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China's Cai Xuetong wins overall Snowboard World Cup halfpipe title at Laax
Updated 21:18, 16-Jan-2022
CGTN
Chinese Cai Xuetong in action during the women's halfpipe final at the FIS Snowboard World Cup at Mammoth Mountain in California, U.S., January 8, 2022. /CFP

Chinese Cai Xuetong in action during the women's halfpipe final at the FIS Snowboard World Cup at Mammoth Mountain in California, U.S., January 8, 2022. /CFP

China's Cai Xuetong won her seventh crystal globe of the International Ski Federation (FIS) Snowboard World Cup at Laax, Switzerland, on Saturday, finishing seventh in women's half-pipe, with American Chloe Kim topping the podium.

Though the season-ending World Cup bid presented Cai with a bit of disappointment, she still managed to top the overall standing with superb performances from the previous stops. She won the title at Copper Mountain in December 2021, and went on to finish second at Mammoth Mountain last week.  

Pyeongchang Winter Olympics champion Kim won the title on her first attempt, pocketing 90.25 points. Japanese teenage talent Ono Mitsuki, who swept a score of 89 in her second run, finished second. Spanish veteran Queralt Castellet was third.

On the men's side, two-time Olympic silver medalist Hirano Ayumu won the title, while Swiss Jan Scherrer and American Shaun White finished second and third, respectively.

White, 35, has secured a berth at the upcoming Winter Olympics in Beijing after placing third in Laax, and will embrace his fifth Olympic campaign soon.

Earlier in the afternoon in the slopestyle finals, Sean Fitzsimons of the U.S. clinched his maiden World Cup title with 80.91 points, while Australia's Tess Coady won the women's title. China's young talent Su Yiming placed 10th due to errors in both runs.

(With input from Xinhua)

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