Fin Melville Ives recounts Olympics crash after claiming freeski halfpipe crystal globe

Fin Melville Ives won X Games gold and the FIS crystal globe, but was injured during the Winter Olympics. Photos / Photosport, Fin Melville Ives

Sitting in Laax, Switzerland, recovering from a crash at the Olympics, Kiwi freeskier Fin Melville Ives was looking on the bright side.

It’s an easy thing to do when it glistens, illuminated by an X Games gold medal and a crystal globe.

The reigning world champion in the freeski halfpipe, Melville Ives went into the Olympics as the gold medal favourite. However, back-to-back crashes in qualifying resulted in him missing a spot in the Olympic final.

The second crash was particularly scary, as the impact on his landing caused the 19-year-old to fold over and hit his head on the snow beneath him. He was knocked out instantly and had to be carried from the snow by medical staff.

“My first run of qualifying, I crashed and pulled my ski off, so I stepped back my run a little to dial it back. Then I ended up going really deep on a trick and crashing and getting knocked out and breaking my collarbone,” Melville Ives recalled to the Herald.

“It was just one of those ones that is just a random event really. I’ve done that trick a million times and haven’t crashed it all season, so just unfortunate that it happened at the Olympics.”

After being assessed for injury, he was diagnosed with a broken collarbone. In the initial aftermath, Melville Ives had plans to return to the snow during competition season, but surgery ultimately put an end to any hopes that he would be back before the end of the campaign.

That came at the weekend, with Melville Ives being awarded the crystal globe as the top points scorer in the halfpipe during the International Ski and Snowboard Federation season.

Melville Ives topped the standings thanks to a roaring start to the campaign, with World Cup wins at Secret Garden in China and Buttermilk in the United States, as well as a second in Calgary, Canada. He became the first New Zealander to win a freeski halfpipe crystal globe.

“It was pretty surreal. It was super swag, honestly. I couldn’t believe it,” he said of winning the crystal globe.

It was a perfect way to cap off the year after he had claimed his maiden X Games gold medal in Aspen, USA, in January; his personal highlight of the year.

“It’s a pretty crazy year for me, so I’m honestly just super grateful to be healthy and happy and it’s been more than what I could have dreamt of. Even though the Olympics didn’t go my way, I’m just still really grateful.”

Christopher Reive joined the Herald sports team in 2017, bringing the same versatility to his coverage as he does to his sports viewing habits.