S-Comp Early Winter 2013-14

TEAM CANADA FREESTYLE SPOTLIGHT Winter 2014 Vol. 3, No. 1

Justine DufourLapointe sets sights on World Cup and Olympic glory

MOGUL MAVEN

Men’s Fusion Exact™

© 2013 Columbia Sportswear Company. All rights reserved.

COLUMBIA SPORTSWEAR IS A PROUD SPONSOR AND UNIFORM DESIGNER OF THE 2014 CANADIAN FREESTYLE SKI TEAM. KEY TECHNOLOGIES AND DESIGN ELEMENTS FROM THESE UNIFORMS, SUCH AS OMNI-HEAT REFLECTIVE, ARE INCORPORATED IN OUR WINTER PRODUCT LINE SO YOU CAN EXPERIENCE GREATNESS TOO.

FREESTYLE’S TOP SECRET: COLUMBIA TECHNOLOGY With three of the world’s top winter sports nations literally in “The temperatures vary in Russia as well, so we need them their back pockets, there’s no wonder Columbia Sportswear is to be prepared,” Dilworth said. “Whether it’s mild and wet or sharing in the pre-Olympic excitement alongside the athletes. cold with heavy snow, they need to be warm, dry and have Although the performance apparel uniforms will not be maximum mobility. The last thing we want them to be thinkunveiled until January, there’s little doubt the Olympic freestyle ing about is their gear.” teams from Russia, USA and Canada will be warm, dry and stylSome of the members of the Canadian freestyle team, inish at the highly anticipated 2014 Olympics in Sochi, Russia. cluding world champion Mikael Kingsbury, also helped Colum“Being represented by three teams of this caliber on a bia launch Omni-Freeze Zero last spring at Sport Chek and world-class stage like the 2014 Olympics not only makes us Sports Experts retail locations across the country. The new extremely proud, it also underscores how world-class athletes technology aims at cooling down the apparel as sweat inare embracing Columbia as a provider of percreases. When exposed to sweat or moisture, formance products,” said Tim Boyle, Columbia’s thousands of little blue rings embedded in president and chief executive officer. the Omni-Freeze Zero fabric create an instant The Canadian freestyle skiers, who have and prolonged cooling sensation. donned the Columbia colours since 2008 when “We believe consumers will appreciate the Whether it’s mild the apparel brand entered a sponsorship of the fact that their hard-earned sweat can be used and wet or cold Canadian Freestyle Ski Association, lent a helping for something more than just passive evapowith heavy snow, ration,” said Columbia’s vice president of hand in the development of the Olympic clothing they need to be products. global marketing, Dan Hanson. “Omni-Freeze warm, dry and “We took seven athletes from the Canadian Zero is the latest innovation that is helping to team to meet with our design team in Portland transform Columbia into a trusted brand for have maximum to provide input into the technical and design elall seasons.”

— Gordie Bowles mobility.” ements,” said Jordan Dilworth, Columbia’s brand marketing manager.

“We wanted to know what’s important to them; from zippers, stretch and fabric to mobility ... essentially what works for them in competition.”

According to Dilworth, the athletes met with the Columbia design team as well as the performance innovation team (PIT), Columbia’s group of mad scientists in Portland, over a few days. The result, Dilworth said, is competition apparel that will suit the specific demands of the different disciplines of freestyle skiing, which involve extended periods of waiting in cold conditions followed by short bursts of intense effort.

Cover: Justine Dufour-Lapointe (Paul Morrison); this page: courtesy FIS Freestyle (Sochi course)

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SNOWSPORTS MEDIA INCORPORATED

COMPETITION

EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Gordie Bowles ART DIRECTOR Lisa Thé SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHER Paul Morrison CONTRIBUTORS Paul Morrison, Mike Ridewood, Michel Painchaud

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

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2013-14 Freestyle Spotlight

MEET THE A-LISTERS The most dominating nation on the World Cup freestyle circuit is poised for big things in 2014. And gold is not the only target. While Team Canada will be a major factor in the Sochi shakedown, crystal is also on the menu. Join S-Comp on a quick tour of Canada’s prime freestyle contenders.

