COPPER MOUNTAIN, Colo. — Noah Bowman opened the season with a silver medal and fellow Canadian Simon D'Artois earned bronze Friday at a World Cup ski halfpipe competition that counts as an Olympic qualifier.
Bowman, from Calgary, finished with 91 points, just behind defending Olympic champion David Wise of the United States (92.80).
D'Artois of Whistler, B.C., was third with 89.20 points and Edmonton's Mike Riddle just missed the podium, finishing fourth with 88.20 points.
Bowman said he put in a lot of work over the summer preparing for an Olympic qualifying season, and he is happy with a strong start.
"This is exactly how I was hoping it would go, and it was great to stand beside my teammate Simon D'Artois," Bowman said.
Bowman unleashed a new jump, the switch dub 12, in Friday's competition. The jump starts backward and includes three-and-a-half spins and two flips, and Bowman siad it was the first time the jump has been done in competition.
He said he learned the jump at Freestyle Canada's training camp in New Zelanad in October.
"I'm trying to put some emphasis on soem different tricks that aren't necessarily being done by other people," Bowman said. "I'm trying to make my own mark and stand out."
Olympic silver
The U.S. freeski and snowboard teams will be chosen based on athletes' two best results over five qualifiers, ending next month.
Snowboard halfpipe finals, featuring Shaun White, are Saturday at Copper Mountain and Big Air finals are Sunday.
— With files from The Associated Press
The Canadian Press
