S-Comp – Feb 2014

SOCHI 2014 OUR MEDAL PICKS FOR THE XXII WINTER GAMES

Winter 2014 Vol. 3, No. 2

After eclipsing Podborski’s historic podium mark, Canadian Cowboy aims for Olympic pinnacle

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editor’s note

Two minutes to fame

Two minutes. Four years, then two minutes. couple of Olympic qualifications still up for grabs at press time, It’s been just shy of 2 million minutes since the closing of the Canadians — paced by World Cup leaders Marielle Thompthe Vancouver 2010 Games and, sticking with the arithmetic son and David Duncan as well as hard-charging Kelsey Serwa theme, somewhere in the range of 480 ski days for snowsand Brady Leman — will be the team to watch in Sochi, with ports Olympians. That’s roughly 144,000 minutes of training a more stacked team than Canada fielded at the Vancouver or competition.

Games when Ashleigh McIvor won the first ski cross gold medal.

Those sweat, blood and tear-filled minutes will be conThe powerhouse nordic Scandinavians, who typically densed to a few pressure-filled moments of competition at dominate the cross-country events, will have their hands full the 2014 Sochi Olympic Winter Games. Sports can be cruel with the Canadian duo Alex Harvey and Devon Kershaw. The that way. Exciting, but cruel.

25-year-old Harvey, of St-Ferréol-les-Neiges, Que., is roundBut the Canadian snowsports athletes appear to be ready to ing into brilliant form entering the Olympics, winning more take on the world, with more medal potentials than ever before. hardware in the recent Tour de Ski. Harvey and Kershaw, of Erik Guay graces our cover for the sixth time (the most in our Sudbury, Ont., led the best-ever start at the eighth annual Tour eight-year publishing history), and deservedly so. Speaking of de Ski by winning the gold and silver, respectively, marking the records, Guay is now the most decorated ski racer in Canadian first time Canada has finished one-two at an elite international history, surpassing Crazy Canucks cross-country skiing event. Harvey leaders Steve Podborski and Ken summed up his Olympic chances: “I Read, with 21 World Cup medals. He’s can take a lot of confidence into the entering these Games, his third, more Olympics this year knowing that I I can take a lot of confidence mature, confident and in his best have been able to get on the podium into the Olympics this year form. His chance will be solid but by when the lights are shining and evknowing that I have been able no means a gimme. The alpine discieryone is racing in their top form.” to get on the podium when the plines will be hotly contested, with so We have a suspicion that Harvey lights are shining and everyone many variables and such a large pool is not the only Canadian Olympian of medal threats, that our predictions who thinks that way. is racing in their top form.” (see Page 8) burst a few blood ves— Gordie Bowles — Alex Harvey, below sels with the S-Media editors.

The freestyle events will be much closer to a sure thing for the Canadian Olympians. Moguls aces Mikael Kingsbury and defending Olympic champion Alex Bilodeau, the top two ranked moguls skiers, are perhaps the best one-two chance for all snowsports disciplines. The Dufour-Lapointe sisters — Justine and Chloe — also are legitimate contenders in the women’s moguls, while Alex Beaulieu-Marchand, Kaya Turski and Dara Howell are primed for a podium challenge in the newest Olympic sport of slopestyle.

Similarly, Mike Riddle and Rosalind Groenewoud are in good form in the halfpipe. In all, Canadians have nine legitimate chances at freestyle Olympic hardware.

The Canadian ski cross team is chalk full of podium contenders. With a

Cover: Erik Guay (Red Bull Photo Files); this page: Pentaphoto/Elvis Piazzi

“

COMPETITION

EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Gordie Bowles EDITOR Don Cameron ART DIRECTOR Lisa Thé SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHER Paul Morrison CONTRIBUTORS Getty Images, Kelley Korbin, Michel Painchaud, Mike Ridewood, ACA/Pentaphoto

LETTERS: All letters to the editor should be addressed to editor@s-media.ca” with subject header “MailBag Letter.”

SNOWSPORTS MEDIA INCORPORATED PRESIDENT Chris Robinson, chris@s-media.ca VICE PRESIDENT Mark Kristofic, mark@s-media.ca CONTROLLER Lisa Crowley, lisa@s-media.ca S-Competition is an independent publication of Snowsports Media Inc. and is published two times per year. Head Office: Snowsports Media Inc. 87-B Hurontario St., Collingwood, Ont., L9Y 2L9. Phone: (416) 840-6615. E-mail: info@s-media.ca.

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SG

snowsports gallery

The sun and majestic Dolomite peaks offer a surreal postcard-worthy scene from the Alta Badia World Cup race course.

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In December, Norway’s Aksel Lund Svindal, the overall tour leader, become the first man to win five World Cup super-G’s at Lake Louise.

Pentaphoto/ACA (Gagnon); Michel Painchaud (Svindal); Manuel Glira (Alta Badia)

Marie-Michèle Gagnon roars to a 13th-place giant slalom finish at Beaver Creek in December. For the first time since 2006, Canada placed three women in the second run of a GS, with Marie-Pier Préfontaine ninth and Erin Mielzynski 16th. Gagnon ranked eighth overall on the tour in early January.