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Justine Dufour-Lapointe (Paul Morrison)

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MEN’S MOGULS THE BASICS Inspired by brother Frédéric, Alex Bilodeau charged to the gold medal in moguls at the 2010 Olympic Winter Games, becoming the first Canadian to win a gold medal on home snow. After taking the 2011-12 season off, Bilodeau racked up nine World Cup podiums last season, including four wins, to finish second in the tour standings. A three-time dual moguls world champ (2009, 2011, 2013), Bilodeau reeled in the 2008-09 crystal globe as the World Cup overall titlist. He’s come a long way since setting the world record at age 13 on the water ramp, when he pulled off a stunning lay/tuck/full on the triple. At 26, the Montreal native is poised for a hardware-laden winter.

5QUESTIONS

Your favourite moment in Russia to date? The powder skiing we did two years ago with that metre and a half that fell in a couple days. It was the best powder skiing I’ve done in my life definitely. It was great. What is your biggest hurdle to overcome to reach your Sochi 2014 goals? I think the biggest hurdle would be the new format and getting to accept that and getting to change everything I’ve done because I’ve been eight years on the World Cup and now I need to change the way I train, the way I think, the way I get ready for a race in only three years. Its something different but that will be the biggest hurdle. Most memorable start gate experience? I’ve got a lot of memorable experiences in the start gate.

Whether it’s being sick — I was sick one World Cup in Mont Gabriel. I finished second that day but, oh my god, I was sleeping five minutes prior to the final run. I also remember every minute of my Olympics in Vancouver up there. When I crossed to get onto the start line, and my coach asked me why I was doing freestyle skiing, I said, “It’s fun,” and he said, “Well, have fun, enjoy the moment.” Funniest athlete you know? (Norwegian alpine star) Akel Svindal.

I met him this year in Monaco and we didn’t stop laughing. I totally understand how that guy is on the top of his sport. He’s a great guy and we had a lot of fun. Secret Passion? I love to play hockey. At home I would play five times a week, but right now my coach has been telling me to only play about once a week.

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QUICK HITS WONG JOINS STAFF Canadian Olympic moguls skier Chris Wong has joined the Canadian National Freestyle Team as assistant coach of the men’s mogul squad.

The nine-year veteran of the national moguls team who placed 14th at the 2006 Torino Winter Games will work with head coach Rob Kober to get the successful Canadian team game ready for the 2014 season and the Sochi Winter Olympics.

CFSA VETS RETIRE Longtime CFSA team members Chelsea Henitiuk, Beatrice Bilodeau, Remi Belanger and Jon Vellner have decided to hang up their skis.

Moguls skier Henitiuk, 25, Spruce Grove, Alta., a 10-year veteran of the team, has 43 World Cup starts to her credit including nine top-10 finishes.

Bilodeau, 20, Rosemère, Que., took part in 11 World Cups and earned three NorAm golds.

Belanger, an international-level trampolinist before moving to freestyle, had 15 World Cup aerial starts and earned nine NorAm medals including four golds. Vellner earned five NorAm medals over the course of his career.

2012-13 OVERALL FIS World Cup rankings 1. Mikael Kingsbury, CAN 2. Alex Bilodeau, CAN 3. Patrick Deneen, USA 4. Bradley Wilson, USA 5. M.A. Gagnon, CAN 6. Sho Endo, JPN 7. Philippe Marquis, CAN 8. Dylan Walczyk, USA 9. A. Smyshlyaev, RUS 10. Bryon Wilson, USA

Courtesy Columbia

ALEX BILODEAU

//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// THE COACHES // Michel Hamelin • Rob Kober • Steve Omischl • Chris Wong

MIKAEL KINGSBURY THE BASICS

Courtesy Columbia (Kingsbury); Mike Ridewood/CFSA (Marquis)

Mikael Kingsbury wasted no time making his mark on the global moguls scene, winning the 2009-10 FIS World Cup Rookie of the Year honor.

