Harrington makes history with title win

You run out of words to describe Luca Harrington this season.

The Wānaka freeskier has been crowned the FIS Freeski Big Air World Champion, marking his first world championship title and becoming the first Kiwi to win the accolade.

Harrington said he was "honoured" to win the title.

"This season has been just incredible for me and to top it all off with the World Champs win is such an honour," Harrington said.

"It is a dream of mine coming true and I am so grateful to be here right now."

The 21-year-old was the top qualifier into yesterday’s finals, giving him the advantage of dropping last into each of the three finals runs.

Big Air format takes the best two scoring tricks (that must be performed in two different directions) and combines them for a total overall score.

Harrington put down a right triple corked 1980 safety grab for his first run, scoring a 92.00 which was a great first score on the board.

Dropping into his second run, Harrington stomped his one-of-a-kind trademark switch right triple corked 1800 Esco Grab.

The judges rewarded him with a massive 96.75, the highest score of the competition.

"Honestly, after my first run I was a little surprised but super stoked on what the judges scored it and that gave me a lot of confidence to send it on my second run.

"That trick [triple corked 1800 Esco Grab] is my specialty and I knew I could put it down.

"That was the cleanest I had landed it here, it was crazy and I was in shock, I just couldn’t believe it."

As the last athlete to drop, Harrington’s third and final run was a victory lap, but knowing he could execute his first run trick more cleanly, Harrington went all in and put down a textbook right triple corked 1980 safety grab to up his score on this trick to a 95.25.

With a total combined score of 192.00, Harrington won the world championship title by significant margin, 7.75 points ahead of his nearest competitor.

Elias Syrja, of Finland, secured his first career major podium finishing in second and Beijing 2022 Big Air champion and 2025 Slopestyle World Champion Birk Ruud, of Norway, rounded out the podium in third.

Harrington’s title haul this season has been exceptional, winning five World Cup podiums, including two gold, X Games gold and silver medals, New Zealand’s first ever FIS Freeski Crystal Globe and now a world championship title.

Harrington will now have a break from competition, but will still spend plenty of time skiing throughout the northern hemisphere spring. — APL