11.02 Canada’s Howell Goes Big to Win First Olympic Ski Slopestyle Gold

ROSA KHUTOR, Russia, February 11 (R-Sport) – Canadian Dara Howell soared as several of her top rivals crashed out Tuesday to win the first-ever Olympic gold medal in slopestyle.

Howell’s first run combined speed and big air for an almost unheard-of score of 94.20 points in the discipline, a festival of tricks on rails and jumps.

“That will go down in history. I am so proud,” Howell said. “It’s huge for Canada. I’m happy to bring home another gold medal for Canada. The hard work has paid off.”

After several star names failed to make the final and others crashed out, the silver medal went to Devin Logan of the United States with a score of 85.40, with the bronze for Canadian Kim Lamarre with 85.00.

Howell, from Ontario, was competing with two stitches in her nose after a bizarre incident in which she knocked a bedside lamp onto her face after waking up.

Logan said everyone involved had to cope with challenging conditions as warm temperatures made landing conditions tricky.

“Today we just got some warm weather so the snow got kind of mushy,” she said. “Conditions could have been a little better. It could have been sunny, bluebirds, and the course could have held up a little bit.”

Lamarre recovered from a fall on her first run to produce a solid second attempt, edging Australia’s Anna Segal out of the podium.

“I feel like I’m still sleeping this morning, dreaming. This is surreal,” Lamarre said.