Big in Japan – Big in Chur
Mari Fukada and Taiga Hasegawa from Japan win the FIS Snowboard World Cup in Chur in front of an enthusiastic crowd

For the fourth time, Big Air Chur in Graubünden opens the winter season for freestyle pros from all
over the world and celebrates the end of the festival season with hip music. With a great atmosphere,
the spotlights are switched on at 8 PM for the Big Air night final in snowboarding, which the women
start. Three runs, two will be counted and … it’s off from the 41 metre high start tower down to the
kicker, into the air and then to a safe landing in the finish area, where a snowboard-loving crowd cheers
the riders on! Booyah!

For the fourth time, a Japanese rider takes a commanding victory in the female snowboarder category:
Mari Fukada wins her first Big Air World Cup at the age of 17 ahead of two internationally established
riders in Chur: “The conditions on the ramp are great today. I’m having a lot of fun. Thanks to everyone,
thanks Switzerland!” Two incredible tricks – frontside 1080 and backside 1260 – earns her first place.
Team-mate Reira Iwabuchi, Big Air Chur winner in 2022, comes closest to her, in second. Laurie Blouin,
the experienced Canadian who won Olympic silver, ranks third. “I’m happy to be on the podium. It’s
been a while since I felt that good and tonight everything lined up. It’s one of the best events ever just
for the vibe,’ she said before taking over the dj job in the riders lounge.

The ten men trick performances are also astonishing. The youngsters in particular, impress the team
of judges led by Italian Arianna Cau. And so, three youngsters beam from the podium. 18-year-old
Taiga Hasegawa with nerves of steel, takes the lead with an outstanding third run. The huge frontside
1800 and the cab-1800 from round 1 earns him his first Big Air Chur title. Rocco Jamieson, also 18,
performs a world cup premiere: backside rodeo indy pretzel switch backside rodeo. A backside rodeo
in which he changed the direction of rotation in the air. The New Zealander lands in second place: “I’m
so stoked to put down my new trick. It’s a little scary but I was so hyped. That was my first time I did it
in a comp. It’s the best place to do it here in front of that crowd. I couldn’t image anything better.”

The highest individual trick score of the evening (91.50) is awarded to Frenchman Romain Allemand
(17 years old) for his frontside 1800. In combination with his second trick, he ultimately comes in third.
After lively performances by Wanda and Nemo on the live stage and the fast-paced action spectacle
of the eighteen riders on the biggest ramp in Switzerland, fans, guests, visitors and freestyle teams
dance into the night at the final live act by Paul Kalkbrenner with many also going to the after-parties.
For the fourth time, over 20,000 spectators revel in the two freestyle days at Big Air Chur and would
look forward to a new edition in the 2025/2026 season. This year’s season is duly opened, thanks to a
top-organised Big Air Chur.