Canada’s Kingsbury claims 50th career World Cup win
RUKA, Finland — The season-opening World Cup moguls event in Ruka has been the site of some of the biggest moments of Mikael Kingsbury’s accomplished career.
It’s where the Canadian freestyle skiing star made his first career trip to the World Cup podium, winning silver in 2011.
Four years later, he earned his record 29th career World Cup gold medal at Ruka, passing French legend Edgar Grospiron.
And on Friday, Kingsbury earned a landmark 50th career World Cup win on the slope situated in northern Finland.
But for the reigning Olympic champion from Deux-Montagnes, Que., who at 26 still has years to build on his half-century of victories, milestones are far less important than executing in the moment.
“I never had in the back of my mind, not even once, that it could have been my 50th today,” Kingsbury said. “The goal was just to ski at my best. And when I’m at my best, I know I’m very tough to beat.”
Certainly tough to beat, though Benjamin Cavet gave it his best shot with a score of 86.45 in the super final. Kingsbury, skiing last and confident in his ability to push himself a little bit more, still beat the Frenchman with room to spare.
“I was thinking about my strategy, and the goal was to do . . . the same run he did,” said Kingsbury who posted a final score of 88.14. “To go two points higher than him in the super final after a run that was basically perfect for him was even better than winning my 50th one.”