Callister wins maiden World Cup medal

NSWIS snowboarder Kent Callister claimed the first World Cup medal of his career early Monday AEDT with a strong performance at the snowboard half-pipe event in the USA.

Competing in just the seventh World Cup event of his career, Callister posted a score of 88.50 points in the final to finish behind China’s Yiwei Zang and American Taylor Gold. Included in Callister’s final run was a front-side double cork 1080, which he said was crucial to the bronze medal victory.

“I don’t think I would have been able to get on the podium today without that last trick,” Callister admitted to the Olympic Winter Institute of Australia following the event.

“It was a super good contest and I was riding really well,” Callister said. “I had a lot of fun.

"It was probably the best run I’ve ever done."

Fellow NSWIS athlete Nate Johnstone finished in 11th place, while Holly Crawford finished eighth in the women’s snowboard half-pipe.