Chinese snowboarder Cai Xuetong delivered a bittersweet performance at Colorado's Copper Mountain this Friday, finishing fourth in the FIS Snowboard Halfpipe World Cup women's final. The 2025 season opener saw fierce competition, with 17-year-old Choi Gaon from the Republic of Korea stealing the spotlight 🥇.
Cai, a fan favorite, initially soared to second place with a clean 71.75-point first run. But her second attempt unraveled after a third-trick stumble, leaving her just 0.77 points shy of bronze. Teammate Wu Shaotong also faced challenges, finishing eighth in her World Cup debut this season.
Choi's gravity-defying 94.50-point second run – the only score above 90 – cemented her as snowboarding's newest phenom. Japan's Sena Tomita (88.75) and USA's Bea Kim (75.52) completed the podium in a competition where clean landings proved elusive for many veterans.
While Cai's fourth-place finish stings, her consistency this season keeps her in Olympic qualification contention. Fans are already flooding social media with 🐯 emojis (her nickname 'Snow Leopard') and #Beijing2026 hopes.
