Sport

Rocco Jamieson claims snowboard bronze at Junior World Champs

08:00 am on 28 March 2024

Men's Snowboard Slopestyle top 5. From left, Brooklyn Depriest (USA) in 1st, Romain Allemand (FRA) in 2nd, Rocco Jamieson (NZL) in 3rd, Pyry Posio (FIN) in 4th & Eli Bouchard (CAN) in 5th. Photo: FABIO BORGA

Wānaka teenager Rocco Jamieson has won the snowboard slopestyle bronze medal at the Slopestyle and Big Air Junior World Championships in Italy.

The 17-year-old put down a clean run on the two rail, two jump course, lacing together a front blunt, 450 out into a cab 270 on, 450 out on the two rails.

On the jumps he landed a switch backside double corked 1260 into a frontside 1080 to be rewarded with a score of 87.00.

"It feels great, I am blessed to be able to come to Italy and compete here at the Junior World Championships and get a medal in slopestyle. It has been pretty tough with the weather this season in Europe for training, but I got some good time competing and training at the Silvaplana World Cup last week so I was ready to compete here," Jamieson said.

"The course was amazing, the jumps and the rails were really well built, it's a sick park here."

Brooklyn Depriest of the USA took the win with a score of 91.00, with Romain Allemand of France finishing in second place on 89.00

Raglan 18-year-old Txema Mazet-Brown was also competing in the finals alongside Jamieson, finishing in seventh place.

This marks Jamieson's second Junior World Championships medal in the past 12 months. He also secured a silver medal in Big Air at the 2023 Park and Pipe World Championships held at Cardrona in August as part of Winter Games NZ.

Five athletes are representing New Zealand at the 2024 Big Air and Slopestyle Junior World Championships. Brodie Bamford is also competing in the snowboard events and brothers Fletcher and Fergus McArthur are competing in the Freeski events.

The FIS Slopestyle and Big Air Junior World Championships continue on Friday NZT with the snowboard big air qualifications, followed by the freeski big air qualifications on Saturday. Finals will be held on Sunday NZT.