Freestyle Canada – Copper Mountain, USA, December 14, 2016 – The 2016-2017 FIS Freestyle Skiing halfpipe World Cup will kick off this week at Copper Mountain, USA. The Freestyle Canada athletes had the chance to put their skills to the test at the Rev Tour last weekend. Cassie Sharpe and Mike Riddle both finished second, while Brendan Mackay, who is back after a year’ absence due to an injury, finished fourth.
 
For this first World Cup, a renewed team will head down the halfpipe course, as five NextGen athletes of the national team will take part in the competition, namely Rachael Karker, Rachael Anderson, Mackenzie Wilson, Ryan Malone and Evan Marineau. “This World Cup event is a significant step up from the Rev Tour event last week which the athletes used as training. Having a halfpipe event like this one this early in the year really makes the preseason training count. Expectations at this event are that the Next Gen athletes ski their personal best with the runs they have been training all summer”, explains Jeremy Cooper, head coach of the NextGen Park and Pipe Team.
 
Among the team’s “veterans” are Cassie Sharpe, who had greatly impressed last year by winning the XGames in Oslo, Sochi silver medallist Mike Riddle, who kick’s off his 10th season with the national team and Olympian Noah Bowman who will certainly try to build on his Top 10 WC performances from last year.
 
“The team is really excited to compete in the first World Cup of the season. This event also serves as the first chance for the athletes to earn results that can qualify them for the Olympics in 2018. The halfpipe here at Copper Mt is in great shape, they’ve done such a good job getting it up and running in the face of challenging weather and snow conditions. The team has been training very well, they’ve worked harder than ever going into this season, and I expect that all that hard work is really going to pay off for them this year ”, said Trennon Paynter, head coach of the national team about his group of athletes.

Requests involving the athletes before the event must be made to:
Dominique Ladouceur at dominique@freestylecanada.ski. The athletes will also be available after the competition.
 
The following Canadian athletes will participate in the Copper Mountain competition in Colorado:

Men: Mike Riddle (Sherwood Park, AB), Noah Bowman (Calgary, AB), Kristopher Atkinson (Calgary, AB), Brendan Mackay (Calgary, AB), Ryan Malone (Toronto, ON), Evan Marineau (Calgary, AB)
 
Ladies: Cassie Sharpe (Comox, B.C.), Keltie Hansen (Edmonton, AB), Megan Warrener (Sylvan Lake, AB), Rachael Karker (Erin, ON), Rachael Anderson (Caledon East, ON), Mackenzie Wilson (Whistler, BC)

The World Cup schedule is available here.
 
Upcoming Events (December)

• FIS World Cup – December 15 to 17 – Copper Mountain – Halfpipe
• FIS World Cup – December 17 to 18 – Beida Lake – Aerials

For more information and media inquiries please contact: 

Dominique Ladouceur, Manager, Athlete Relations
Cell: 514.576.2379
Email: dominique@freestylecanada.ski

        Freestyle Canada is the governing body in Canada for the sport of Freestyle Skiing. With the support of its valued corporate sponsors along with the Government of Canada, Canadian Olympic Committee and Own the Podium, FC develops Olympic and world champions in all disciplines of the sport. For more information about FC, please visit www.freestylecanada.ski