Michel Painchaud (Vonn); Pentaphoto/ACA (Cousineau); Roger Witney/ACA (Guay); Alexis Fortin Robitaille (Gerrits); Malcolm Carmichael/ACA (Duncan)

At Val d’Isere in mid-December, Canada’s Julien Cousineau — back from injury — scored an 18th-place finish from the back of the pack, for his first top-30 finish since 2011.

Lindsey Vonn returned to competition with a solid showing at Lake Louise, improving from 40th in the first downhill to 11th, then fifth in super-G. But she reinjured her right knee Dec. 21 at Val d’Isere and will miss the Sochi Olympics.

Canadian Cowboy Erik Guay celebrates an eighth-place finish in the Lake Louise downhill in November. Guay reeled in two podiums and a downhill win at Val Gardena in December.

Part of an immensely talented Canadian ski cross squad, Dave Duncan pulled off back-to-back World Cup wins in December to qualify for the Sochi Games.

Travis Gerrits, who registered his first World Cup win in December in China, is Canada’s top threat in aerials.

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2014 Olympic Winter Games Preview

CHARGE TO SOCHI With Erik Guay and Marie-Michèle Gagnon blazing the alpine trail, and plenty of contenders in other disciplines, Canada is poised to stir the pot on the shores of the Black Sea. S-Comp previews the skiing disciplines and serves up a golden forecast.

By Gordie Bowles, Don Cameron and Kelley Korbin

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INSIDE

PG

Alpine men ������������������ 8 Alpine women ������������10 Freestyle ��������������������� 12 Cross-country ������������14 Ski cross ����������������������14

Erik Guay (Malcolm Carmichael/ACA)

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COMPETITION

ERIKGUAY Canada | DH world champion 2012 Erik Guay has been oh-soclose to the Olympic podium, and his consistency and will to win might push him to glory in Sochi. His dynamite run at the Hahnenkahm race in January 2013 when he finished in second, showed the form he’ll need to win.

MANNYOSBORNEPARADIS Canada | 3 World Cup wins, 9 podiums

Just 12th in the downhill standings, Osborne-Paradis was seventh in the 2013 Val Gardena DH won by Erik Guay. His long road back from injury would be complete with a Sochi medal.

Canada’s Manny-Osborne-Paradis

BEATFEUZ

DOMINIKPARIS

AKSELSVINDAL

Switzerland | Sochi DH winner 2012

Italy | Kitzbühel DH winner 2012

Norway | DH world champion 2013

After a knee infection sidelined the Swiss ace for most of the 2012-13 season, Feuz is rounding back into the dominant form that he showed in 2012 when he amassed 15 podiums and five wins.

He won the first downhill of the season at Lake Louise, but more relevant is his track record on tough race courses like Schladming, Kitzbühel and Beaver Creek. The Italian was 11th on the Sochi track in 2012, but expect him to be in the running.

The best racer of our time is Mr. Consistent, especially in speed. With another gutsy win in the Beaver Creek downhill and a staggering 19 WC wins in the discipline (36 podiums), Svindal will be in the hunt.

ALPINE MEN

RACERS TO WATCH | SUPER-G Bode Miller

PATRICKKUENG Switzerland | Beaver Creek 2014 SG winner Not a household name but don’t count out this up-andcoming Swiss ace. With a string of top-10 finishes to start the season, including a win at Beaver Creek, Kueng has shown his mettle on the toughest speed tracks. This could be his breakthrough.

MATTHIASMAYER Austria | two-time Europa Cup winner The Austrian has yet to win a WC race but has shown consistency (11 top-10 finishes) in this discipline. The 2008 runner-up at world juniors also could fit into the “darkhorse” category, but S-Mag is going with a hunch here.

BODEMILLER

KJETILJANSRUD

JANHUDEC

USA | Two-time overall WC champion

Norway | 2010 Olympic GS silver

Canada | two-time World Cup winner

Bode Miller is back and appears as confident as ever. The most decorated American Olympian with five medals, Miller has a chance to add to his haul.

His only World Cup win came in super-G, in 2010 at Kvitfjell, but he has 11 career top-10’s in the discipline. He ranked fourth in super-G last season and is eighth this winter.

Canada’s best shot at an Olympic podium in this discipline will come from either Hudec or Erik Guay.

The Calgary product is fit, healthy and ready to roll.

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PODIUM MEN’S PICKS DOWNHILL GOLD Svindal

SILVER BRONZE Guay

Paris

Don’t-be-surprised winners: Kraus Kroell, Austria; Hannes Reichelt, Austria; Adrian Theaux, France; Ben Thomsen, Canada; Darkhorses: Manuel-Osborne Paradis, Canada; Bode Miller, USA; Jan Hudec, Canada; Max Franz, Austria

THE RUNDOWN

With only one World Cup race on the Sochi downhill track in the books, predicting the Olympic winner is a mighty task. The technical and turny course, which received high praise from the athletes after the 2012 event, is fierce and will weed out the best. Beat Feuz, the 2012 winner, is back on form after an injury-plagued season in 2013, and Italian Dominik Paris could be perfectly suited for this course. But Norwegian Aksel Lund Svindal likely will take the downhill Olympic glory.  Dominik Paris

PODIUM MEN’S PICKS SUPER-G GOLD Svindal

SILVER BRONZE Miller

Kueng

Don’t-be-surprised winners: Erik Guay, Canada; Ted Ligety, USA; Adrian Theaux, France; G. Streitberger, Austria Darkhorses: Manuel-Osborne Paradis, Canada; Max Franz, Austria

THE RUNDOWN Little is known about the super-G track at Rosa Khutor. The ski resort near the Black Sea was constructed for the Games between 2003 to 2011; it has serious vertical, and the super-G will be a long and winding road. Technical prowess will prevail. There’s little doubt who the best bet for super-G gold is: Norwegian Aksel Lund Svindal.

