Craig Murray wins Yeti Natural Selection Ski

Wānaka’s Craig Murray has won the inaugural Yeti Natural Selection Ski event, held in the incredible Tordrillo mountain range in Alaska.

“I feel incredible, today has been something out of a dream, this whole setup being out here in the Tordrillo’s is crazy," Murray says. "I honestly can’t believe I ended up in the finals and ended up taking it out, it’s surreal. I am so happy and I would like to thank everyone for all the support, it means so much.”

The invite only event saw legends of freeride take on some of the biggest names in the park & pipe world on the formidable ‘Priority 1’ face in the Alaskan ranges. Utilising a knock out format, over and over again Murray delivered his trademark huge, fluid lines for which he is so well known and respected for in the international ski community.

Murray continued to rise to the occasion in the final round with a precision-crafted run that earned him an 85 and ultimately, the win. Attacking the face with a shockingly fast, smooth line, Murray strung together a symphony of stylish 360s and flips, lacing them seamlessly from top to bottom. His composure under pressure and ability to flow through complex terrain with freestyle finesse exemplified the Natural Selection vision: freeride meets freestyle at its highest level.

Murray was joined on the podium by Sam Kush of Canada in second, who also competed in the final round alongside Murray. Italy’s Marcus Eder had the next highest score from his semi-finals bracket and finished in third place overall.