Snowboard: Gasser celebrates first victory of the season in Beijing

Olympic champion Anna Gasser has achieved her first success of the season in the Big Air World Cup. Like the Carinthian, her friend Clemens Millauer finished third on the podium in Beijing on Saturday, for the Upper Austrian it was the first podium place ever.

Gasser triumphed on Saturday in the “Vogelnest” stadium with 182.25 points, clearly ahead of the Japanese Miyabi Onitsuka (176.00) and the Canadian Laurie Blouin (156.00). “I’m very happy that I’m back on the top podium,” cheered the 27-year-old world champion.

Austria’s Sportswoman of the Year recently took third place in Modena, but had missed the season opener in New Zealand due to a training deficit after an injury. This is another reason why the defending champion is behind in the overall standings. Before the last final competition, which will take place in Quebec only in mid-March, she is missing a full 800 points with 1,600 points on Onitsuka and the two-time winner of the season Reira Iwabuchi, who is on the same level.

Millauer was able to celebrate his premiere on the podium at the Olympic venue of 2022 after fifth places as top results so far. The 23-year-old only had to bow to the Swede Sven Thorgren (184.00) and the Japanese Takeru Otsuka (176.25) with 169.00 points. In the overall standings Millauer (1,340) is well behind Otsuka (2,600) and Chris Corning (2,090) in third place.