Georg Streitberger 

Pentaphoto/Alpine Canada (Osborne-Paradis); Jesse Starr/Vail Resorts (Miller); Michel Painchaud (Feuz, Streitberger)

RACERS TO WATCH | DOWNHILL

COMPETITION

RACERS TO WATCH | GIANT SLALOM STEFANLUITZ Germany | Val d’Isere podium finisher An up-and-coming giant slalom star, Germany’s Luitz has two career World Cup podiums and ranks fifth on the tour in the discipline rankings. Just 21, Luitz might be peaking at the 2018 Winter Games.

ALEXISPINTURAULT France | Holds 16 career WC podiums

Ted Ligety, USA’s all-purpose threat

MARCEL HIRSCHER

Austria | Back-to-back overall champ The two-time World Cup overall champ (2012, 2013), Hirscher already owns 50 career podiums and 21 victories. After finishing fourth at the Vancouver Games, he’ll be motivated for a medal.

A two-time world junior gold medalist, Pinturault ranks third in giant slalom this season after finishing third in the discipline last season. The Frenchman boasts four World Cup wins and 16 podiums and is the best bet to crash the Ligety-Hirscher party.

TEDLIGETY

BENNIRAICH

USA | Four-time GS tour champion

Austria | 36 WC wins, 4 OWG medals

USA’s top hope for Olympic hardware, Ligety is a fourtime GS crystal globe champ.

Ligety scored gold in 2006 in combined and has four golds from worlds. He trails Hirscher in the GS standings heading into the new year.

The Austrian legend, at age 35, is heating up, with a seventh-place effort at Alta Badia before Christmas. Fully recovered from an offseason motorbike crash, he’s gunning for Olympic medal No. 5.

RACERS TO WATCH | SLALOM MICHAELJANYK

Malcolm Carmichael/ACA (Ligety); Pentaphoto/ACA (Janyk); atomic.com (Hirscher)

Canada | 2009 worlds bronze medalist The Canadian tech ace has struggled to find his top form, finishing 20th and 21st in two slaloms this season, so he’s a Sochi podium longshot. Janyk was 13th in 2010 at the Vancouver Games and owns one career World Cup podium.

PATRICKTHALER Italy | 3rd in World Cup standings Tied for third in slalom standings, Thaler has two career podiums, one this season (third at Val d’Isere). His Olympic history is unimpressive, with two DNFs. Maybe Sochi will change his luck.

Canada’s Mike Janyk

MARIOMATT

MATTIASHARGIN

J.-B.GRANGE

Austria | 2001, 2007 slalom world champ Sweden | 2nd in season standings

France | 2011 slalom world champ

The veteran racer has 15 WC wins and has regained his top form, claiming a Val d’Isere triumph in midDecember to take the lead in the season standings. Matt has four medals from worlds.

After missing the Vancouver Games due to injury, the veteran is out to reaffirm his biggame talent. Grange struck gold at 2011 worlds and bronze in 2007, and claimed the 2009 season title.

Despite not having a World Cup win, Hargin has enjoyed a strong season, finishing second and fifth in his two slaloms. He finished fifth in the slalom at the 2009 World Championships.

PODIUM PICKS GOLD Ligety

MEN’S GS

SILVER BRONZE Hirscher

Luitz

Don’t-be-surprised winners: Aksel Lund Svindal, Norway; Thomas Fanara, France; Fritz Dopfer, Germany Darkhorses: Bode Miller, USA; Felix Neureuther, Germany

THE RUNDOWN

Marcel Hirscher

Right up there with Canada-USA in hockey (both men and women), the showdown between Ted Ligety of the U.S. and Austria’s Marcel Hirscher should be epic. Ligety owns four GS globes but no GS Olympic medals. Hirscher has been in Ligety’s shadow in the discipline but owns the past two overall crystal globes. Canada is no factor in this discipline, but France and Germany have plenty of talent to make a run for the gold if Ligety or Hirscher falter.

PODIUM PICKS M. SLALOM GOLD Matt

ALPINE MEN

SILVER BRONZE Grange

Thaler

Don’t-be-surprised winners: Marcel Hirscher, Austria; Andre Myhrer, Sweden; Henrik Kristoffersen, Norway Darkhorses: David Chodounsky, USA; Naoki Yuasa, Japan

THE RUNDOWN Unlike the GS, where Ted Ligety and Marcel Hirscher are the clear frontrunners, the slalom race is wide-open, with no fewer than a dozen solid contenders. While Canadians Julien Cousineau and Mike Janyk are not considered top threats, the Americans serve up Ligety as well as David Chodounsky, who ranks 16th. Veterans Benni Raich (11th) and Ivica Kostelic (14th) also can’t be ruled out. Kostelic won a super-combi at Sochi in 2012.

