Magnificent Kirsty Muir soared to a memorable maiden World Cup medal after a scintillating slopestyle performance in Aspen.
Muir, 16, was competing in just her fourth Freestyle Skiing World Cup event but showed experience beyond her years on the Colorado slopes to claim a brilliant podium finish.
The Aberdeen star racked up a total of 81 points and was narrowly pipped to the title by overall slopestyle leader Tess Ledeux, who notched 83.9 to extend her unbeaten start to the season.
Muir, a Winter Youth Olympic silver medallist in Lausanne last year, beat Russian Anastasia Tatalina by 2.45 points to scoop silver and build on her promising start to the season.
The Scot finished tenth in her previous World Cup slopestyle outing in Stubai, Austria, before claiming 11th and sixth-place finishes in the big air and slopestyle events at this month’s World Championships - also held in Aspen.
An incredible day for Kirsty Muir! 🙌🙌🙌
— Team GB (@TeamGB) March 20, 2021
In just her fourth @FISfreestyle World Cup event, Kirsty clinches a brilliant slopestyle second in Aspen! 🇬🇧 pic.twitter.com/YzDRoYlIeu
Muir had only previously competed in World Cup events in Stubai, Skipass and Kreischberg but showed exactly why she’s one of GB’s most highly-rated talents with a dazzling display.
The two-time junior world medallist achieved the highest of her three scores in her second outing in Aspen, claiming an impressive 81 points to place her just behind the more experienced Ledeux.
Muir sits third in the Slopestyle World Cup standings on 106 points, 94 behind leader Ledeux, 19, who extended her unbeaten start to the season after also winning in Austria in November.
Elsewhere in Aspen, fellow British stars Izzy Atkin and Katie Summerhayes finished 12th and 13th respectively.
And that leaves Summerhayes, 25, fifth in the slopestyle standings on 65 points heading into the final event of the season in Silvaplana next week.
Muir – and the rest of the British contingent – will head to Switzerland on a high, with the precocious teenage talent bidding to build on her brilliant first World Cup medal as the season draws to a close.
Sportsbeat 2021