Sixth sense of snow for Kingsbury
Canadian stretches streak on World Cup moguls circuit with season crown locked up
ZHANGJIAKOU, CHINA— Canada’s Mikael Kingsbury isn’t slowing down even though he has already locked up the Crystal Globe as the top skier on the World Cup moguls circuit.
He continued his dominant season Saturday by winning his sixth straight World Cup freestyle skiing gold medal. Kingsbury, from Deux-Montagnes, Que., captured 86.00 points to top Australian Brodie Summers, who scored 81.75.
“I ended up skiing very well all day so I’m happy to take (my) sixth win in a row, which is pretty crazy,” Kingsbury said.
Matt Graham of Australia was third with 81.12 points.
Philippe Marquis of Quebec City was seventh, Marc-Antoine Gagnon of Terrebonne, Que., was eighth, Simon Pouliot-Cavanagh of Quebec City was 10th, Laurent Dumais of Quebec City was 12th and Calgary’s Luke Ulsifer was 28th.
“I had less pressure than the other events because I knew I already won the Crystal Globe,” Kingsbury said. “It was nice to ski and have fun all day and I think it showed in my skiing. I was pretty fast and jumped well all day so I’m happy to take the win.”
His latest moguls win was the 41st title of his World Cup career. The dual moguls event was scheduled for Sunday and the world championships are on tap next month in Sierra Nevada, Spain.
Kingsbury is also in great position to earn the Big Crystal Globe awarded to the best freestyle athlete across all disciplines.
The 24-year-old leads the World Cup moguls standings and is second in the overall freestyle rankings.
On the women’s side, Justine Dufour-Lapointe of Montreal won silver with 79.26 points. Perrine Laffont of France took gold with 80.01 while Australia’s Britteny Cox captured bronze with 76.52.
“I feel really happy to stand on that podium in second place,” Dufour-Lapointe said.
“That course was awesome. I really enjoyed skiing it.”
Andi Naude of Penticton, B.C., was seventh, Audrey Robichaud of Quebec City was eighth and Montreal’s Maxime Dufour-Lapointe was 11th.
Justine Dufour-Lapointe is the top Canadian in the overall moguls standings in third place. Naude is fourth.