Stanley Cup Classics - NHL Stanley Cup
INAWASHIRO, Japan — Montreal’s Justine Dufour-Lapointe is getting used to sharing the podium with her siblings.
Two weeks after winning gold in Sochi alongside her sister Chloe — who won silver at the Games — Justine again placed first in competition, this time at a moguls World Cup event on Saturday while her other sister, Maxime, placed third.
“It’s awesome. I’m so proud of Maxime,” the 19-year-old Justine Dufour-Lapointe said. “She’s achieved so many great things and she really improved her skiing this year. Everyone sees it now and it’s great.
“Whichever sister is next to me, I’m always proud and happy for them.”
Justine Dufour-Lapointe earned 23.41 points on the final run while Maxime took 22.67. American Heather McPhie placed second with 22.99 points.
On the men’s side, Marc-Antoine Gagnon of Terrebonne, Que., and Mikael Kingsbury of Sainte-Agathe-des-Monts, Que., won silver and bronze, respectively. American Bradley Wilson took gold while defending two-time Olympic champion Alex Bilodeau of Rosemere, Que., finished fourth.
Maxime Dufour-Lapointe, who watched her sisters win Olympic medals while finishing 12th in Sochi, said she’s cherishing this moment.
“It’s my first podium that I share with one of my sisters and hopefully there will be a lot more of these,” the 25-year-old said. “I was so happy with my own run. My sisters do what they do and I’m always happy for their success.”
The sisters stayed in Sochi to take in the rest of the Olympic festivities before travelling to Japan. They won’t be back in Canada until later this month for the national championships at the Apex Mountain Resort outside of Penticton, B.C.
Despite her busy schedule following the Olympics, however, Justine Dufour-Lapointe says she doesn’t need any help to stay motivated.
“Coming here to Japan I was a little bit tired and homesick, but when I get out on the course and see the crowd full of happy people, I have no choice but to enjoy it,” she said. “I have this feeling of fun and happiness back after so many emotions (at the Olympic Games) and it felt good.”
Gagnon, who finished just off the Olympic podium in fourth place, secured silver with 24.25 points in the men’s moguls.
He scored high on a cork-1080, which he saved for his final jump.
“The bottom there was tricky but I’m really happy with my run,” he said.
Kingsbury earned 23.88 points en route to his third-place finish. Though he was first after qualification, he made a mistake on the landing of his 1080 which, he says, cost him some points.
“At the end, it’s another podium and I feel good,” Kingsbury said.
The 21-year-old won silver in Sochi, behind Bilodeau.
“It was one of my dreams just to be at the Olympics and get a medal, but I want to win the gold so that’s my motivation,” Kingsbury said. “I want to work hard, I want to be the best, I want to win as many (medals) as I can and be the greatest in the history of the sport.
“I love the sport and even though I was on the podium at the Olympics, I’m still hungry to win.”
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