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COMPETITION

RACERS TO WATCH | DOWNHILL STACEYCOOK USA | Two-time World Cup DH runner-up Part of a juggernaut U.S. speed team that includes Vonn and Smith, Cook ranked fourth in downhill last season and has two career podiums, both at Lake Louise. She was ninth in the Sochi test event but has struggled this season.

LARISAYURKIW Canada | 2008 world juniors silver medalist Ranked 16th in downhill, she’s Canada’s only hope in women’s speed. She owns two top-10 World Cup finishes, the best being a seventh at Lake Louise in December.

If she qualifies for Sochi, she could be a top-10 factor.

Maria Hoefl-Riesch of Germany

M.HOEFL-RIESCH Germany | Two-time overall champ The leader in the downhill rankings, Hoefl-Riesch took two gold at Vancouver and has five medals from worlds.

In downhill, she has chalked up 24 Cup podiums and 10 wins. A top threat indeed.

Switzerland | Second in DH standings Relatively unherald Swiss racer won the Val d’Isere downhill in December and has three other career WC podiums. Now she is seeking her first Olympics medal after almost quitting the sport a few seasons back.

ANNAFENNINGER Austria | Third in WC overall standings Third in the overall chase for crystal last winter, Fenninger is a two-time world medalist with 22 WC podiums and five wins. She was fourth and third in the two recent Lake Louise downhills.

GOLD

SILVER BRONZE

Hoefl-Riesch K.-Abderhalden Fenninger Don’t-be-surprised winners: Lara Gut, Switzerland; Tina Maze, Slovenia; Tina Weirather, Liechtenstein; Elena Fanchini, Italy; Darkhorses: Leanne Smith, USA; Marion Rolland, France

THE RUNDOWN

The women’s speed game changed on Jan. 7 when American idol Lindsey Vonn announced she would not compete in the Sochi Olympics. Vonn reinjured her right knee in Val d’Isere, France, just before Christmas and will require further surgery.

The Americans have a deep team, but no one has stepped up in Vonn’s absence, so look for tour vets Maria Hoefl-Riesch and a host of Swiss and Austrians to thrive. Hoefl-Riesch won the test event in 2012 on the Sochi track, with Austria’s Elisabeth Goergl and Vonn also on the podium. Minus Vonn, the Americans could turn to Stacey Cook, Julia Mancuso and Leanne Smith.  Larisa Yurkiw

RACERS TO WATCH | SUPER-G NICOLEHOSP Austria | 2006 Olympic slalom silver Fourth in the season superG standings, Hosp’s best race days might be behind her, but the 2007 overall champ can’t be ruled out.

She was third in the Beaver Creek super-G and has 11 career World Cup wins.

JULIAMANCUSO USA | Eight medals in worlds, Olympics

The December 2013 Lake Louise super-G podium, from left, Tina Weirather, winner Lara Gut and Anna Fenninger.

Twice a runner-up for super-G crystal, Mancuso has struggled this season but is a big-event force. She owns three Olympic medals and five at worlds (three in superG). Mancuso was sixth in DH at the Sochi test event, so she likes the course.

LARAGUT

DOMINIQUEGISIN KAJSAKLING

Switzerland | Super-G rankings leader

Switzerland | Seven career WC podiums Sweden | 5th in super-G rankings

The super-G points leader, Gut was runner-up at 2013 worlds.

She has seven career wins, four in super-G, but was only 17th in DH in the Sochi test event (super-G was canceled).

Part of a potent Swiss women’s speed contingent, Gisin has two career World Cup podiums — one win — in super-G, and seven podiums overall.

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Fifth this season in super-G points, she has just one podium — a second place in December in the St. Moritz super-G. She was seventh a week earlier at Lake Louise.

PODIUM WOMEN’S PICKS SUPER-G GOLD Gut

SILVER BRONZE Kling

Gisin

Don’t-be-surprised winners: D. Gisin, Switzerland; Elisabeth Goergl, Austria Darkhorses: Leanne Smith, USA; Marion Rolland, France; Ilka Stuhec, Slovenia

THE RUNDOWN Lara Gut has won two of three super-G World Cups this winter, so she’ll head to Sochi with favourite status. Canada’s MariePier Préfontaine — if she qualifies — would be a longshot, but Marie-Michèle Gagnon is clicking. “I’m in this magical zone right now and I don’t want to overthink it. I’m feeling confident in every discipline,” Gagnon said Dec. 14 after placing a career-best sixth in the St. Moritz super-G. Tina Maze 

Michel Painchaud (Hoefl-Riesch, podium, Maze); Pentaphoto/ACA (Yurkiw)

ALPINE WOMEN

M.KAUFMANNABDERHALDEN

PODIUM WOMEN’S PICKS DOWNHILL

COMPETITION

RACERS TO WATCH | GIANT SLALOM TINAWEIRATHER Liechtenstein | 2nd in overall points At just 24, Weirather could battle for the overall title for years to come. She earned her first World Cup giant slalom win in December at Val d’Isere, and she now has three wins and 13 podiums in her career.

