January 25, 2025 • 9 mins
'Insane' is how rising New Zealand snow sports star Luca Harrington describes his 2025 so far.
The 20-year-old Wānaka-born freeskier has now won three events, headlined by today's slopestyle gold medal on his X Games debut at Aspen.
Harrington joined Piney to discuss further.
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Weekend Sport Podcast with Jason Vine
from Newstalks EDB.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Eleven minutes past two. A double dose of Kiwi gold
at the X Games and Aspen over the weekend, with
perhaps more to come. We heard yesterday from Zoe Sadowski Sinnett,
who won her eleventh X Games medal, her sixth gold
in the women's slope style, and fellow New Zealander Luca
Harrington pulled off a shock win in the men's slope
(00:33):
style after originally being named as just an alternate for
the event.
Speaker 3 (00:38):
What's he gonna spin on this.
Speaker 2 (00:39):
Final jump going Jake cats switch.
Speaker 3 (00:43):
Triple cork sixteen twenty. The smile on his face says
it all. Welcome to Winter X Games, Luca Harrington.
Speaker 2 (00:52):
You are here. Luca Harrington is here with us. Luca.
For those of us who don't follow snow sports closely,
this game as a bit of a shock to us
yesterday morning. Did it surprise you?
Speaker 1 (01:03):
Uh?
Speaker 3 (01:04):
You know, I was pretty surprised. It's been a it's
been a crazy journey to come here, to be a
part of the X Games. This week has been absolutely incredible,
and uh yeah, I was actually just an alternate coming
into the slope style event this week, so I wasn't
actually sure I was going to be able to to
to be on the start list and to compete until
(01:25):
the night before the comp So yeah, that was that
was a pretty huge shock in it in itself. And yeah,
that was my first flope style big float style win.
I'd recently gotten two big air wins in in the
World Cup stircit, but I uh, I've always been pushing
for the slope stell and then yeah, to get it
(01:45):
here at X Games has been absolutely incredible. And yeah,
I did not see it coming.
Speaker 2 (01:50):
That's such a great story tell us about being an alternate.
What is that like? Do you tune up wide around
for a bit train and then, like you said, the
night before you find it all I'm actually competing. Is
is it a bit like that?
Speaker 3 (02:04):
Yeah, it could be. Unfortunately, one of the competitors broke
his arm in the in the competition the night before,
so which meant he unfortunately had to pull out a
float style the next day. So luckily I got a
little bit of warning and advanced. I got the night
to prepare, but it could have come down to seconds
before the competition started, before I before I knew, but yeah,
(02:28):
luckily this time around, I had a bit of time.
Speaker 2 (02:31):
It's good to hear what you in some ways, Luca
and the lace pressure as an ultimate coming in because really,
I guess there's no expectation on you.
Speaker 3 (02:41):
Yeah, I think so, you know, I think my goals
were to really just put down a run. I was
really happy with push, push myself, push the sport, and
you know see where I ended up. It was it
was a goal of mine to make it through to
the second round, which I did, and I was I
was pre dawn stoked after that in itself, and then yeah,
(03:03):
it was pretty crazy to end up walking away with
the gold.
Speaker 2 (03:06):
You've been training, as you say, even as an alternate,
did you feel confident once you were in the field
that you could put down a good run in the slipestyle?
Speaker 3 (03:15):
You know, it was it was tough. It was great
to be able to train all week with everyone, but
you know, these are the best of the best, and
watching watching them ski all week, you know, I was like, wow,
this is this is going to be tough. So it was,
but I definitely, you know, I felt confident in my
skiing and I was really happy with how I trained
(03:36):
and my performance leading into the competition, So yeah, I
definitely had a fair bit of confidence in myself coming
into the camp, and yeah it was super super pleased
with how uh how my confidence levels were dropping in
and I think that helped my performance lot.
Speaker 2 (03:52):
You mentioned earlier the consecutive World Cup Biggie wins that
you've had. They're quite different events from what I can
tell though, one big jump as opposed to a series
of tricks. But did those wins in the Biggie give
you confidence in the slopestyle and does that confidence train
slight across events.
Speaker 3 (04:11):
Yeah? Absolutely. I mean the big air and floatso are
quite separate these days. It's a lot harder to combine,
you know, three different jumps and three different rails all
connected into one run and to perfect all of them
going down versus just standing at the top and you know,
(04:32):
being getting ready to just do one trick, one run,
one jump. So yeah, flopso is definitely a lot harder,
but you know, it's all connected and it all helps.
Speaker 2 (04:41):
So as it turned out, you won gold on your
first run in the slopestyle, which was flawless. Tell us
about that and what was going through you on during
that run.
