(Reuters)China’s Eileen Gu took a chaotic route to the quit of the podium in the halfpipe competitors at the FIS Freestyle Ski World Cup in Calgary this week after briefly shedding her passport and nearly missing her flight to Canada.
Gu beat American Hanna Faulhaber and Canadian Rachael Karker on Thursday for a 2nd halfpipe World Cup buy this season but arriving in time for the occasion became as soon as a victory in itself for the 18-year-worn, who’s tipped to buy gold in the Beijing Olympics.
“Yesterday I became as soon as in a definite nation with a misplaced passport and had no design how I became as soon as going to salvage right here,” acknowledged Gu, who arrived at the Canada Olympic Park for the first time finest on the day of competitors.
“But I figured it out at the closing moment, got to my flight, became as soon as the closing person on my flight, forgot my phone charger, no mother, no coach… all the pieces became as soon as compatible more or less chaotic.”
Gu spent 45 minutes coaching at the venue sooner than striking on a ambitious urge that incorporated signature moves as well to a original mixture — left alley-oop flat 540 nonetheless into a real alley-oop flat 540 security — to enact popular.
“I have been talking to my mother and my coach on the chairlift and getting incredible improve from my chums right here, so or no longer it has been compatible,” Gu added.
“We made it work. I a truly worthy to arrive abet out right here and be pleased a fair correct time… That became as soon as the aim and I had a broad time tonight.”
Gu tops the World Cup halfpipe leaderboard with 200 aspects, followed by Karker with 140, and Faulhaber with 125.
The Winter Games originate on Feb. 4.