VIKTORIA REBENSBURG

Germany | 2010 Olympic gold medalist

Canada’s MariePier Prefontaine

The 2011 and 2012 GS crystal globe winner and 2010 Olympic GS champ, she has battled health issues this season but has the talent to produce on the big stage. She has 10 career wins, 19 podiums and was third in the Sölden opener.

J.LINDELL-VIKARBY MARIAPIETILAESweden | Seven WC podiums, 2 wins HOLMNER

KATHRINZETTEL

The veteran leader of the GS standings has a dismal Olympic slate — career-best eighth in eight Olympic races — but she won the Beaver Creek giant slalom in December and nearly won at St. Moritz and Lienz.

Veteran racer Zettel was fifth in GS and fourth in super-combi at the 2010 Vancouver Games, so she has plenty of motivation to earn her first Games medal.

Of her 45 World Cup podiums, 20 are in giant slalom.

Sweden | Two-time worlds medalist

Versatile Swede has medaled at worlds in both slalom and GS and has recorded a half-dozen World Cup podiums. She entered 2014 with seven straight top-10’s in WC giant slaloms.

Austria | Two-time worlds medalist

RACERS TO WATCH | SLALOM TINAMAZE

USA’s Mikaela Shiffrin

Slovenia | 2013 World Cup overall cham Maze was the slalom runnerup last season en route to winning the overall globe.

She medaled twice at Whistler in 2010, in super-G and GS, but will be a threat, too, in slalom, in which she has three career World Cup wins.

Pentaphoto/ACA (Prefontaine); Mitchell Gunn/ESPA (Shiffrin)

MARIE-MICHÈLE GAGNON Canada | Third in slalom standings

Gagnon ranks third in the slalom and eighth overall.

She has just one career podium — third at Are in a 2012 slalom — but has seven top10 efforts in all seven races this season through Jan. 5.

MIKAELASHIFFRIN MARLIESSCHILD

F.HANSDOTTER

USA | 2013 worlds gold medalist

Austria | 37 career World Cup wins

Sweden | Seven-time podium finisher

The American phenom has been red-hot all season, with five podiums in nine races, including wins at Levi and Bormio. The 2013 slalom gold medalist, Shiffrin is the ace of the U.S. tech squad.

The four-time slalom crystal globe winner, Schild has stared down numerous injuries to remain a top threat.

She has three Olympic medals — though no gold — and five more from worlds.

Fourth in the season slalom standings, the Swede nabbed bronze at the 2013 worlds and has seven podiums in slalom on the World Cup tour — all second-place finishes.

PODIUM WOMEN’S PICKS GS GOLD Weirather

SILVER BRONZE Zettel

L.-Vikarby

Don’t-be-surprised winners: Anna Fenninger, Austria; Lara Gut, Switzerland; Mikaela Shiffrin, USA; Tessa Worley, France; Darkhorses: Marie-Pier Prefontaine, Canada; Tina Maze, Slovenia; Federica Brignone, Italy

THE RUNDOWN Swedes lock down the top two spots in the World Cup standings entering the new year, but the race is more wide-open that any other discipline. In addition to a host of European veterans, rising North American stars Mikaela Shiffrin of the U.S. and Canada’s Marie-Michele Gagnon could be factors on the Rosa Khutor course, with Gagnon boasting five World Cup top-10 GS finishes. Anna Fenninger of Austria rallied to win the Jan. 4 GS at Lienz for her 19th World Cup podium over the past three seasons, trailing only Tina Maze and Lindsey Vonn.

PODIUM PICKS W. SLALOM GOLD Shiffrin

ALPINE WOMEN

SILVER BRONZE Schild

Gagnon

Don’t-be-surprised winners: MariaHoefl-Riesch, Germany; Nina Loeseth, Norway; Kathrin Zettel, Austria; Darkhorses: Nastasia Noens, France; Erin Mielzynski, Canada; Tanja Poutiainen, Finland

THE RUNDOWN Fans of North American women’s alpine should circle Feb. 21 — the slalom. Two of the top five contenders hail from the continent. American Mikaela Shiffrin, 18, is poised to become the breakout alpine star of these Games, but veterans Marlies Schild and Tina Maze will be ready to pounce.

Canada’s top gun is Marie-Michèle Gagnon, who is rounding into a formidable all-round threat. Gagnon, who honed her skills at Quebec’s Mont-Orignal, won’t be satisfied with anything but hardware at Sochi.

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COMPETITION

RACERS TO WATCH | MEN’S MOGULS

THE RUNDOWN

MIKAELKINGSBURY

To say Sochi weather is volatile is an understatement. In 2012, the Europa Cup moguls was almost canceled because there was too much snow; last season, warm temperatures meant event organizers had to go to herculean efforts to get snow on the course.

The fact that young Canadian star Mikael Kingsbury won both those events shows his true versatility. Indeed, the battle in Sochi will be between Canadian titans Kingsbury and 2010 gold medalist Alex Bilodeau. On the women’s side, it will take a true giant slayer to upset 2010 Olympic champ Hannah Kearney, who is still the top of the field.

Aerials has a new format for the Sochi Games, with each athlete getting two chances to make it to the three-round sudden-death finals.

