Mikael Kingsbury wins 10th straight World Cup moguls gold
Fellow Canadian Andi Naude captures another bronze
Canadian freestyle skiing star Mikael Kingsbury captured his 10th straight World Cup moguls title on Friday while Andi Naude of Penticton, B.C., collected a bronze medal in her women's race for a second day in a row.
Kingsbury, of Deux-Montagnes, Que., was first at the Thaiwoo Ski Resort in China with 85.94 points, boosting his overall World Cup medal total to 45.
"It's crazy, I know. I don't even think about it to be honest," said Kingsbury. "I'm just trying to ski at my best and control what I can control and I was able to do that today.
"It's just amazing to win especially when the other guys are skiing so well. They push me to be at my best. It worked out again. I just don't want people to wake me up from this dream. It's been unreal."
Same podium different day! <a href="https://twitter.com/MikaelKingsbury?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MikaelKingsbury</a> takes yet another win in Thaiwoo 🇨🇳in day 2 of the World Cup double header. W-O-W! And <a href="https://twitter.com/andi_naude?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@andi_naude</a> manages to clinch 🥉for a second time in a row. Merry Xmas! <a href="https://t.co/g2POP5j5UT">pic.twitter.com/g2POP5j5UT</a>
—@canfreestyleskiKingsbury, one of Canada's top medal threats at February's Winter Olympics in South Korea, has now won all three World Cup events this season — one in Ruka, Finland, and the other two at Thaiwoo.
He started last on Friday and scored 85.94 points to edge Kazakhstan's Dmitriy Reikherd (84.92) and Australia's Matt Graham (82.96).
In other Canadian results, Philippe Marquis of Quebec City was 12th, Marc-Antoine Gagnon of Terrebonne, Que., was 17th, Kerrian Chunlaud of Sainte-Foy Que., was 23rd, Laurent Dumais of Quebec City was 35th, Simon Lemieux of Repentigny, Que., was 52nd and Gabriel Dufresne, also of Repentigny, came in 57th.
The trip to China has not been without its problems for Kingsbury, whose luggage and skis were lost in transit and only showed up the day before training started.
Naude captures another bronze
In women's action, Naude won bronze with 80.03 points, just behind American Jaelin Kauf (80.08) and the winner, Kazakh Yulia Galysheva (80.88).
"I was thrilled to be able to make it on the podium two days in a row and be able to ski six runs that I was really proud of," said Naude.
Chloe Dufour-Lapointe of Montreal finished seventh, Audrey Robichaud of Quebec City was 14th, Alex-Anne Gagnon of Terrebonne, Que., was 22nd, Justine Dufour-Lapointe of Montreal came in 25th and her sister Maxime was 30th.
Justine Dufour-Lapointe fell during training, but emerged with just a few scratches to the face.
With files from CBC Sports