Speaker 3 (04:51):
Yeah, I mean I did my first run in the
first round. So there were two rounds in this competition,
which was a bit of a new format for us,
but I had really nailed my first run, and I
was super proud of myself. I definite we had a
couple of things I could step up too, which was exciting.
So yeah, I had a decent score in the first round,
(05:13):
but on my second run in the first round, I
landed it even better, and I gotta I bumped up
my run a little bit, and I was expecting my
score to go up just just a couple of points,
and then uh, and then I moved up into first
place going into the final round, which meant I got
to drop lest which was pretty incredible. And uh, you know,
(05:33):
I was scared. I was scared for that first round
of the finals. I had so much adrenaline pumping and
I was I was scared I was gonna mess something up,
but it was it was uh yeah, it was pretty
nice to get through the top section clean on the rails,
because that's kind of what I struggle with a little
bit more. And then once they got to the jump,
(05:55):
you know, my confidence really kicked in and I Uh,
I just wanted to put on a good show for everyone,
and then to get to the bottom and get them
an amazing high score was just incredible.
Speaker 2 (06:05):
I saw God early on in the competition that you
weren't expecting to compete in, and you see your name
at the top with a huge score. What did that
do to your nerves? And maybe you're adrenaline for the
rest of the competition.
Speaker 3 (06:18):
You know, I think the adrenaline was going the whole time.
I mean just being out here at X Games and
you know, having a huge crowd at the bottom has
just been absolutely insane. This whole week has been incredible.
I've had, you know, so much energy and just been
so happy. So, you know, the adrenaline was definitely going,
but it definitely went into overdrive after that first run,
(06:40):
for sure.
Speaker 2 (06:40):
And did you feel like this performance was coming on
recent form?
Speaker 3 (06:44):
You know, I wasn't sure. It's never something that I'm
focusing on. I'm not focusing on winning the gold. I'm
more focusing on, you know, myself, my skiing and doing
the best that I can do, pushing myself to my limit,
and you know, I think that probably helps me a
lot coming into these competitions and yeah, so.
Speaker 2 (07:05):
We're going to see you again this afternoon in the
Big Air your preferred event. Have your ambitions changed now, Luka,
Now you've got the gold and the slopestyll cipher typed.
Speaker 3 (07:15):
Away, definitely not. I mean, it's been absolutely incredible winning
this gold and it's a you know, it made me
feel a lot, a lot of a lot of joy
and uh happiness. But you know, I'm trying to focus
in for tonight again. I'd love to, I'd love to
walk away with another medal tonight, but it's gonna be
It's gonna be hard. There's gonna be a lot of
(07:35):
big tricks, a few worlds first being put down tonight
and X Games. You know, X Games is wherever run
pulls out, pulls out everything, you know, So it's definitely
going to be a challenge tonight. But I'm super excited
to go and put down my tricks and see what
the judges think of it.
Speaker 2 (07:53):
And if we look slightly further ahead Winter Olympics next
year and itally, how much of a goal are they
for you?
Speaker 3 (08:00):
Yeah, it's definitely bouncing towards the idea of the Olympics
for sure, But you know, I'm still just trying to
focus on this season to stay healthy, to keep getting
some strong results, and then we can look at getting
closer to the Olympics next year and just.
Speaker 2 (08:18):
To finish with us win. I suppose now you're in
the position where you've got too preferred events, the big
air end the slopestyle. So will this add to your
schedule moving forward?
Speaker 3 (08:29):
Not really, I mean I try to specialize in both
of them. Honestly, I was lucky enough this year to
excel a little bit more earlier this season in the
big airs. But you know, slop style is still also
my favorite event to do as well, just as equal
as Big Air, if not more. So you know, the
schedule hasn't changed. We're still going to be doing all
(08:51):
of the slope styles and all of the big airs
and seeing where we can get with that.
Speaker 2 (08:56):
Well. Look, congratulations on the lightest gold medal. It was
something that gave us a very very pleasant surprise yesterday
when we learned that u end Zolwy sauld ask he
senator both one gold at the X Games. You made
a lot of new fans over here. We'll look forward
to seeing how you go tonight and further down the track.
Thanks so much for joining us for a chat.
Speaker 3 (09:15):
Well, thank you so much. I appreciate all the support
coming out of New zeal And. It's been incredible the
amount of messages I've been receiving, so thank you all
so much.
Speaker 2 (09:23):
Good Man Looker, thanks indeed, Lukah Harrington. There aspen X
Games gold medalist and the men Slope Style about to
go in the Big Air in about two or three hours,
so who knows, he may add to his collection of
X Games medals.
