Slopestyle winner Emil Johansson. Photo / Clint Tahran
Slopestyle winner Emil Johansson. Photo / Clint Tahran
After seeing mind-blowing practice footage flooding in all week, expectations going into the Maxxis Slopestyle in Memory of McGazza were high to say the least.
Run after run of progression, in the end it was Emil Johansson who came out on top.
As Johansson’s 10th Crankworx slopestyle victory, this mayhave been his most technical run yet.
Seeing 360 barspin to double downside whips both ways and a new flat drop flip x-up to start a heater of a run.
“Feeling great, kind of lost for words, honestly,” the 23-year-old Swede said.
“... To play a part in the progression and to see it all step by step, we all get better and better by riding and that goes for everyone. Everyone is evolving all the time and that’s what keeps competitions fun and interesting.”
In second place was Dawid Godziek, coming closer to matching Johansson’s score than anybody has seen in recent years. With tricks like a cashroll barspin on the stepdown and a twister no-hander on one of the top features, this looks to be an exciting season as Godziek is nipping at Johansson’s heels.
“It’s a big relief to start the season ahead on the podium in a diamond event. I couldn’t be more happy. I am coming to Cairns for sure. Now I have some points in the overall, so I am going to fight for the overall result in the season.”
Tom Isted put down an absolutely amazing run, finding himself on his first Crankworx slopestyle podium.
Image 1 of 19: Jonty Taylor from Waikato with his sons Cohen Taylor, 14, and Ryder Taylor, 9. Photo / Maryana Garcia
Feeling much more confident on course this year and clearly having a solid off season, this is looking to be a great season for Isted.
“I’ve always been the bubble guy,” the British rider said.
“This is the first full season where I have been guaranteed into the contest and end up on the podium so all the hard work over the winter paid off. I felt more confident on course, the course is definitely laid out better than it was for me last year so it suited my riding style way more.
“A few changes happened to the course from last year to this year, and they suited my riding style way more than they did before so it flowed a little bit faster, which means a bit more tricks so it worked a lot better for me.”
