Christy Prior Wins Snowboard Slope in Aspen

New Zealander Christy Prior (pictured centre) has won the women’s snowboard slopestyle competition at the US Grand Prix in Snowmass, Aspen, boosting her chances at making it to the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea next month.

“Obviously winning is insane, but for me, coming back from injury, I was just trying to chase points for trying to get into the Olympics,” Prior said. “I don’t want to say I’m definitely in or not, because I’ve only done a couple of contests because of injuries. So I needed to podium.”

There is still a World Cup event this week in Laax, Switzerland, that will determine whether Prior gets to return to the Olympics, although she feels she is in a good spot. Prior competed for New Zealand in slopestyle at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, making it into the semifinal round.

After runs of 56.52 and 22.30 in Snowmass, she wasn’t in a good spot heading into her third and final run of the competition. No problem for the 29-year-old veteran, however, as she put down a final run of 77.06 to get the win.

“It’s so relieving, especially against these girls,” Prior said of landing her final run. “I put one down at first and it kind of builds confidence, but when that run doesn’t hold, you are like, ‘Oh no, can I do better?’ It’s not the first time I’ve been in the pressure-cooker situation, but I don’t like being there, let’s just say that much.”

Prior was born in Okehampton, Devon, UK.

Original article by Austin Colbert, The Aspen Times, January 12, 2018.

Photo by Mark Clavin.