Speaker 1 (09:37):
For more from Weekend Sport with Jason Fine, listen live
to News Talk zed B weekends from midday, or follow
the podcast on iHeartRadio
You're listening to the Weekend Sport Podcast with Jason Vine
from Newstalks EDB.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Eleven minutes past two. A double dose of Kiwi gold
at the X Games and Aspen over the weekend, with
perhaps more to come. We heard yesterday from Zoe Sadowski Sinnett,
who won her eleventh X Games medal, her sixth gold
in the women's slope style, and fellow New Zealander Luca
Harrington pulled off a shock win in the men's slope
(00:33):
style after originally being named as just an alternate for
the event.
Speaker 3 (00:38):
What's he gonna spin on this.
Speaker 2 (00:39):
Final jump going Jake cats switch.
Speaker 3 (00:43):
Triple cork sixteen twenty. The smile on his face says
it all. Welcome to Winter X Games, Luca Harrington.
Speaker 2 (00:52):
You are here. Luca Harrington is here with us. Luca.
For those of us who don't follow snow sports closely,
this game as a bit of a shock to us
yesterday morning. Did it surprise you?
Speaker 1 (01:03):
Uh?
Speaker 3 (01:04):
You know, I was pretty surprised. It's been a it's
been a crazy journey to come here, to be a
part of the X Games. This week has been absolutely incredible,
and uh yeah, I was actually just an alternate coming
into the slope style event this week, so I wasn't
actually sure I was going to be able to to
to be on the start list and to compete until
(01:25):
the night before the comp So yeah, that was that
was a pretty huge shock in it in itself. And yeah,
that was my first flope style big float style win.
I'd recently gotten two big air wins in in the
World Cup stircit, but I uh, I've always been pushing
for the slope stell and then yeah, to get it
(01:45):
here at X Games has been absolutely incredible. And yeah,
I did not see it coming.
Speaker 2 (01:50):
That's such a great story tell us about being an alternate.
What is that like? Do you tune up wide around
for a bit train and then, like you said, the
night before you find it all I'm actually competing. Is
is it a bit like that?
Speaker 3 (02:04):
Yeah, it could be. Unfortunately, one of the competitors broke
his arm in the in the competition the night before,
so which meant he unfortunately had to pull out a
float style the next day. So luckily I got a
little bit of warning and advanced. I got the night
to prepare, but it could have come down to seconds
before the competition started, before I before I knew, but yeah,
(02:28):
luckily this time around, I had a bit of time.
Speaker 2 (02:31):
It's good to hear what you in some ways, Luca
and the lace pressure as an ultimate coming in because really,
I guess there's no expectation on you.
Speaker 3 (02:41):
Yeah, I think so, you know, I think my goals
were to really just put down a run. I was
really happy with push, push myself, push the sport, and
you know see where I ended up. It was it
was a goal of mine to make it through to
the second round, which I did, and I was I
was pre dawn stoked after that in itself, and then yeah,
(03:03):
it was pretty crazy to end up walking away with
the gold.
Speaker 2 (03:06):
You've been training, as you say, even as an alternate,
did you feel confident once you were in the field
that you could put down a good run in the slipestyle?
Speaker 3 (03:15):
You know, it was it was tough. It was great
to be able to train all week with everyone, but
you know, these are the best of the best, and
watching watching them ski all week, you know, I was like, wow,
this is this is going to be tough. So it was,
but I definitely, you know, I felt confident in my
skiing and I was really happy with how I trained
(03:36):
and my performance leading into the competition, So yeah, I
definitely had a fair bit of confidence in myself coming
into the camp, and yeah it was super super pleased
with how uh how my confidence levels were dropping in
and I think that helped my performance lot.
Speaker 2 (03:52):
You mentioned earlier the consecutive World Cup Biggie wins that
you've had. They're quite different events from what I can
tell though, one big jump as opposed to a series
of tricks. But did those wins in the Biggie give
you confidence in the slopestyle and does that confidence train
slight across events.
Speaker 3 (04:11):
Yeah? Absolutely. I mean the big air and floatso are
quite separate these days. It's a lot harder to combine,
you know, three different jumps and three different rails all
connected into one run and to perfect all of them
going down versus just standing at the top and you know,
(04:32):
being getting ready to just do one trick, one run,
one jump. So yeah, flopso is definitely a lot harder,
but you know, it's all connected and it all helps.
Speaker 2 (04:41):
So as it turned out, you won gold on your
first run in the slopestyle, which was flawless. Tell us
about that and what was going through you on during
that run.