Ski slopestyle makes its Olympic debut.

Organizers are going all out to make sure the 635-metre three-rail, three-jump course is diverse and technical enough to showcase the acrobatic and creative talents.

Twelve years after snowboard halfpipe made its Olympic debut, freeskiers will finally get their chance. Prepare to see some amazing acrobatics, especially from the deep and talented American team. There are some legitimate Canadian contenders too, including Mike Riddle and Rosalind Groenewoud. No doubt most of the performances in Russia will be dedicated to the muchbeloved late Sarah Burke, who was instrumental in getting her sport to the Games.

Cool and focused, 21-year-old Kingsbury has dominated men’s moguls for the past two seasons. Lightning fast and matched with teammate Alex Bilodeau for the highest degree of difficulty jumps on the tour, Kingsbury just might be Canada’s best medal hope at these Games.

DALEBEGG-SMITH Australia | 2006 Olympic champion, silver medalist at Vancouver Games Although he hasn’t competed since 2010, the transplanted Canadian should never be Mikael counted out. He is a fierce Kingsbury competitor with the smoothest turns on the tour; his challenge will be to get a high ALEXBILODEAU enough degree of difficulty in Canada | 2010 Olympic champion his jumps to keep up with the Bilodeau has picked up the Canadians. pace since his historic win in Vancouver, still executing his smooth and flawless turns, Don’t be surprised medalists: but skiing faster and jumping Phil Marquis, Canada; higher. He struggled on the Alexandr Smyshlyaev, Russia; Sochi course last year, finishSho Endo, Japan; Bradley ing 14th, but he has a real Wilson, shot at becoming a two-time USA Olympic champion.

FREE STYLE

PATRICKDENEEN USA | 2009 world champion, bronze medalist at 2013 worlds Not the smoothest skier on the circuit but a real powerhouse, Washington State product Deneen finished the 2013 season third overall. If he can hang on to his run, he will be a threat in Sochi. Deneen was the 2008 FIS Rookie of the Year.

RACERS TO WATCH | WOMEN’S MOGULS HANNAHKEARNEY USA | 2010 Olympic champion, 2013 world champion Head and shoulders above the competition, the gold is Kearney’s to lose.

The three-time World Cup champion is solid, confident and focused. She won the 2013 test event in Sochi and started the 2014 season with a win in Ruka, Finland.

JUSTINEDUFOURLAPOINTE From left, Maxime, Justine and Chloe DufourLapointe

CHLOEDUFOURLAPOINTE

Canada | 2013 world champion in duals Chloe was fifth in Vancouver, and she’s improved her turns, speed and jumps. Won gold in dual moguls at last season’s World Championships.

Canada | Bronze medalist at 2013 worlds, 2nd in Grand Prix 2013 and 2012

USA | Three World Cup wins in 2013

The youngest of Quebec’s Dufour-Lapointe sisters at 19, Justine is tied in the standings with Hannah Kearney and can match Kearney’s 360 grab.

She has the talent to stand on the podium if she can keep her head in the game.

Puts gymnastic background to good use, being one of the only moguls women to perform a D-spin (an off-axis 720). Looks to improve on 18th place from Vancouver.

Don’t be surprised medalists: Britteny Cox, Australia; Ekaterina Stolyarova, Russia; Eliza Outtrim, USA; Aiko Uemura, Japan

HEATHERMCPHIE

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RACERS TO WATCH | AERIALS TRAVISGERRITS Canada | Won 2013 Beijing WC, silver at 2013 worlds Fresh off his first World Cup victory in front of 40,000 fans at Beijing’s Bird’s Nest Stadium, the hard-working Gerrits, who has suffered numerous injuries in the past couple of years, is a bona fide hopeful for gold.

QIGUANGPU China | 2013 world champion, won 2013 Olympic test event With wins at the World Championships and the Sochi test event, Guangpu proved he’s got what it takes in high-pressure situations.

JIAZONGYANG China | World Cup champion 2013 With 13 WC podiums and nine wins out of 26 starts, Zongyang is the most consistent jumper on the Chinese squad. Sixth at Vancouver, he’ll be looking for gold in Russia.

MENGTAOXU China | World champion 2013, 2013 World Cup champion Xu, who leads the powerhouse Chinese team, routinely throws triples off the biggest jumps on the air site.

LYDIALASSILA Australia | 2010 Olympic champion Second at the recent World Cup in Beijing’s Birds Nest Stadium, this new mom is on her game to defend her Olympic title if she can land her triple-flipping triple backflip.

Michel Painchaud (Kingsbury); Mike Ridewood/CFSA (Dufour-Lapointe sisters)

Canada | Two-time crystal globe winner, 2013 world champ

COMPETITION

MEN’S HALFPIPE

MEN’S SLOPESTYLE

MIKERIDDLE

ALEXBEAULIEU-MARCHAND

Canada | 2013 crystal globe winner, 2011 world champion

Canada | Silver medalist 2013 Dew Tour

Always impressive and smooth, word is “The Riddler” will showcase a few new tricks in Sochi.

Earning early nomination to the Canadian Olympic Team meant the veteran athlete has had time to add backto-back cork 1260’s to his stable of solid moves. He is Canada’s best shot for a ski halfpipe medal.

