Mont-Tremblant, Quebec, January 15, 2019– Canada’s best mogul skiers, including Olympic medallists Mikaël Kingsbury and Justine Dufour-Lapointe, will match wits with their international peers on home snow this coming Saturday, January 26 in a World Cup mogul competition sponsored by Mackenzie Investments and presented by Toyota at Mont Tremblant Resort.
This leg of the FIS Freestyle World Cup season will feature some hundred athletes from 15 countries, converging for a single mogul competition that promises to be one of the most exciting sports events on Canadian soil this winter.
On the men’s side, Mikaël Kingbsury, Olympic champion and World Cup leader who was recently named Canada’s 2018 male athlete of the year, will be pitted against Australia’s Matt Graham and Japan’s Daichi Hara, who stood with Kingsbury on the podium at the 2018 Pyeongchang Olympics. Kingsbury, who is undefeated on the World Cup circuit so far this season, will also compete against such rivals as Dimitriy Reikherd of Kazakhstan, Ikuma Horishima of Japan, and Benjamin Cavet of France – his closest rivals in the moguls World Cup overall standings.
“The competition in moguls is fierce, and every race is a chance to prove yourself,” observed Kingsbury. “Even more so when you’re skiing at home, because you always want to do your best with family, friends and fans watching from the sidelines. And in this case, the upcoming event will also be an opportunity to redeem myself after finishing second behind Ikuma last year in Tremblant. I intend to make up for that this time around!”
On the women’s side, Justine Dufour-Lapointe will face her French rival, Olympic defending champion Perrine Laffont, and Kazakh skier Yulia Galysheva, 2018 Olympic bronze medallist. Justine and her sister, Chloé, will also be competing against Jaelin Kauf, USA, who is vying with Laffont for the status as overall women’s leader on the World Cup mogul circuit.
“Last year’s win in Tremblant gave me wings for the Olympic Games. That event, on home soil, in an atmosphere that was amazing energy for the ladies on the Canadian team, was the one that propelled me to the silver medal in South Korea,” said Justine Dufour-Lapointe. “I’m eager to feel that special atmosphere again – especially since home races are always family affairs for Chloé and me, and especially this season, when we’ll be seeing Maxime at the bottom of the course!”
Race day will, as always, be a full one, with qualifying runs in the morning: the women’s at 8:55 a.m. and the men’s at 11:00. The narrowed field of 16 men and women will go on to the first final at 1:30 p.m. (women) and 1:55 p.m. (men), followed by the super final at 2:20 p.m. (women) and 2:30 (men) to determine the champions for that leg of the circuit.
The medals ceremony will be held at Place Saint-Bernard, after which Mikaël Kingsbury will also be publicly presented with the Lou Marsh Award for top Canadian athlete.
This is the second year running that the world’s best mogul skiers meet in Tremblant, with the FIS having added the venue back to its circuit in January 2018 pursuant to a five-year agreement between Freestyle Canada and Mont Tremblant Resort. Mogul and aerial World Cup competitions had previously been held there from 1996 to 2005.
“Tremblant Resort is a perfect spot to host such an important event, and we feel that it will be an exciting showcase once again for the sport and our athletes,” declared Marc Monchamp, director of the organizing committee for the Tremblant World Cup. “Again this year our aim will be to create a spirit of conviviality on the competition site – both for spectators close to the action and for people participating in different activities on the sidelines of the main event – during the competition as well as the day after, Sunday, when fans can come meet members of the Canadian team.”
Getting there
The Mackenzie Investments Moguls World Cup Presented by Toyota will be held on the South side of the mountain, in the Flying Mile run – a perfect place for an event of this magnitude.
Spectators have three ways to see the live competition.
1) By chairlift (paying access)
Skiers and boarders can purchase a regular ski ticket, which allows them to practice their sport anywhere on the mountain and catch the World Cup action; or, they can purchase a reduced-price ticket ($22 at the ticket office, taxes and royalties included), valid for Saturday only and limited to the Flying Mile lift; the lift is accessible only to skiers and boarders.
2) By the pedestrian corridor (free access)
A pedestrian corridor with signage will be created for pedestrians from the bottom of the South side to the top of the Flying Mile run. Walking time from base to top is 30 to 45 minutes (total distance, 900 metres). Snowshoes or crampons are strongly recommended for this steady climb!
3) At Place Saint-Bernard (big screens)
If you can’t make it up the mountain or prefer to see the competition from a nice warm spot, you can follow the contest live on a giant screen from an outdoor area that has been specially arranged for the event. Seating, firepits and heating systems will keep spectators cozy and perfectly positioned to catch every exciting moment on the mogul course.
For directions to the competition site and where to park, go here: https://bit.ly/2Ax7tzx
Meet the Canadian mogul skiers!
Sunday, January 27, 2019
10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
The day after the World Cup, the public is invited to meet athletes and coaches from the Canadian team in a free activity at the foot of the Flying Mile lift on the South side. The skiers and coaches will be there to field questions, pose for photos and sign autographs.
This will also be an opportunity to ski with the athletes on a safe course adapted for skiers of all ages and skill levels. Hotel accommodations are also available for anyone who wants to stay overnight on Saturday and participate in both days of activities. All details here:https://bit.ly/2Ft6S67
Canadian athletes competing in the World Cup on January 26, 2019:
Men: Mikaël Kingsbury(Deux-Montagnes, QC), Philippe Marquis(Quebec City, QC), Laurent Dumais(Quebec City, QC), Simon Lemieux(Repentigny, QC), Gabriel Dufresne(Repentigny, QC), Kerrian Chunlaud(Sainte-Foy, QC), Brendan Kelly(Pemberton, BC), Elliott Vaillancourt(Drummondville, QC), Ryan Portello(Cochrane, AB), Robbie Andison(Oakville, ON), Jordan Kober(Penticton, BC)
Women: Chloé Dufour-Lapointe(Montreal, QC), Justine Dufour-Lapointe(Montreal, QC), Sofiane Gagnon(Whistler, BC), Laurianne Desmarais-Gilbert(Sainte-Adèle, QC),Maia Schwinghammer(Saskatoon, SK)
Press accreditation
Media representatives who wish to cover the Mackenzie Investments Moguls World Cup presented by Toyota on January 26 must complete the accreditation form, here.
|