Speaker 3 (04:51):
Yeah, I mean I did my first run in the
first round. So there were two rounds in this competition,
which was a bit of a new format for us,
but I had really nailed my first run, and I
was super proud of myself. I definite we had a
couple of things I could step up too, which was exciting.
So yeah, I had a decent score in the first round,
(05:13):
but on my second run in the first round, I
landed it even better, and I gotta I bumped up
my run a little bit, and I was expecting my
score to go up just just a couple of points,
and then uh, and then I moved up into first
place going into the final round, which meant I got
to drop lest which was pretty incredible. And uh, you know,
(05:33):
I was scared. I was scared for that first round
of the finals. I had so much adrenaline pumping and
I was I was scared I was gonna mess something up,
but it was it was uh yeah, it was pretty
nice to get through the top section clean on the rails,
because that's kind of what I struggle with a little
bit more. And then once they got to the jump,
(05:55):
you know, my confidence really kicked in and I Uh,
I just wanted to put on a good show for everyone,
and then to get to the bottom and get them
an amazing high score was just incredible.
Speaker 2 (06:05):
I saw God early on in the competition that you
weren't expecting to compete in, and you see your name
at the top with a huge score. What did that
do to your nerves? And maybe you're adrenaline for the
rest of the competition.
Speaker 3 (06:18):
You know, I think the adrenaline was going the whole time.
I mean just being out here at X Games and
you know, having a huge crowd at the bottom has
just been absolutely insane. This whole week has been incredible.
I've had, you know, so much energy and just been
so happy. So, you know, the adrenaline was definitely going,
but it definitely went into overdrive after that first run,
(06:40):
for sure.
Speaker 2 (06:40):
And did you feel like this performance was coming on
recent form?
Speaker 3 (06:44):
You know, I wasn't sure. It's never something that I'm
focusing on. I'm not focusing on winning the gold. I'm
more focusing on, you know, myself, my skiing and doing
the best that I can do, pushing myself to my limit,
and you know, I think that probably helps me a
lot coming into these competitions and yeah, so.
Speaker 2 (07:05):
We're going to see you again this afternoon in the
Big Air your preferred event. Have your ambitions changed now, Luka,
Now you've got the gold and the slopestyll cipher typed.
Speaker 3 (07:15):
Away, definitely not. I mean, it's been absolutely incredible winning
this gold and it's a you know, it made me
feel a lot, a lot of a lot of joy
and uh happiness. But you know, I'm trying to focus
in for tonight again. I'd love to, I'd love to
walk away with another medal tonight, but it's gonna be
It's gonna be hard. There's gonna be a lot of
(07:35):
big tricks, a few worlds first being put down tonight
and X Games. You know, X Games is wherever run
pulls out, pulls out everything, you know, So it's definitely
going to be a challenge tonight. But I'm super excited
to go and put down my tricks and see what
the judges think of it.
Speaker 2 (07:53):
And if we look slightly further ahead Winter Olympics next
year and itally, how much of a goal are they
for you?
Speaker 3 (08:00):
Yeah, it's definitely bouncing towards the idea of the Olympics
for sure, But you know, I'm still just trying to
focus on this season to stay healthy, to keep getting
some strong results, and then we can look at getting
closer to the Olympics next year and just.
Speaker 2 (08:18):
To finish with us win. I suppose now you're in
the position where you've got too preferred events, the big
air end the slopestyle. So will this add to your
schedule moving forward?
Speaker 3 (08:29):
Not really, I mean I try to specialize in both
of them. Honestly, I was lucky enough this year to
excel a little bit more earlier this season in the
big airs. But you know, slop style is still also
my favorite event to do as well, just as equal
as Big Air, if not more. So you know, the
schedule hasn't changed. We're still going to be doing all
(08:51):
of the slope styles and all of the big airs
and seeing where we can get with that.
Speaker 2 (08:56):
Well. Look, congratulations on the lightest gold medal. It was
something that gave us a very very pleasant surprise yesterday
when we learned that u end Zolwy sauld ask he
senator both one gold at the X Games. You made
a lot of new fans over here. We'll look forward
to seeing how you go tonight and further down the track.
Thanks so much for joining us for a chat.
Speaker 3 (09:15):
Well, thank you so much. I appreciate all the support
coming out of New zeal And. It's been incredible the
amount of messages I've been receiving, so thank you all
so much.
Speaker 2 (09:23):
Good Man Looker, thanks indeed, Lukah Harrington. There aspen X
Games gold medalist and the men Slope Style about to
go in the Big Air in about two or three hours,
so who knows, he may add to his collection of
X Games medals.
Speaker 1 (09:37):
For more from Weekend Sport with Jason Fine, listen live
to News Talk zed B weekends from midday, or follow
the podcast on iHeartRadio
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