MOGULS:

Heil targets repeat win after setting pace in Calgary qualifying

Jan. 9, 2010 — The Canadian Press

CALGARY, Alberta — Jennifer Heil set the pace Saturday as the Canadian moguls team enjoyed another strong showing in World Cup qualifying.

Heil was first down the hill and her score of 23.71 points outlasted 43 other participants on a mild afternoon at Canada Olympic Park. Heil, the defending Olympic champion, won Friday's event for her 21st career World Cup title.

American Heather McPhie qualified second with 23.11, while Aiko Uemura of Japan was third with 22.91.

Four other Canadian women qualified for Saturday's final. Audrey Robichaud of Quebec City was eighth with 20.97, Chloe Dufour-Lapointe of Montreal placed ninth with 20.95, Sylvia Kerfoot of Vancouver finished 15th with 18.79 and Chloe's sister, Maxime, qualified 16th with 18.71.

Kristi Richards of Pemberton, B.C., the overall World Cup leader, struggled on her run and failed to advance, finishing 28th with 13.28.

Alexandre Bilodeau of Rosemere, Que., was the top Canadian in men's action, qualifying fourth in 22.94. Dale-Begg Smith of Australia and Alexandr Smyshlyaev of Russia (23.21) were the top two, followed by overall World Cup leader Jesper Bjoernlund of Sweden (23.00).

Pierre-Alexandre Rousseau of Drummondville, Que., qualified 11th in 22.05, while Vancouver's Warren Tanner was 12th in 21.97 and Maxime Gingras of St-Hippolyte, Que., 16th in 21.62.

The top 16 finishers in both events qualified for the final.  SRC