Canada's Mackay, Sharpe reach World Cup podium in freestyle ski halfpipe

Two Canadian skiers landed on the World Cup podium in freestyle halfpipe Saturday.

Calgary's Brendan Mackay was a silver medallist in the men's event at Copper Mountain behind victor Alex Ferreira of the United States and ahead of American Nick Goepper in third.

Mackay, who won the season-opening halfpipe in New Zealand in September and was fourth in China in early December, ranks second to Ferreira in the men's season standings.

WATCH | MacKay reaches another podium: 

Calgary's Mackay claims 2nd World Cup freeski halfpipe medal of the season

10 hours ago

Duration 2:25

Brendan Mackay's second run scored 91.25 good enough for a silver medal Saturday at the FIS freestyle World Cup freeski halfpipe competition at Copper Mountain in Colorado.

Cassie Sharpe of Comox, B.C., finished third in the women's event behind gold medallist Eileen Gu of China and silver medallist Zoe Atkins of Britain.

Sharpe, an Olympic gold medallist in 2018 and silver medallist in 2022, has returned to competition after taking two seasons off to have a child with husband and freestyle skier Justin Dorey.

WATCH |  Sharpe earns bronze:

B.C.'s Cassie Sharpe earns bronze in World Cup freeski halfpipe

11 hours ago

Duration 4:36

The Comox, B.C. native earned a score of 89.00 on her second run to place third in the women's freeski halfpipe event during the FIS Freestyle Ski World Cup stop in Copper Mountain. Sharpe finished in the top three for the first time this season. Just 1.5 points separated first from third.

Gu, who edged Sharpe for gold in Beijing, collected the 17th World Cup victory of her career.

"I'm really happy for all the girls, especially Cassie," Gu told FIS. "I want to give her a big shout out."