Cassie Sharpe fans of all ages gathered at the Prime Chophouse and Wine Bar in Courtenay, B.C. to witness the Comox freestyle skier’s gold medal-winning performance, Tuesday in Pyeongchang, South Korea (Monday evening in B.C.).
Sharpe, who grew up on the slopes of Mount Washington, on Vancouver Island, qualified in top spot for the ladies’ halfpipe final.
Sharpe posted the top two scores in qualifying – 93 and 93.4. In the finals she proved the qualification round was no fluke.
She posted a 94.4 on her first run in the finals, a score that was only bettered by Sharpe herself, when she improved to 95.8 on her second run.
In the halfpipe, the top single run posted of three attempts is all that counts.
Sharpe knew she won gold before even skiing her third run.
When silver medalist Marie Martinod of France (92.6) fell on her third attempt, Sharpe stood at the top of the course, on top of the world.
Brita Sigourney of the United States placed third, with a score of 91.6, which she posted on her third run.
Martinod’s score came on her second run.