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Snowboarding - James takes aim at White's perfect score

PYEONGCHANG, South Korea (Reuters) - Australian snowboarder Scott James believes he may have been "shafted" by recent judging and questioned whether American rival Shaun White had deserved a perfect score at a recent competition.

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Source: Reuters


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White's score of 100 in the halfpipe at the Snowmass Grand Prix in mid-January ensured his qualification for the Pyeongchang Games, which open on Friday, and pushed James into second place.

"I feel like there have been times I was a bit shafted," the 23-year-old James, who is about to appear at his third Olympics and is being discussed as potentially Australia's flagbearer at the opening ceremony, told reporters on Thursday.

"At Snowmass I had question marks and had some words with the judges. Not because of getting second place, I am not a sore loser. I was just curious as to the 100," the two-time world champion added.

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"Personally, and I have spoken to a lot of other snowboarders, it's pretty tough to get a perfect score. I didn't agree with that at all."

Despite his comments, James was quick to stress it was not White, a two-time Olympic gold medallist, he was frustrated with, but the judging in general as they began final preparations ahead of next Tuesday's qualifying competition.

"I have got a lot of respect for the guy, he achieved a lot of amazing things in snowboarding," James said of the 31-year-old American.

"He has been a pioneer in the sport for a long time.

"He is an amazing athlete, one of those one-percent people."

(Reporting by Jack Tarrant; Editing by Greg Stutchbury)


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