FREESTYLE:

Slopestyle, ski halfpipe athletes primed for worlds exposure

Jan. 31, 2011 — CFSA

PARK CITY, Utah ― With the recent addition of slopestyle to the program, and a possible inclusion of that event along with ski halfpipe to the 2014 Olympic Winter Games, Canada is sending its biggest team ever to the FIS Freestyle World Championships that get under this week in Utah.

In addition to the so-called “traditional” freestyle disciplines of moguls and aerials, the Canadian Freestyle Ski Association is fielding a full team of athletes to compete in ski halfpipe and slopestyle. And, like their moguls and aerials counterparts, Canadian skiers from the new-school disciplines are tested, talented and have real potential to earn medals at World Championships.

Slopestyle athlete Kaya Turski from Montreal, Que., recently took the top prize at the X Games, as did her halfpipe colleague, Squamish, B.C., native Sarah Burke. And Calgary halfpipe skier Rosalind Groenewoud (“Roz G”) took gold at this season’s first FIS World Cup in that event and was third at the X Games.

On the men’s side, there is also tremendous talent north of the 49th parallel, with athletes such as Vernon, B.C.’s Justin Dorey and Squamish native Mike Riddle routinely rising more than 15 feet out of the pipe to perform their amazing acrobatic moves.

The International Olympic Committee is considering both ski halfpipe and slopestyle for the Sochi Games, but first these skiers have to put on an impressive show at these World Championships, where the eyes of the IOC will be on the proposed disciplines.

For their part, the new-school athletes who have been competing in professional international competitions like the X Games and the Dew Tour are dreaming of the prospect of competing under the rings. Groenewoud said, “It’s such an important decision for the sport and I’ll be thrilled when it has finally happened. Along with my fellow Canadian skiers, I’m ready to work hard for the next three years to proudly represent Canada in 2014.”

Of course, moguls and aerials skiers have already won their bid to compete at the Games, and many of the athletes who represented Canada in 2010 will be vying for the crown of world champion here this week, including Alex Bilodeau, who is the reigning dual moguls world champion.

The Canadian moguls and aerials teams have had a stunning year to date, earning 24 World Cup medals, including four last weekend at the Canada Post Grand Prix at WinSport Canada’s Canada Olympic Park.

Audrey Robichaud, who bumped her way to a silver medal in moguls at last weekend’s event, said, “World Championships is second in importance only to the Olympics for us, and this year with the competition being held on the 2002 Olympic course, it’s really going to feel like the Games. For sure it’s a high-pressure event, and even to get selected for the Canadian World Championship team is a hugely competitive process.” S-Magazine

World Championships events run as follows:

Moguls – Feb. 2
Slopestyle – Feb. 3
Aerials – Feb. 4
Halfpipe and dual moguls – Feb. 5

The Canadian team at worlds is comprised of the following athletes:

Moguls
Jenn Heil (Spruce Grove, AB and Montreal, QC)
Chloé Dufour-Lapointe (Montreal, QC)
Kristi Richards (Summerland, BC)
Audrey Robichaud (Quebec City, QC)
*Justine Dufour-Lapointe (Montreal, QC)
Alex Bilodeau (Rosemère, QC)
Pierre-Alexandre Rousseau (Drummondville, QC)
Mikaël Kingsbury (Deux-Montagnes, QC)
Cédric Rochon (Saint-Sauveur, QC)
**Marc-Antoine Gagnon (Terrebonne, QC)

Slopestyle
Kaya Turski  (Montreal, Que.)
Kim Lamarre (Lac Beauport, Que.)
Maude Raymond (Quebec)
Jessica Warll (Collingwood, Ont.)
Ian Cosco  (Whistler, B.C.)
Max Heard (Lake Cowichan, B.C.)
Jamieson Irvine (Revelstoke, B.C.)

Aerials
Warren Shouldice (Calgary, AB)
Rémi Bélanger (Mascouche, QC)
Travis Gerrits (Milton, ON)
Jonathan Vellner (Red Deer, AB)
Jean-Christophe André (Saint-Laurent, QC)
Sabrina Guérin (Laval, QC)
Crystal Lee (Newmarket, ON)

Halfpipe
Sarah Burke (Squamish, BC)
Roz Groenewoud (Calgary, AB)
Dania Assaly (Edmonton, AB)
Keltie Hansen (Edmonton, AB)
Justin Dorey (Vernon, BC)
Matt Margetts (Kelowna, BC)
Mike Riddle (Squamish, BC)
Noah Bowman (Calgary, AB)

*Alternate
** Dual moguls only