Guseli wins Australia’s second halfpipe gold in Calgary

Australian snowboard star Valentino Guseli has claimed his first World Cup victory since February 2024, delivering a gold medal performance in Calgary, Canada. The victory capped a historic day for Australia’s winter sport youth movement, following 15-year-old Indra Brown’s breakthrough win in the women’s freeski halfpipe earlier in the day.

The 20-year-old New South Wales Institute of Sport (NSWIS) scholarship holder from the NSW South Coast now boasts three World Cup wins, all on Canadian snow, two in Calgary’s halfpipe and one in big air at Edmonton.

Guseli carried his strong form from a podium finish at Copper Mountain, USA, into Calgary, qualifying first for the finals.

In the best-of-two-run night showdown, he opened with an unbeatable score of 87.75 points, securing the win before his second run and turning it into a celebratory “victory lap.”

His gold medal run featured a stylish backside alley-oop 360, cab double cork 1080, frontside 1260, backside 720 and switch backside 900, with all tricks completed with grabs. 

Swiss rider David Habluetzel finished second with 80 points, while Patrick Burgener of Brazil was third on 79.25.

“It was great, it was the most fun run I have had it this pipe all week, so happy to end my time in this pipe off like that,” said Guseli after completing his victory lap final run.

“I am stoked, Calgary has always treated me very nicely, and I was really happy to be back in Canada after a two-year hiatus. Feels good to be back on the top step and looking forward to pushing for more. “

“There are so many Aussies in Canada, so I really feel the Aussie love here, but also everyone in Canada is so nice, so thank you.”

In the women’s snowboard halfpipe, Australians Emily Arthur finished 14th, Misaki Vaughan 15th, and Amelie Haskell 18th.

Olympic Winter Institute of Australia (OWIA)