Kingsbury earned 11 World Cup and World Championships podiums and seven wins last season en route to his second-straight crystal globe. Kingsbury’s résumé already features World Championships gold (2013, when

he bested Bilodeau in Voss, Norway), two silvers and a bronze at worlds, and 16 World Cup wins, including a record-tying six straight wins during the 2011-12 season.

He won the test event on the Sochi course, so he’s as solid a bet as any Canadian to snag gold in Russia. Teammate Alex Bilodeau might be The King’s biggest threat.

“There’s no time to take it easy,” says the 21-year-old from Deux-Montagnes, Que. “I’m going to train hard and focus only on my training for the Olympics and doing what I need to win there. I’m going to get stronger at the gym and do another big step forward.”

5Q

What is your biggest hurdle to overcome to reach your Sochi 2014 goals? It sounds stupid but just to do exactly what I’ve been doing for the last two years.

The challenge is to not crack under pressure. Most memorable start gate experience? Worst start gate experience was Lake Placid 2011, I lost my ski on the second bump out of the gate. Best perk of being an athlete? To have the chance

PHILIPPE MARQUIS THE BASICS Younger brother of moguls standout Vincent, Philippe Marquis proved his ability on the Sochi moguls course by taking third in the 2013 event won by teammate Mikael Kingsbury. Marquis won the Jean-Luc Brassard Award as best moguls skier in Quebec Marquis in the 2006-07 season. The FIS Rookie of the Year in moto travel around the globe. guls in 2008-09, he earned I’m only 20 years old and I’ve his first World Cup win (Are, travelled around the world.

Sweden) in 2012. He finished That’s awesome. last season ranked seventh in Biggest pet peeves? I hate the season standings. it when the airplane lands and people stand up right Your favourite moment away and they think that in Russia to date? The deep even though they’re at the powder we had two years ago back of the airplane they can at the Europa Cup. It was all get out first. about not doing that much moIf you could trade places guls and enjoying the powder. with one athlete, who would What is your biggest hurdle it be? Maybe I’d trade my to overcome to reach your life with Sebastian Vettel Sochi 2014 goals? I’ve had because he’s an F1 driver, many injuries in the past and I love to drive go carts couple years, but I managed and stuff. And he wins a lot to pull through and now I’m of money. pretty solid, so I guess those were pretty drastic hurdles. Most memorable start gate Kingsbury experience? I had one fun start gate experience against my teammate Cedric Rochon in Japan a couple years ago.

The starter said three, two, one, and dropped the start gate and I just saw Cedric flipping over the start gate and I was just laughing and trying to keep skiing. Event day superstitions? My biggest superstition is wearing the same boxers every single event. They’re black. If you could trade places with one athlete, who would it be?

I would trade places with Kelly Slater for a year. Going from beach to beach and being the best surfer in the world would be a pretty cool life.

5Q

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///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// THE COACHES // Paul Gagné • Marc-André Moreau • Steve Omischl • Jean-Paul Richard

WOMEN’S MOGULS Justine, left, with Chloé

CHLOÉ DUFOURLAPOINTE THE BASICS Two-time worlds medalist Chloé Dufour-Lapointe (gold 2013, silver 2011) ranked fifth last season on the World Cup tour. The 2007-08 FIS World Cup Rookie of the Year, Chloé has eight career World Cup podiums and was crowned Canadian champ last season.

THE BASICS The youngest of the Dufour-Lapointe sisters might have the highest talent ceiling. Justine, 19, enters the 2013-14 fray after back-to-back seasons of finishing second in the World Cup standings to American Hannah Kearney.