Nineteen-year-old “ABM” is on the rise and is Canada’s best hope for a men’s slope medal. Second at December’s Dew Tour, this creative athlete differentiates himself with his fluid style and unconventional moves.

DAVIDWISE USA | 2013 world champion, 2012 and 2013 X Games champ With style, height and a diverse bag of tricks, Wise knows how to turn on the heat when he needs to, an axiom he proved again by winning December’s Dew Tour and clinching his spot on the U.S. Olympic Team.

AARONBLUNCK USA | Winner 2013 U.S. Grand Prix Copper The newest member of the American squad has demonstrated remarkable talent and amplitude that defies inertia, as it seems to increase as he makes his way down the pipe.

TORINYATER-WALLACE USA | Winner Sochi test event, silver medalist 2013 worlds A clear threat after recovering from a collapsed lung and broken ribs.

USA | 2013 Dew Tour champion, 2013 X Games champion, Bronze medalist 2013 World Championships After placing first and second in the first two slopestyle events this season, American Goepper is the man to beat and, what’s more, has the total slopestyle package, with tricks on every axis in his arsenal.

JAMESWOODS

RUSSHENSHAW

Paul Morrison (Riddle); CFSA (Groenewoud)

Bilodeau

Dineen

GOLD

SILVER BRONZE

Kearney

Justine D-L

GOLD

SILVER BRONZE

Chloe D-L

MEN’S AERIALS

Guangpu

Gerrits

Zongyang

Don’t be surprised medalists: Wu Chao, China; D. Dashinski, Belarus; Anton Kushnir, Belarus

WOMEN’S AERIALS SILVER BRONZE

Australia | 2012 Dew Tour champion, bronze medalist 2011 World Championships This former alpine racer from Down Under pushes the sport and has the consistency and wow factor to impress the judges when it counts. Watch for some massive tricks from Henshaw, who was the first skier to throw a triple cork in competition.

KAYATURSKI Canada | 2013 world champion, X Games and Euro X champ Before blowing her ACL six months ago, Turski was a virtual lock for gold in Sochi.

The tenacious Canadian probably won’t compete until late January. No matter, this girl is not only smooth as silk on the rails and powerful in the air, but she’s a master at the clutch performance.

Bowman, who captained her high school’s soccer team to a state title in 2012, also burst onto the halfpipe scene the same year, with podiums in most major events.

Kingsbury

GOLD

With a 3.5 m-plus mute grab on her first hit and signature red lipstick, “Roz G,” queen of the pipe, will surely use her recent arthroscopic fix to her knees to her advantage. She has been working on some new tricks for Sochi and if she lays them down, she will challenge for gold.

USA | 2013 Dew Tour champion, 2013 X Games champion

SILVER BRONZE

GBR | Silver medalist 2013 World Championships “Woodsy” is the star of Team Great Britain’s push to get their skiers on the podium at the Sochi Winter Games. Known for his unique grabs and his signature long hair, this 21-year-old who got his start on dryslopes will be a crowd favourite.

Canada | 2011 world champion, 2012 X Games champion

MADDIEBOWMAN

MEN’S MOGULS

GOLD

WOMEN’S MOGULS

NICKGOEPPER

RACERS TO WATCH WOMEN’S HALFPIPE WOMEN’S SLOPESTYLE ROSALINDGROENEWOUD

PODIUM PICKS

Xu

Lassila

MEN’S HALFPIPE GOLD

A former figure skater, Howell has the special combination of balance and nerve that place her consistently in the top 10.

DEVINLOGAN USA | 2013 Dew Tour champ, silver medalist 2012 X Games Logan blew her knee at the beginning of last season, but has come back strong.

Wise

Riddle

MAGGIEVOISIN

Japan | Bronze medalist 2013 World Championships

USA | 2013 AFP world champion, bronze 2103 Dew Tour

This former alpine racer made the leap to freestyle in 2011 and has since won three World Cup medals and a bronze at last year’s World Championships in Norway.

At just 15 and with a Dew Tour medal already under her belt, Maggie Voisin is a rising star with not a lot to lose and might be primed for contention in Sochi.

Blunck

WOMEN’S HALFPIPE

GOLD

SILVER BRONZE

Groenewoud

Bowman

Onozuka

Don’t be surprised medalists: Megan Gunning, Canada; Virginie Faivre, Switzerland; Anais Caradeux, France

GOLD

MEN’S SLOPESTYLE SILVER BRONZE

B.-Marchand Goepper Woods Don’t be surprised medalists: Tom Wallisch, USA; Gus Kenworthy, USA; Alex Bellemare, Canada

WOMEN’S SLOPESTYLE GOLD

AYANAONOZUKA

SILVER BRONZE

Don’t be surprised medalists: Justin Dorey, Canada; Gus Kenworthy, USA; Kevin Rolland, France

DARAHOWELL Canada | Silver medalist at 2013 World Championships

Xin

Don’t be surprised medalists: Cheng Shuang, China; Laura Peel, Australia; Ashley Caldwell, USA

Turski

SILVER BRONZE Logan

Voisin

Don’t be surprised medalists: Dara Howell, Canada; Grete Eliassen, USA; Keri Herman, USA

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COMPETITION

RACERS TO WATCH | SKI CROSS

PODIUM PICKS

DAVEDUNCAN

Canada’s Marielle Thompson

Canada | 2001, 2007 slalom world champ Posted first two career wins in December in Italy, and now has six career World Cup podiums.

