Music: {allcanada} KINGSBURY, BILODEAU TAKE TOP TWO SPOTS ON MOGULS PODIUM

Saturday, January 29, 2011

{allcanada} KINGSBURY, BILODEAU TAKE TOP TWO SPOTS ON MOGULS PODIUM

CALGARY -- For Warren Shouldice, there really is no place like home.

The Calgarian was a World Cup aerials winner Saturday at Canada Olympic Park to cap a four-medal haul by the host team at the Canada Post Freestyle Grand Prix.

"I had no idea it would be so special until it happened," Shouldice said. "I thought this was another World Cup stop, but now having won it at home, I realize it's so much more.

"To do it in front of the Shouldice family, my parents are losing their minds over there."

Canada dominated the men's events Saturday with Mikael Kingsbury of Deux-Montagnes, Que., and Olympic champion Alex Bilodeau of Montreal finishing one-two in moguls.

Audrey Robichaud of Quebec City took silver in women's moguls, while former Olympic champion Jenn Heil of Spruce Grove, Alta., crashed after her first jump and crossed the line last among 12 finalists.

Shouldice's victory was his first since winning a World Cup in China six years ago. The 27-year-old is the lone veteran an young men's aerials team rebuilding after the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver and Whistler, B.C.

Shouldice, whose nickname is "Wookie", has won 11 career World Cup medals and was third in the world championship two years ago.

He led after the first of two jumps on an overcast Saturday. World Cup overall leader Qi Guangpu of China was sitting second, but then badly missed the landing of his second jump to end up fifth.

Shouldice laid down a lay-double, full-full, which is triple flip with two twists on the second flip and a single twist on the third flip, with only a slight leg wobble when he landed in the snow.

"I did my two jumps about as well as I can do them," Shouldice said. "I had a little bobble on my second one, but that's kind of the performance I aim for every week."

Switzerland's Renato Ulrich finished second behind Shouldice while American Scotty Bahrke was third. It was a promising day for the rest of the Canadian men as Jean-Christophe Andre of Montreal was fourth, Remi Belanger of Mascouche, Que., finished sixth and Travis Gerrits of Milton, Ont., placed ninth.

Kingsbury continued his meteoric rise in moguls in just his first full season on the World Cup circuit. He's only 18, yet has won five medals, including two gold.

"I think Canada doesn't know about him yet, but they probably have an Olympic gold medal in their back pocket in Sochi or in 2018," said Bilodeau, 23.

Kingsbury and Bilodeau are second and third in the overall World Cup standings behind Guilbaut Colas of France, who was seventh Saturday.

Conditions for moguls course changed overnight. Days of warm weather heading into the event made for icy conditions during training and qualifications, but thick snow started falling Friday and continued through the morning finals of moguls.

"We went from skiing in a T-shirt to real winter here in the snow," said women's winner Hannah Kearney of the U.S. "With that much snow the moguls get deeper as people ski."

Kearney is the reigning Olympic champion, beating Heil for gold in Vancouver. Heil, the gold medallist in 2006, was initially heartbroken after falling in her final race in her home province. She's retiring after this season.

"I got caught in some snow," Heil explained. "I don't know how it happened.

"It's obviously emotional for it to be the last. I went for it and made a mistake and that's unfortunately sport."

Robichaud's silver was her second World Cup podium in as many weeks after finishing third in Lake Placid, N.Y., last week.

Cedric Rochon of Saint-Sauveur, Que., was eighth in men's moguls. Chloe Dupont-Lapointe of Montreal was seventh and Chelsea Henitiuk of Spruce Grove was 11th in the women's field.

China's Cheng Shuang and World Cup leader Xu Mengtao claimed the top two spots in women's aerials, followed by Olga Volkova of Ukraine. Montreal's Sabrina Guerin was fifth and Toronto's Crystal Lee finished eighth.

It was going to be an abbreviated party at the Shouldice house as the Canadian freestyle team departs Sunday for Deer Valley, Utah, and the world championship starting Wednesday.

Canadians will compete in moguls, dual moguls, aerials, halfpipe and slopestyle. Canadian Freestyle Ski Association CEO Peter Judge feels the team is capable of seven or eight medals in Deer Valley, and was pleased with the results in Calgary.

"To have this kind of momentum going into worlds is really important," Judge said. "We're firing on all cylinders."