Justine won bronze at the 2013 worlds and has amassed three World Cup wins and 16 podiums in her young career. The Montreal native won the Calgary World Cup in 2013, joined by sister Chloé on the podium.

5QUESTIONS

Your favourite moment in Russia to date? I think when I saw the course in training I was super impressed because it was so perfectly done and square and it was beautiful. It was cool to just see it for real and how it’s gonna be in Sochi for the Olympics. What is your biggest hurdle to overcome to reach your Sochi 2014 goals? I think just managing the pressure. It can be good or bad depending on how you handle it. It’s all about feeling the moment. Most memorable (good or bad) start gate experience? Good start gates are when you are super stressed and nervous but you know you’re in the zone and all you are thinking about is your run. It’s a good feeling. If you could trade places with one athlete, who would it be? I think slopestyle and halfpipe are cool sports and I always say that if I didn’t do moguls I’d do slope. Most annoying question reporters ask you? When people ask who is the best sister.

It’s super awkward.

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5Q

What is your biggest hurdle to overcome to reach your Sochi 2014 goals? I think my biggest challenge to reach my goals in Sochi will be the weather. That’s going to be a factor that I’ll really need to be ready for. Most memorable (good or bad) start gate experience? It was in Vancouver when I smiled at the top of the course. I was just so excited and a lot of people have talked to me about that moment. Funniest athlete you know?

I think it’s the Japanese team.

They just really go for it and for me it’s funny. Best perk of being an athlete? Being involved in a winter sport. Being at the top of a mountain has the best views and it’s always good to get some fresh air and be outside. And then after to be warm near a fireplace. It’s a great lifestyle. Secret passion? It’s not very secret but I love fashion. After I’m done competing I’d love to design clothes for my sport.

Mike Ridewood/CFSA (Justine and Chloé); CFSA (Justine action)

JUSTINE DUFOUR-LAPOINTE

AUDI FIS SKI CROSS WORLD CUP

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// THE COACHES // Matt Christensen • JF Cusson • Toben Sutherland

SLOPESTYLE Turski (left) and Howell

ALEX BEAULIEU MARCHAND

KAYA TURSKI

THE BASICS

A seven-time X Games gold medalist and the 2013 world champion, Kaya Turski is a big gun to watch as slopestyle makes its Olympic debut.

The Montreal native has been ranked No. 1 in the world by AFP for five straight years. A former inline skating champ, Turski has rebounded from torn ACL and other injuries to reach the pinnacle of her sport. Sarah Burke, the late Canadian icon, is one of her prime inspirations.

“She fought for women in my sport,” Turski said, “and paved the way for all of us today.”

Fourth in the 2012-13 World Cup slopestyle standings, Alex Beaulieu-Marchand elevated his Olympic qualification. He pulled off a “switch double cork 9 with a truck driver grab”to wow the judges. “I’m super stoked that I might be have a chance to go to the Olympics,” he said. “Hopefully I’ll get another podium.” He was fifth at the 2013 European X Games after struggling with a 15th place at the Aspen X Games. At the Dew Tour stop at Copper Mountain, the 19-year-old from Quebec City managed a ninth-place finish.

3Q

DARA HOWELL THE BASICS A rodeo 540 helped Dara Howell secure bronze at the 2013 X Games. She was second at the 2013 worlds to teammate Kaya Turski and third at Euro X in 2012 and 2013. In January 2013, she snagged a second place in a World Cup slopestyle at Copper Mountain.

Howell hails from Huntsville, Ont., where her family owns Hidden Valley Highlands.

Hansen

KELTIE HANSEN THE BASICS Edmonton’s Keltie Hansen won the AFP Championship in halfpipe in 2011 and earned a bronze medal at the 2011 FIS World Championships at Park City. Hansen, 20, also has a third-place Sochi podium finish to her credit (2013) and a fourth at X Games (2013). She has five World Cup top-10 finishes and was sixth on the World Cup tour the past two seasons. “Overcoming the mental, physical and emotional trauma of two knee injuries” is the biggest challenge she has overcome in a career that was set in motion when her parents put Keltie and her brother into a Jumps & Bumps program at Marmot Basin in Jasper.

