MOGULS, FREESTYLE WORLD CUP. Justine-Dufour Lapointe won the FIS World Cup moguls event at Ski Mont Gabriel in the Canada Post Freestyle Grand Prix today. Dufour-Lapointe becomes the youngest female to win an FIS mogul World Cup. Dufour-Lapointe was joined in top spot, by Bilodeau  who won today`s men`s division.

Justine Dufour-Lapointe of Canada, races during qualifying in the women's world cup freestyle dual mogul ski event, Saturday, Jan. 15, 2011 at Mont-Gabriel in Sainte-Adele, Quebec. Dufour-Lapointe qualified first. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Jacques Boissinot)

A hometown crowd of about 2,000 braved snow and -15 degree temperatures to watch the exciting head-to-head event where eight Canadian women and seven Canadian men progressed to the 16-athlete finals. Dufour-Lapointe battled Russia’s Anastassia Gunchenko for top spot, while Jenn Heil  bested Justine’s older sister Chloé in the consolation round.

Justine, who won a bronze in a dual event in Meribel, France earlier in the season, said, “I’m really stoked, I’m more than happy. I can’t believe that I won my first World Cup here in Mt. Gabriel and in my home country for only my third competition on the World Cup circuit.”

She added, “Racing with my sisters is always fun because we’re really close and we don’t really fight, it’s more just a mental challenge.”

Audrey Robichaud of Canada, races during qualifying in the women's world cup freestyle dual mogul ski event, Saturday, Jan. 15, 2011 at Mont-Gabriel in Sainte-Adele, Quebec. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Jacques Boissinot)

Heil Lapointe revealed after the race:  “It’s so awesome to be at home here and the crowd here is seriously the best in the world. And it’s great to see the kids, like Justine and Mikaël on the podium.”

On the mens side, Bilodeau beat teammate Mikaël Kingsbury in the final. Bilodeau said, “It feels great to touch the podium again and I think the results here are really promising for the rest of the season.”

Alexandre Bilodeau of Canada, flies over a jump during qualifying in the men's world cup freestyle dual mogul ski event, Saturday, Jan. 15, 2011 at Mont-Gabriel in Sainte-Adele, Quebec. Bilodeau qualified first. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Jacques Boissinot)

Guilbaut Colas of France beat Jeremy Cota of the USA for the bronze medal; Colas maintains the yellow bib as the current standings leader.

Bilodeau is also encouraged by what he sees from the team’s rookies, “What we see here today with the men and the women speaks to the excellent job the Canadian Freestyle Ski Association is doing and it looks really positive for the future.”

Mikael Kingsbury of Canada, flies over a jump during qualifying in the men's world cup freestyle dual mogul ski event, Saturday, Jan. 15, 2011 at Mont-Gabriel in Sainte-Adele, Quebec. Kingsbury qualified second. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Jacques Boissinot)

It was Kingsbury’s third medal of the season – last month he won silver in the season-opener in Ruka, Finland and then gold in Changchun, China – it was also some of the fastest skiing the 18-year-old has ever done. Kingsbury said, “I did everything I could today. Against Alex in the final, I gave all I had, but he was definitely quicker than I was today. Still, I’m satisfied by what I was able to do.”

FISfreestyle.com
Saturday 15 January 2011

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