Duncan missed out on Vancouver with a broken collarbone.

GOLD

Runner-up for the 2012 season title, Leman took bronze at the 2010 Winter X as the Canadian men swept the podium. Leman has two career World Cup wins.

Thompson

ANDREASMATT Austria | 2001, 2007 slalom world champ The 2011 overall champ, Matt Vancouver and is poised to OPHELIEDAVID took silver at Cypress Mountain make amends in 2014.

France | 2001, 2007 slalom world champ at the 2010 Games and took seven-time overall champ gold at the 2009 worlds. He MARIELLETHOMPSON A on the SX tour, David is the boasts seven World Cup wins.

Canada | 2001, 2007 slalom world champ most decorated athlete in Poised to repeat her 2012 the sport, with 25 wins, 53 ALEXFIVA season title, Thompson has podiums, gold from the 2007 Switzerland | 2001, 2007 world champ earned four wins and 10 poworlds, yet a disappointing U.S.-born Fiva is of the most diums. She took silver at the ninth-place finish from the decorated ski cross athletes, 2013 worlds. Leads two Swiss Vancouver Winter Games. with five wins and nine podiathletes for the overall World ums on the World Cup tour.

Cup points chase this season. KATRINMUELLER

The 2011 world champion, Serwa won the Sochi test event and has eight career wins. She was fifth in 2010 at

Matt

Fiva

FANNYSMITH

Switzerland | 2001, 2007 world champ

A three-time World Cup winner, Mueller is a passing The defending tour champion, specialist who is always in Smith owns six World Cup contention. She leads five wins and 13 podiums. She women from the Swiss struck gold at the 1013 World team in the top 20 of the Championships in Norway.

World Cup standings.

SILVER BRONZE Smith

David

THE RUNDOWN Last February, Canada confirmed its golden potential when Kelsey Serwa won the Olympic test event on the Sochi SX course, with teammate Marielle Thompson second, while Chris Del Bosco took silver on the men’s side. As the calendar turned to 2014, Canada again controlled the circuit, with Dave Duncan first and Brady Leman third in the World Cup standings, and Thompson setting the women’s pace, with Serwa fourth.

There’s no reason to think other than big, as Canada is primed to clean house in the Sochi ski cross showdown.

Switzerland | 2001, 2007 world champ

 Alex Harvey

RACERS TO WATCH | CROSS-COUNTRY MEN ALEXHARVEY

PETERNORTHUG JR.

Canada | 2011 gold at worlds

Two-time overall champ Northug has 19 career World Cup wins, nine World Championships golds and four Olympic medals, all from 2010, when he mined gold in the 50 km and team sprint.

Harvey teamed with Devon Kershaw to win the team sprint in 2011 at worlds, and he took bronze in the sprint at the 2013 worlds. In the Tour de Ski over the holidays, he won the prologue race and added to his podium résumé with a third in Stage 5 and second in a sprint in Lenzerheide.

DEVONKERSHAW Canada | 2012 World Cup overall runner-up Second in the 2012 overall standings, Kershaw has two World Cup individual wins plus gold with Alex Harvey at the 2011 worlds. He took second behind Harvey in the Tour de Ski prologue on Dec. 28.

MARTINJOHNSRUD SUNDBY Norway | World Cup points leader, 2013-14 season

The runaway leader in this season’s World Cup standings, Sundby won relay gold at the 2011 Oslo worlds.

Norway | Four-time Olympic medalist

WOMEN KIKKANRANDALL USA | Two-time medalist from World Championships The 2013 sprint season champ, Alaska’s Randall has eight career World Cup wins and two worlds medals, including gold in the team sprint in 2013, with American teammate Jessica Diggins.

JUSTYNAKOWALCZYK Poland | Two-time worlds champ, 29-time tour winner Triple medalist from 2010 Games, the Polish veteran has 29 career World Cup wins as well as two golds from worlds.

MARITBJOERGEN Norway | Five-time medalist from Vancouver Games Can she top her five medals from the

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Vancouver Winter Games? No other athlete matched that feat. Bjoergen has seven career Olympic medals and 62 World Cup wins, more than any woman in World Cup history. She also has chalked up 12 worlds wins, 19 worlds medals.

CHARLOTTEKALLA Sweden | 2010 Olympic champ in 10 km race The 10 km champ from 2010, Kalla also has five medals from worlds.

Pentaphoto/ACA (Thompson); Cross Country Canada (Harvey)

SX XC

SILVER BRONZE

WOMEN’S SKI CROSS

Canada | 2001, 2007 slalom world champ

Canada | 2001, 2007 slalom world champ

GOLD Duncan

BRADYLEMAN

WOMEN KELSEYSERWA

MEN’S SKI CROSS

Leaving the competition in the dust

Good luck to all of Canada’s freestyle skiers in Sochi

Mikael Kingsbury photo by Michel Painchaud

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