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3Q

What is your biggest hurdle to overcome to reach your Sochi 2014 goals? My biggest hurdle would probably be just being confident in myself. Most memorable (good or bad) start gate experience? I like having my fist-pump-tohug every time with my coach Toben in the gate. Event-day superstitions? I’m working on getting over them.

But I put on my right ski before my left ski, my right pole before my left pole, and wearing my lucky underwear that were just terrible.

Red Bull Photo Files (Turski and Howell); CFSA (Hansen)

HALFPIPE

What is your biggest hurdle to overcome to reach your Sochi 2014 goals?

Staying healthy and doing my best in the first couple contests of the year. Most memorable (good or bad) start gate experience? At Euro X Games the starter was so nice and so enthusiastic and I was having fun with him in the start gate, which put me in a good mood to drop in. If you could trade places with one athlete, who would it be? John John Florence, the surfer.

//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// XXII OLYMPIC WINTER GAMES // Feb. 6-23, 2013 • Sochi, Russia

Slopestyle course aims for progressive thrills

Courtesy FIS Freestyle

Slopestyle makes its much-anticipated Olympic debut at the 2014 Sochi Winter Games, and Canadians will be prime players on a course that was officially introduced to the world in fall 2013.

The competition venue, which will stage a total of 20 freestyle skiing and snowboard competitions, is located at the Rosa Khutor ski area.

Ski and snowboard slopestyle are judged events that integrate a variety of jib features (rails, boxes, etc.) and jumps (tables, big-airs, etc.) as athletes go down the course, with two or more lines that they may choose. The distance between the features should allow a smooth transition and performance. The ideal slopestyle course should be technically challenging, with a wide variety and balance of features in diverse combinations.

The course in Rosa Khutor was designed by Anders Forsell, FIS technical advisor for slopestyle, who has developed many previous courses for the FIS World Cup and World Championship; FIS snowboard coordinator for freestyle events, Roberto Moresi; and Davide Cerato, an expert in the field working for the Sochi 2014 Organizing Committee.

“It has been a long process to get to this point where we can release the slopestyle course,” said Joe Fitzgerald, FIS freestyle skiing coordinator. “Everyone, from the course designer to the Sochi 2014 Organizing Committee and FIS experts, are committed to providing the best possible course for the Olympic debut. It is going to be a great introduction for this event, which goes back to the basic roots of freestyle skiing.”

The 635-metre course at Rosa Khutor features three jumps that get progressively bigger, allowing the athletes the chance to build momentum and execute their big-

gest and best jumps at the bottom.

There are 10 freestyle and 10 snowboarding events at the 2014 Olympics being staged in two finish areas. Twelve competitions with four parallel events, four cross events and four slopestyle

The Canadian Freestyle Ski Association will provide Canadians four chances to cheer on its national team as its moguls, halfpipe and aerials athletes take on the best in the world leading into the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi, Russia.

The CFSA will host halfpipe and moguls World Cups at Winsport’s Canada Olympic Park in Calgary on Jan. 3-4. This will mark the first halfpipe World Cup to be held in Canada since 2006 and the fifth year the association has hosted World Cup events at the COP facility.

events will use the slopestyle finish area.

The finishing touches will be adding the Olympic look and feel to the course in addition to adding a Russian flare that is sure to give the course a spectacular visual effect.

The Station Touristique at Val SaintCôme, Quebec, will host an aerials event for the second consecutive year on Jan. 14, and World Cup moguls skiers will tackle the Alexandre Bilodeau course there on Jan. 19, in what will be the final Olympic qualifier for that discipline.

