Melbourne teenager Indra Brown has continued her incredible World Cup debut halfpipe season with her first gold medal performance in Calgary, Canada. The NSW Institute of Sport (NSWIS) scholarship holder now boasts three consecutive podium finishes since her debut in early December, making it one of the most impressive starts to a career at her age in winter sports history.

Brown clamed bronze on debut in China in early December, followed by silver in the USA before Christmas, and now gold in Canada. Her victory equals a record set by Sweden’s Jennie-Lee Burmansson during the 2017–2018 season, when Burmansson, also 15 at the time, opened her World Cup slopestyle career with a second, first, and third-place finish.

Brown has also made history for Australia, becoming the first Australian skier to secure more than two Freeski Halfpipe World Cup podiums, surpassing Davina Williams and Amy Sheehan, who each claimed two.

In a best-of-two-run final under light snow and flat light conditions, Brown opened strongly with a score of 85.20 points that no skier was able to match. 

Her podium run included a leftside 900 safety grab, rightside 900 safety grab, leftside 720 safety grab, switch rightside 540, switch leftside 360 mute grab and finished with an alley-oop 360 japan grab.

China’s Kexin Zhang claimed silver with 84.20 points, while American Svea Irving took bronze on 83.20.

“I’m really excited and happy to be here, and excited for more,” said the Victorian high school student.

In the men’s competition, American Nick Goepper claimed the top spot, with Finley Melville Ives taking second and fellow American Birk Irving rounding out the podium in third.

The victory sees Brown move into first place on the World Cup standings with 240 points, ahead of Zhang (185) and Great Britain’s Zoe Atkin (180), who did not compete in Calgary.

Olympic Winter Institute of Australia (OWIA)

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