Swiss Pro Slalom

In the final, gusting winds did not stop all 5 women making it into 10.75m (39.5’ off) with Nicholson (USA) saving her best until last with 3@10.75m.  McClintock-Rini set the bar high with 5 on that line length, leading with two to go. Jaquess had a great start at 10.75m but missed the handle out of buoy 2, managing to hold on with her wrist just long enough to score 2.5. Bull, who has been back on the water for just a few weeks after a winter season on snow, surprised everyone – including herself -by scoring 1@10.25m again to take the victory. So, the podium was Bull, McClintock-Rini, Nicholson; Jaquess’ undefeated streak at Swiss finally coming to an end with 4^th place.

The men’s competition was a story of exceptional scores from unexpected quarters, surprisingly low-key performances from some of the sport’s biggest stars and impressive skiing from the contingent of young guns (with 6 of those on the start list aged between 16 and 20). Fourth off the dock with 20 to go, one of those youngsters was 18-year-old Lucas Cornale (AUS). The Junior Moomba Champion, looking cool as a cucumber, laid down the gauntlet with an astonishing 3@10.25m (41’ off), equalling his PB.  By the end of the first round, the teenager was in a log-jam of 8 skiers on the same score and tied in second spot behind one of the ‘oldies’, GB’s Will Asher (4@10.25m). By the end of the second round another three skiers were on 3@10.25m. 

A notable absence from the 8-man final was the reigning World and Moomba Masters Champion, Freddie Winter (GBR) who had made the podium at every pro event he entered in 2023. With an inferior first round score of 0.5 @ 10.25m, his 3 @10.25m in round two was enough only for 9^th place. Other big names to miss out were two-time World Champion, Thomas Degasperi (ITA), Dane Mechler (USA) and Jonathan Travers (USA).

The world record holder and six-time winner at Swiss, Nate Smith (USA), found himself in an unfamiliar position as first on the water in the final. Clearly not yet at his best this early in the season, his 2@10.25m left the door wide open. In the end, the three finalists from Great Britain responded best. The overall world record holder, Joel Poland, scored 3@10.25m.  Then his childhood friend and rival, Rob Hazelwood, showed his consistency with his third 3@10.25m of the day.  Finally, Hazelwood’s cousin, 41-year-old Will Asher (respectively 17 and 16 years older than Hazelwood and Poland) did just enough to beat his compatriots with 3.5 @ 10.25m to take his second Swiss Pro title. So, it was a GB clean sweep: Asher, Hazelwood (second with a superior back up score), Poland.  Well worth a mention is 18-year-old Charlie Ross, the U17 and U21 world record holder from Canada.  He finished just off the podium in 4^th – and ahead of Nate Smith – with 2@10.25m, having got into that line length in all three rounds.