Organizers are hoping to cap the four world-class events with some medals for the home team. Canada won 42 medals on last season’s World Cup tour along with the FIS Nations Cup for freestyle.

CANADA TO HOST 4 WORLD CUPS

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HALFPIPE MATT MARGETTS THE BASICS Matt Margetts has appeared on ski magazine covers and in ski films and now has his sights set on Olympic hardware, Margetts, a product of the Apex Freestyle Club, has three top-15 World Championships results and a top World Cup finish of fourth (Sierra Nevada, 2012). He took second in the 2011 European Open and was ranked eighth on the World Cup last season.

3Q

Your favourite moment in Russia to date? We went to the top of the mountain on our day off and we got to ski the terrain and it was unreal. Fresh snow, blue bird, skiing in jeans and a leather jacket. I had no idea the terrain was gonna be so good. We had a really fun day just shredding lines. Biggest hurdle to overcome to reach your Sochi 2014 goals?

My fear of falling, because it hurts so bad in the halfpipe now. Most memorable (good or bad) start gate experience? I’ve got a bad one. Last year at the Copper Grand Prix, I forgot to do my boots up as I dropped into the halfpipe.

NOAH BOWMAN THE BASICS Calgary’s Noah Bowman ended last season in style, taking third place in the season-ender at Sierra Nevada. Tenth in the World Cup standings in 2013 and 2011, he was fourth in 2012, when he was runner-up in the Mammoth Grand Prix.

Bowman was second in the 2012 X Games, fifth in 2012 Euro X, and fourth in the 2011 World Skiing Invitational.

3Q

JUSTIN DOREY THE BASICS Veteran Justin Dorey is looking to rebound from left shoulder surgery. Dorey won the 2012 Dew Cup and 2011 AFP World Championships. Second at the 2009 worlds in Japan, Dorey’s breakout came in 2008, when he stomped both his Dew Tour runs to take second place to idol Tanner Hall.

3Q

Your favourite moment in Russia to date?

My favorite Russian moment would have been seeing the venue. Its perfect. The pipe, moguls, slopestyle and aerials sites come together, so it’s perfect for spectators.

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Bowman

What is your biggest hurdle to overcome to reach your Sochi 2014 goals? My biggest hurdle would be coming back from my shoulder injury.

It’s been five months out and I’ve never had to deal with anything like that before. Most memorable (good or bad) start gate experience? My by far best start gate experience was at WSI two years ago. I was really tired and I passed out in the snow before finals. I had had a big week celebrating at the festival because our event was last. I made it through prelims, and in the half-hour before finals I passed out face first in the snow and somebody woke and they were like, “Oh it’s time to go, it’s finals,” and I was just so beat and out of it but I stomped both my runs and won the event.

Paul Morrison (Margetts, Bowman)

What is your biggest hurdle to overcome to reach your Sochi 2014 goals? I guess my biggest hurdle to overcome was I broke an eye socket about two years back. It was a big step back but I was able to overcome it fully. Most memorable (good or bad) start gate experience? My most memorable start gate experience was when my teammate Matt Margetts dropped in once with his boots undone and once with his helmet undone. Song on your iPod you’re ashamed of? Well I do have Hakuna Matata from the Lion King on there …

//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// THE COACHES // Marc McDonell • Trennon Paynter

ROZ GROENEWOUD THE BASICS Inspired by Sarah Burke, Roz Groenewoud has been a dominant force in the pipe, winning 2013 World Cup finals, 2012 X Games (and Euro X), 2011 World Championships. 2010 U.S. Grand Prix, 2009 WSI Big Air, the overall in 2012 for the AFP tour.

3Q

Riddle

MIKE RIDDLE THE BASICS Alberta’s Mike Riddle is peaking at the right time. The 27-year-old reeled in the FIS crystal globe for halfpipe last season. He won the 2012 AFP Championships title, was FIS world champion in 2011 and Dew Tour champ in 2010.

