ST. MORITZ, Switzerland (AP) — American snowboarder Chloe Kim and Australia's Scotty James won the halfpipe gold medals at the world championships on Saturday.
Kim scored 93.50 in her first run during the women’s final for her third world title after wins in 2019 and 2021. She did not compete at the last edition.
The 15-year-old Sara Shimizu from Japan claimed silver with 90.75, while compatriot Mitsuki Ono took bronze with 88.50.
James claimed his fourth title in the men’s final after a second run score of 95.00. Japanese snowboarders again completed the podium with Ruka Hirano winning silver and Yuto Totsuka taking bronze.
James previously won back-to-back titles in 2015, 2017 and 2019 before finishing fifth at the last worlds.
“I wanted to come back and finish it on top. To have won four world titles, I’m pinching myself,” James said.
In freestyle big air, Italian teenager Flora Tabanelli rebounded from a fall in her second run to beat Swiss favorite Sarah Hoefflin to the gold medal by six points.
Finland's Anni Karava was third.
The 17-year-old Tabanelli capped a remarkable season in which she won the World Cup season titles in big air and park and pipe.
Luca Harrington of New Zealand won the men's title. He'd already clinched the gold after the first two runs scored in the 90s, then outdid them in a third run worth 95.25.
Like Tabanelli, Harrington was the World Cup season big air champion.
Elias Syrja of Finland was second and Birk Ruud of Norway, the slopestyle world champion, was third.
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The Associated Press
