Two-medal day for Canadian Freestyle Team at Ski Mont Gabriel World Cup
SAINTE-ADÈLE, QUEBEC (January 14, 2012) – Mikael Kingsbury remains undefeated on the FIS World Cup mogul circuit after a convincing win at the Canada Post Grand Prix here today. His teammate Justine Dufour-Lapointe earned her second silver medal of the season at the same event.
Under blue skies and freezing -20 degree temperatures, the 19-year-old Kingsbury maintained his lightening speed, smooth turns and soaring jumps run after run on the 25-degree course.
The Deux-Montagnes, Que. native beat Jeremy Cota of the US in the final. Russia’s Sergey Volkov surpassed American Sho Kashima for the bronze.
Kingsbury’s win solidifies his grip on the FIS yellow leader’s bib with a 110-point lead over Sho Kashima of the US.
“When you touch the yellow bib you want to keep it,” said Kingsbury, “So now that I have it I don’t plan to let it go.”
Other Canadians who advanced to the 16-man finals today included team veteran Pierre-Alexandre Rousseau from Drummondville, Que. who finished eighth; rookie Simon Lemieux from Repentigny, Que. was an impressive 12th in his first FIS World Cup start. Marc-Antoine Gagnon of Terrebonne, Que. was 13th; and Cedric Rochon of St. Sauveur, Que. was 15th.
Canadian men who didn’t make finals included Langley, B.C.’s Eddie Hicks who was 19th, Olympic Champion Alex Bilodeau from Rosemere, Que. who fell after his second jump and landed in 39th; and, Philippe Marquis of Quebec City who was 41st. Montreal’s P-O Gagne did not finish.
In women’s head-to-head action Justine Dufour-Lapointe went head-to-head with Olympic Champion Hannah Kearney of the US in the final dual of the day. Kearney edged Dufour-Lapointe for the gold after the 17-year-old Montreal-native made a mistake just above the second jump.
“Justine really pushed me today, she’s a great skier and she was right there with me today,” said Kearney.
For her part Dufour-Lapointe said, “I’m really happy to win the silver. I did my best and skied really fast. My last dual was really fun, I managed to push Hannah — now she knows I’m here.”
Spruce Grove, Alberta’s Chelsea Henitiuk went against Ekaterina Stolyarova of Russia in the women’s small final. Stolyarova took the bronze, but Henitiuk was thrilled with her best ever FIS World Cup finish.
“I’m kind of in shock right now,” said a grinning Henitiuk, “I typically don’t do well on this course, so I had nothing to lose. So, I just pushed my limits and it paid off.” Canadian coaches said that Henitiuk’s performance here was a break through for the 23-year old.
Other Canadian women in the final included Maxime Dufour-Lapointe of Montreal who finished 6th and Quebec City’s Audrey Robichaud in 13th.
Canadian women who did not advance to finals included Christel Hamel of St. Sauveur who finished 19th; Alex Dufresne of Lorraine, Que. who was 20th; Beatrice Bilodeau of Montreal who was 21st and Chloe Dufour-Lapointe of Montreal who was 22nd.
The Canada Post Grand Prix at Ski Mont Gabriel continues here tomorrow with the aerial event. For more information or to schedule interviews contact Canadian Freestyle Ski Association Media Relations Manager Kelley Korbin at: kelleykorbin@freestyleski.com.
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The Canadian Freestyle Ski Association is the governing body in Canada for the sport of Freestyle Skiing. Our mission is to develop, in a safe, fun and ethical manner, Olympic and World Champions in all disciplines of the sport of Freestyle Skiing.
You can watch the best freestyle athletes in the world compete in Canada at the 2012 Canada Post Freestyle Grand Prix events at: Ski Mont Gabriel, QC on January 14 & 15 and at Winsport Canada Olympic Park, AB on January 28 & 29. Information can be found at: http://freestyleski.com/wp/worldcup/
AGATE
OFFICIAL RESULTS
FIS World Cup, Ski Mont Gabriel
January 14, 2012
Dual Moguls
Men
Gold: KINGSBURY Mikael, Deux-Montagnes, Que.
Silver: COTA Jeremy, USA
Bronze: VOLKOV Sergey, RUS
4. KASHIMA Sho, USA
5. ENDO Sho, USA
6. SPETT Per, SWE
7. BENNA Anthony, FRA
8. ROUSSEAU Pierre-Alexandre, DRUMMONDVILLE, QUE.
9. DOLGODVOROV Denis, RUS
10. MIETTUNEN Ville, FIN
11. DISCOE Joseph, USA
12. LEMIEUX Simon, REPENTIGNY, QUE.
13. GAGNON Marc-Antoine, TERREBONNE, QUE.
14. PENTTALA Jussi , FIN
15. ROCHON Cedric, ST. SAUVEUR, QUE.
16. DENEEN Patrick, USA
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From Qualifications:
Placing, Name, City
19. HICKS Eddie, LANGLEY, B.C.
39. BILODEAU Alex, ROSEMERE, QUE.
41. MARQUIS Philippe, QUEBEC CITY
DNF GAGNE P-O, MONTREAL, QUE.
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Women
Gold: KEARNEY Hannah, USA
Silver: DUFOUR-LAPOINTE, Justine, CAN
Bronze: STOLYAROVA, Ekaterina, RUS
4. HENITIUK Chelsea, SPRUCE GROVE, ALTA
5. OUTTRIM Eliza, USA
6. DUFOUR-LAPOINTE, Maxime, MONTREAL, QUE.
7. MCPHIE Heather, USA
8. BOULANGEAT Alizee, FRA
9. SUDOVA Nikola, CZE
10. HOSHINO Junko, JPN
11. PERTAKHIYA Marika, RUS
12. COX Britteny, AUS
13. ROBICHAUD Audrey, QUEBEC CITY
14. MURATA Arisa, JPN
15. OAKLEY K C, USA
16. RAKHIMOVA Regina, RUS
From Qualifications:
Placing, Name, City
19. HAMEL Christel, ST. SAUVEUR, QUE.
20. DUFRESNE Alex, LORRAINE, QUE.
21. BILODEAU Beatrice, ROSEMERE, QUE.
22. DUFOUR-LAPOINTE, Chloe, MONTREAL, QUE.
For more information or to arrange for interviews contact CFSA Media Relations Manager Kelley Korbin.
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About the Canadian Freestyle Ski Association
The Canadian Freestyle Ski Association is the governing body in Canada for the sport of Freestyle Skiing. Our mission is to develop, in a safe, fun and ethical manner, Olympic and World Champions in all disciplines of the sport of Freestyle Skiing