Australian rider top of the world in World Cup snowboard

Australian snowboarder Torah Bright leads the world halfpipe rankings after capturing the silver medal in a World Cup event in Whistler, Canada. It is the first time an Australian woman has made a World Cup snowboard podium, and Bright has done it in only her second World Cup event and two weeks shy of her 17th birthday. Bright led the competition after the first round of the final, but was edged out by .3 of a point in the final round by Swiss rider Manuela Pesko. After finishing fourth in the opening event of the season in Valle Nevado, Chile, she sits on 1300 points, 10 clear of British rider Lesley McKenna. Bright, formerly from Sydney but now resident in Utah, is the younger sister of Salt Lake 2002 Australian Olympic team member Rowena Bright. Australia's other competitors in the women's event in Whistler did not fare so well. Holly Crawford fell in her first qualifying run and did not make the final, finishing in 16th place, while Frances Miller was ruled out of competition after tearing arm ligaments in training. Bright will miss the next World Cup event in Stoneham, Canada, electing to compete in a Grand Prix pro contest in the United States, then the circuit takes a break until late January. In the men's event, rookie Olympic Winter Institute team member Mitchell Allan was the best of the Australians, placing 30th in his maiden World Cup event. Ben Mates was 32nd and Andrew Burton 36th.