After an incredible 11-win unbeaten streak, Australia's halfpipe hero Scotty James finished his season off with silver but still claimed the overall World Cup Crystal Globe.
James, the one to beat all season claimed his third FIS World Cup title after nabbing 11 consecutive gold medals throughout the 2019/20 FIS Snowboard Halfpipe World Cup season.
It was during the last event of 2019/20 in Calgary that the 25-year-old was pipped at the post by 18-year-old Ruka Hirano from Japan.
James qualified for the final in first place and put down a score of 92.25 which was bettered by Hirano with a 94.75. Switzerland's Patrick Burgener scored 89.50 for bronze.
Hirano may have beaten James to gold in the final run of the season, but it wasn't enough to knock him off the top of the table, with the Warrandyte local taking out the Crystal Globe with 3800 points ahead of Japanese duo Yuto Totska on 3400 and Hirano on 2800.
After the event, James told FIS it was bittersweet finishing off his last event of the season second best.
"It's hard obviously not to win tonight... It was a long streak," James said.
"You've got to show up for every run, every contest. Ruka brought an absolutely amazing run tonight, but maybe I should have brought a little more myself a little sooner," he reflected.
"Obviously I'm disappointed, mainly in myself. Everyone else did an amazing job, rode really well but I slid out on the last hit of my last run and it is what it is," he finished.
Meanwhile, over in Moscow aerial skier Laura Peel also claimed silver, her second World Cup podium for the season.
In the super final medal round, Peel upped her difficulty adding an extra twist to her triple from earlier rounds and completing a full-tuck-full jump to score 91.42 behind Belarusian Hannah Huskova with 95.46 and ahead of Russian bronze medallist Sofia Alekseeva with 76.56.
Her world cup medal is the 11th of the 30-year-old's career, who has now captured two gold, four silver and five bronze.
"I'm really happy with how my season is going," Peel told OWIA after the event.
“The plan going in was to qualify for finals with my triple twisting doubles and keep them at a high standard and then compete triples for finals. It’s my first year on the triple and I’m getting a lot of awesome experience, and I’m excited for what’s to come.”
“It was an awesome set up jumping in the city. There was a big crowd and fireworks, they really made it a show which was a lot of fun.”
“We had six women jumping triple backflips in the final and that’s really cool to see. The women’s field is continuing to push and that’s exciting for the sport. “
