Snowboard halfpipe World Champions Nathan Johnstone and Holly Crawford created more Australian winter sports history last night by delivering dual World Cup gold medal performances in Bardonecchia, Italy.

The resounding wins are the first time Australian athletes have won both the men’s and women’s events in the one discipline at World Cup level.

The double victory at Bardonecchia was the penultimate round of this year’s World Cup series and is further recognition of an outstanding season for Australian winter sports athletes.

Combining last night’s double with their World titles, Johnstone’s other World Cup win in China and a second place, and Crawford’s two other podium finishes, Australia’s halfpipe team is celebrating their best ever international season.

To add a further spectacular accolade to Johnstone’s performance, the win at the halfpipe site of the 2006 Winter Olympic Games has shot the 21-year-old to the top position of the World Cup halfpipe standings and also given him leadership of the overall snowboard freestyle points table.

Johnstone’s second win of the World Cup season has provided a 260 point lead over Japan’s Aono Ryo in halfpipe and also in the overall snowboard freestyle standings.

Fellow Australian Institute of Sport and NSW Institute of Sport scholarship holder, Holly Crawford, is also enjoying a strong position on the points table and is now applying enormous pressure to China’s competition leading rider Xuetong Cai.

Crawford, who is enjoying her fourth World Cup career win and 14th podium finish, slashed 1000 points off the lead held by the Chinese rider to trail by just 700 points.

With the men's and women's winners of the next round chasing 1000 points, Crawford and Johnstone have transformed the season-ending event in Arosa, Switzerland, on March 26, into a winner-take-all shoot out between the Australians and their Japanese and Chinese rivals.

In terms of points, Crawford faces a more difficult task of wresting the World Cup Crystal Globe trophy away from Cai compared with Johnstone’s chances of becoming the first Australian to win a halfpipe World Cup season.

Johnstone said last night after easily accounting for French duo Johann Baisamy and Arthur Longo, who finished second and third, that he is looking forward to competing in Arosa.

“I’m pretty happy,” Johnstone said after the win. “I really wanted to get a win here to get me back in a good position in the points ranking.

“Now, I guess, we could have a good show in Arosa.”

Crawford was victorious over France’s Mirabelle Thovex, who enjoyed her first World Cup podium, while Polish rider Paulinas Ligocka-Andrzejewska was third.

Halfpipe head coach Ben Alexander said he was ecstatic about the double victory.

“To see Holly and Nate standing on top of the podium was an incredible sight,” Alexander said.

Women’s snowboard halfpipe standings after 5 rounds: 1. Xuetong Cai (CHN), 3800
2. Holly Crawford (AUS), 3100

Men’s snowboard halfpipe standings after 5 rounds: 1. Nathan Johnstone (AUS), 3060
2. Ryo Anono (JPN), 2800

Olympic Winter Institute of Australia