There are no guarantees in life, in sport and certainly not in dual slalom. Anybody at any time could fall victim to a heat-of-the-moment mistake or an impeccable run from his or her opponent. Such elements make this particular discipline as riveting to watch as it is demanding to thrive in.
Jackson Frew knows how to rise to the occasion. After managing the fastest single-run time of Thursday's event (22.850 seconds) in his semifinal against Nikolas Nestoroff, the Aussie pushed Brady Stone past the brink to repeat as Crankworx Whistler's dual slalom champion.
"I like the sound of 'back-to-back,'" Frew said. "Today was a tough day. The field was incredible. We had so many fast guys and every lap was basically a final. Nowadays, you're doing really good if you're qualifying…and then through the rounds of 32 and 16, all the way to the finals, you've got to bring your A-game for every single race."
11th-seeded Stone was happy with his runner-up effort, and Nestoroff checked in for third. It's worth mentioning, however, that fourth-place whipped his Sea to Sky supporters into a frenzy when he vanquished King of Crankworx lead Ryan Gilchrist in an exciting quarterfinal.
"I managed to qualify third and fought through the ladders," said Cruz. "Really good race against Ryan—probably the most fun of the day. Really happy to have persevered on top in that one. I want to set my sights on the King of Crankworx title in the future, as well as World Cups.
"Would've loved to be on those podium steps, but happy to be up there with the big guys and I'll keep working for the next one."
July madness
In 2023, Frew enjoyed a victory lap after Gilchrist—who had suffered —elected to withdraw from contention. Tables turned in 2024 as Frew himself wiped out during practice.
"I had a pretty big crash this morning, and so I had to be quite reserved," the Canberra product explained. "I didn't have all-out pace right from the go, so I had to build. Just keeping it nice and clean, not making silly unforced errors in bad times, I think, is what kept me in a good spot."
Frew was one of the only high seeds who remained in a good spot, for this year's competition treated viewers to a number of gigantic upsets that would have made March Madness basketball fans proud.
Arguably the most stunning turn of events came during the round of 32, when an ill-timed skid mere metres from the line sent Tuhoto-Ariki Pene down in flames against 18-year-old Vancouverite Mikey Delesalle. Pene secured his King of Crankworx throne with dual slalom bronze a year before, but still does not have any medals to show for his labour in Whistler.
Two-time King Bas van Steenbergen likewise bowed out early. After qualifying unusually low in 20th, the Vernon resident was unable to get past the round of 16 and American teenager Eddie Reynolds.
Also in the round of 16, Kyle Strait snapped his bike chain and veered off course into Dean Lindsey. Though both riders were okay, it was 18th-seeded Lindsey who established a sizable advantage to beat his second-seeded rival.
Top seed Austin Warren wasn't safe either, dropping his quarterfinal to no. 9 Nestoroff by less than two one-hundredths of a second across both runs.
Cruz raised plenty of eyebrows when he upended Gilchrist, leading the more experienced rider for most of their second quarterfinal heat. Yet the clock would strike midnight on Cruz's Cinderella tale, and the fatiguing Pembertonian dropped his next two bouts against Stone and Nestoroff.
Going for it all
Amidst all the carnage, Frew as the five-seed would not be denied. He showed Reynolds that experience can best youth—although Reynolds eked out a slim advantage during their second semifinal heat in a losing effort.
Frew then dropped a banger of a run on Stone in the gold medal matchup. Stone's back wheel fishtailed out in one of the course's last flat corners, compelling him to drop his foot and right himself. That error ended up being the difference.
Major movement is afoot in the Crankworx King standings, with Frew's 865 points vaulting him into second position ahead of Pene (802). Gilchrist has now broken the 1000-point plateau (1022) by finishing seventh in dual slalom.
Time is running out for reigning monarch Pene to secure his throne, with his closest rivals seizing all the momentum.
"It doesn't change a thing," Frew said about how his most recent breakthrough affects his mindset. "The plan is still to swing for everything. We got two more events to round out the season, so we're gonna go for it all."
Pique Newsmagazine will be back with a full story on the women's dual slalom, with Martha Gill extending her Queen of Crankworx lead. Full results are available
