Gu Ailing of China celebrates on the podium after winning the women's freeski halfpipe event at the FIS World Cup in Calgary, Canada, December 30, 2021. /CFP
China's Gu Ailing clinched victory in the women's freeski halfpipe World Cup race in Calgary, Canada, on Thursday, to make it four top finishes in a month, with one month to go before Winter Olympics in Beijing.
Gu, 18, topped the board with 96.80 points, ahead of U.S. skier Hanna Faulhaber at 92.80 points and Rachael Karker of Canada with 90.2 points.
Fellow Chinese skiers Zhang Kexin and Li Fanghui finished fourth and fifth respectively.
Gu Ailing of China competes during the women's freeski halfpipe event at the FIS World Cup in Calgary, Canada, December 30, 2021. /CFP
Gu's third World Cup victory this season came after she won the Big Air World Cup in Steamboat, Colorado, on December 4, and the freeski halfpipe on December 10 at Copper Mountain. She also won Dew Tour halfpipe at Copper Mountain on December 17.
"Leading up to the Olympics, I think that being able to manage pressure is the single biggest thing that I could improve on and I'm really, really happy with my progress this season," Gu said after the race.