BEIJING, Dec. 6 (Xinhua) -- China's Liu Mengting finished second in the women's freeski final with 172.25 points at the FIS Big Air World Cup in Beijing on Saturday, 3.25 behind the champion Anni Karava of Finland, while Canada's Naomi Urness placed third with 171.50 points.
It marked Karava's first top podium finish in a World Cup event. "This is a super big thing for our whole team. We have been all working so hard towards these moments. I have a really inspiring team to be around. I think this is a reward for all of us," said the 25-year-old.
Liu claimed her first World Cup title in the women's big air event in Klagenfurt, Austria in January. Last week, the 21-year-old secured bronze at the Big Air World Cup in Chongli.
On Saturday, Liu scored 90.50 points in her first run, the highest score in the final, but she failed to continue her good form in the following two runs.
"I felt honored to compete at home. I achieved great results in recent events, laying a foundation for the upcoming competitions. I hope to keep performing in a steady manner," said Liu. "I am satisfied with myself this year and strive to make progress. I still have time to adjust myself to prepare for the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics."
Also on Saturday, Ulrik Samnoey clinched the men's freeski victory with 184.00 points, followed by Luca Harrington of New Zealand and Austria's Matej Svancer in second and third places, respectively.
Snowboard big air titles will be decided later on Saturday, with China's Olympic champion Su Yiming and his teammates Ge Chunyu and Zhao Yingxu participating in the men's final. ■
