in the finals for his 8^th placing.

Above: Collins competing

Collins says he’s “stoked to be back in the mix” and “super happy” to have made the finals in his first competition back from injury.

For Freeskier Finn Bilous the competition was only his second time competing in a city Big Air competition.

“This was also my first finals under the lights, so I was hyped to be riding in that electric environment,” he explains.

One of the biggest Big Air jumps seen on the World Cup circuit so far, the man-made structure of steel and snow stood 46m tall and 130m long, with the steep, narrow drop in adding to the challenge.

Above: Bilous competing

Bilous landed scoring runs of a switch 1260, followed by a slightly under rotated forwards right triple 1440 which would see him finish eighth overall.

“I was really happy to make it through to the finals after two heavy qualification heats,” said Bilous.

“I decided to go all in for finals and try to put down two triple cork variations for my jumps. I was gutted to only be able to put down one of my triples; however, I went in to the finals with an all-or-nothing mentality so I’m happy to have given it a good crack tonight.”