Eighteen-year-old Finley Melville Ives has made history as the youngest New Zealander to win a FIS Freeski World Cup.
He took first place in the Freeski Halfpipe event in Calgary, Canada, with an impressive performance. This was his first-ever World Cup podium finish.
Melville Ives described the moment as “surreal” and said he was thrilled to land a run he had dreamed of for a long time. Competing against some of the world’s best halfpipe skiers, he secured victory with his first run, scoring 92.75 points. His technical routine included a left double corked 1620 mute grab and a unique left alley-oop double corked flat spin 1080 mute grab.
After his second run, which did not improve his score, he had to wait as nine other competitors completed their runs. However, no one could surpass his score, securing his win. On the podium, he stood alongside American freeski stars Nick Goepper and Alex Ferreira. Melville Ives said it was amazing to compete with athletes he had admired since childhood.
Another Kiwi, 16-year-old Luke Harrold, also had a strong performance, finishing in fourth place. This event marked the final competition of the 2025 FIS Freeski Halfpipe World Cup Tour. While Ferreira won the overall title, Melville Ives finished fourth in the season rankings.
Next, the New Zealand Freeski Halfpipe Team will compete at the World Championships in Switzerland at the end of March.
