World Championships Silver for GB Skier Zoe Atkin
4th March 2023
Last modified on March 30th, 2023
The 20-year-old X Games Champion was just pipped to the top spot, but took silver in the ski halfpipe final. It was the only medal for GB on the final day of the Freestyle World Championships in Bakuriani, Georgia and adds to the two snowboard gold medals earlier this week.
She had been leading after two of the three runs with a big second run score of 94.50.
She couldn’t improve on that in run three and could only watch as the final two skiers hit the pipe.
She was beaten by Hanna Faulhaber of the USA with a score of 95.75.
“Amazing. I’m really stoked,” Zoe said.
“I’m three for three on podiums this year, so that’s really exciting! Last World Champs I ended up with a bronze, so I’m really stoked to get the next one up this year.”
It's SILVER for @zoeaatkin at the Halfpipe World Championships🥈🌟
Congratulations @zoeaatkin on an amazing 2nd place at the @fisfreestyle Halfpipe World Championships 🥹👏#gbsnowsport #rubiconraw pic.twitter.com/xJHVZm4U5k
— GB Snowsport (@GBSnowsport) March 4, 2023
Conditions were tricky for the skiers with a mix of rain and sunshine.
“Honestly, it was pretty tough. It wasn’t as bad as I expected it to be because yesterday was pouring with rain, so I was expecting to ski in the rain today, but honestly I had really bad training,” she said.
“I didn’t really do any of my tricks, so I’m just stoked to be able to put one down. And then to be able to get onto the podium, I’m so proud.”
2023 World Championships ski halfpipe results screengrab
GB Snowsport Head Coach, Pat Sharples, was full of praise for Zoe.
“Another incredible performance from Zoe which continues her best season ever,” he said.
“After her win at X Games she was really confident coming into this event and it showed in her skiing. We’re all super proud of Zoe.”
Vicky Gosling, the GB Snowsport Chief Executive said they were all delighted for Zoe.
“At just 20 years old, to have her second World Championships medal under her belt is an amazing achievement, and another huge moment in what’s proving to be an astonishing season for British skiers and snowboarders.”
Zoe Atkin, silver medallist at 2023 World Championships. Image c/o GB Snowsport
GB had two more chances of medals on Saturday from the teenagers, Mia Brookes and Kirsty Muir.
Both just missed out.
Mia Brookes, the 16-year-old who made headlines worldwide when she won the snowboard slopestyle earlier this week, could not do the double.
She qualified in first position in the big air but couldn’t match her slopestyle heroics when it came to final.
She finished in 5th place.
5️⃣th place for @mia_brookes at the @fissnowboard Big Air World Championships 🤩💪
Congratulations Mia, on this incredible result at the @fissnowboard World Championships 🥵#gbsnowsport pic.twitter.com/nlH2lgA2CY
— GB Snowsport (@GBSnowsport) March 4, 2023
Next up was 18-year-old Kirsty Muir in the ski big air.
She had to sit out the ski slopestyle earlier in the Championships with a minor groin injury but went into the big air final having qualified in top spot.
She was third after run one.
She moved up to first place after run two, taking advantage of errors from the top two skiers, Tess Ledeux of France and Canada’s Megan Oldham.
With two of the three runs to count, those two pulled it off, as did Norway’s Sandra Eie.
While Kirsty posted a good score of 83.50, it wasn’t enough and she was pushed off the podium into 4th, just three points off a bronze medal.
Ski Big Air results, 2023 World Championships. Image c/o BBC Screengrab
Kirsty Muir coming in hot with an incredible 4️⃣th place at the @FISfreestyle Big Air World Championships today 🤩🔥
Congratulations to Kirsty and the entire team 👏💪#gbsnowsport pic.twitter.com/MBlpXnqwyE
— GB Snowsport (@GBSnowsport) March 4, 2023
It’s been GB’s best ever Freestyle World Championships.
They end it with two golds, one silver and those 4th and 5th place finishes.
As well as Mia Brookes’ gold, Charlotte Bankes & Huw Nightingale won gold in the Snowboard Cross Team event.
It could have been more.
Mia Brookes and Kirsty Muir were unlucky not to pick up medals in big air.
Charlotte Bankes – who was the defending women’s snowboard cross champion – unexpectedly crashed out in the first round of her individual competition.
They youngsters will have another chance at the next World Championships in 2 years’ time.
And there’s the small matter of the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina…..
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MAIN PHOTO: © Fis Freestyle
