Wānaka skier Finley Melville Ives wins Freeski World Cup

Finley Melville Ives in action during the World Cup qualification in Calgary. Photo: FIS Park & Pipe

Eighteen-year-old Finley Melville Ives has become the youngest New Zealander to win a FIS Freeski World Cup with a dream run in the Freeski Halfpipe in Calgary.

It marks the first World Cup podium of his career and maiden World Cup.

The Wānaka skier said it was surreal.

"I just can't believe it, I am so stoked! I have trained so hard and I am so happy to put down my run. It has been a dream run of mine for so long, so to finally put it down in the pipe is unreal," Melville Ives said.

Up against some of the strongest halfpipe competitors on the World Cup Tour, Melville Ives put down his winning run on his first of two runs in the finals.

Melville Ives laced together a highly technical run, which included a left double corked 1620 mute grab into a unique left alley oop double corked flat spin 1080 mute grab to take the lead after the first run with a score of 92.75.

Melville Ives qualified for Sunday's finals in the middle of the pack, meaning after he had completed his second run (recording a 'Did Not Improve) he had a nervous wait with nine athletes still left to drop, but his first run score proved untouchable.

Men’s FIS Freeski Halfpipe World Cup podium in Calgary [L-R] Nick Goepper (USA) 2nd, Finley Melville Ives (NZL) 1st, Alex Ferreira (USA) 3rd. Photo: FIS Park & Pipe

He was joined on the podium by two of the most successful freeskiers in the game, Nick Goepper (2nd place) and Alex Ferreira (3rd place) of the USA.

"Both of them are my heroes growing up, I have watched them on the TV and at the Olympics, I can't believe it, this is nuts!"

Fellow Kiwi Luke Harrold, 16, finished just off the podium with a season's best fourth place result.

Sunday's competition was the final stop of the 2025 FIS Freeski Halfpipe World Cup Tour, with Ferreira crowned the overall winner, Melville Ives finished fourth in the overall standings.

The next major event on for the Kiwi Freeski Halfpipe Team is the World Championships, scheduled for the end of March in Switzerland.

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