Ruka, Finland - (13 December 2013) Wanaka snowboarder, Rebecca Bex Sinclair has won the silver medal in the second halfpipe contest of the FIS Snowboard World Cup season which was staged in Ruka, Finland, today. Bex was the top qualifier in the earlier qualifying rounds but was just pipped for the top spot in finals by Chinese rider Shuang Li. Clemence Grimal of France placed third.
It was a tight one, explained Bexs coach Tom Willmott after the event. Bex was leading until the second to last run but got bumped by Shuang Li.
Todays result will have a significant impact on Rebecca Sinclairs Olympic qualifying campaign. Rebecca had to sit out most of the last northern hemisphere season due to injury. However, she has remained focused on rehab and on making the cut for the Winter Olympic Games to be staged in Sochi, Russia in February 2014. Rebecca was also a member of the New Zealand team which competed at the Vancouver Games in 2010.
Talking about todays outcome, Rebecca described herself as super happy, it means I get a bunch of Olympic Qualifying points.
Rebecca and coach Tom Willmott will now travel to Copper Mountain, Colorado to join other members of the Snow Sports NZ park and pipe team. The team will compete in freeski and snowboard halfpipe and slopestyle world cups events at Copper Mountainn from 18 22 December.
Final result ladies: http://data.fis-ski.com/pdf/2014/SB/7197/7197RLR0.pdf