Riddle owns three World Cup wins and six podiums, including a third at the Sochi halfpipe (February 2013).

Paul Morrison (Riddle, Groenewoud); Stephen Horton (Gunning)

3Q

What is your biggest hurdle to overcome to reach your Sochi 2014 goals? Biggest hurdle is overcoming my fears of new tricks I need to learn, so I’d say my hurdle is my own brain. Most memorable (good or bad) start gate experience? I try not to have too many memories in the start gate because if you overthink it, then stuff goes bad, but I think one time I had a broken suspender and I was all worried that my pants were going to fall down. Best perk of being an athlete? We get to travel around the world with a large group of our friends, which is what a lot of people would love to do, and we get to do it as our job. It’s also the biggest drawback because you’re living out of a suitcase for seven months of the year.

Most memorable (good or bad) start gate experience? My most memorable bad start gate experience was in Lax, Switzerland, at the European Open, and I always take a little bit of time in the start gate and put my head down to focus. But one of the women who was a starter at that event actually pretty much kicked me in the head to get me out of the start gate. Event-day superstitions? I have a bunch of event-day superstitions. I always wear purple underwear and purple hair elastics and purple ribbons in my hair, and a Canada leaf bandana and red lipstick. And I always listen to the same song while I compete. If you could trade places with one athlete, who would it be? When I was in high school I had to choose between skiing and basketball because the seasons were completely the same, so it wasn’t fair as a teammate to do both and completely take off to go to my ski competitions. I picked skiing, but sometimes I wonder what it would have been like to be a basketball player on the WNBA for a year.

Gunning

MEGAN GUNNING THE BASICS Born in Atlanta, Georgia, Megan Gunning honed her craft at Canada Olympic Park in Calgary. She was a freestyle prodigy, nabbing silver at the 2009 FIS worlds at the age of 16 and was the first woman to perform backto-back 900s in the pipe. Over the past few years she had struggled completing competition runs, but regained her form by snagging bronze at the 2013 X Games (executing a historic switch 900). She took silver at the 2010 X Games. “It’s been a long time,” she said, “so (2013 bronze) means a lot more to me than the second in 2010.”

3Q

Groenewoud

Most memorable (good or bad) start gate experience? I think my favourite moment ever was at X Games in 2010. I could feel it in my whole body, I just knew that I was going to do well. What is your biggest hurdle to overcome to reach your Sochi 2014 goals?

My knee injury, but mostly the mental and emotional side of it. If you could trade places with one athlete, who would it be? I think it would be interesting to see what it would be like to be Jenn Heil.

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///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// THE COACHES // Matt Christensen • JF Cusson • Toben Sutherland

AERIALS Rochon

TRAVIS GERRITS “I’m part of the big boys now,” confirmed Milton, Ontario’s Travis Gerrits after soaring to the silver medal at the 2013 World Championships in Voss, Norway. Gerrits indeed upped his game in 2012-13, finishing firth in World Cup rankings after placing 24th the previous season. He was runner-up in the 2013 Val St-Côme World Cup and was named FIS Rookie of the Year in 2011.

Gerrits is on the rise after overcoming concussions and a torn medial collateral ligament and meniscus in 2012.

Romanian born but a product of Quebec and Camp Fortune and Mont Saint-Sauveur, Olivier Rochon joined the likes of Canadian greats such as Steve Omischl, Nicolas Fontaine and Phil Laroche by winning the crystal globe in 2012. It marked the 20th time since 1980 that a Canadian has won a globe as World Cup season champion.

Rochon was 14th last season as he struggled with injuries and difficulty landing his jumps, but he managed a fourth at the Sochi test event in February. “Oliwood” has six career World Cup podiums, with a win at the Calgary 2012 event.

Gerrits

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Courtesy Columbia (Gerrits); Phillip MacCallum/Canadian Paralympic Committee (Rochon)

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“TDI” and “TDI clean diesel” are registered trademarks of Volkswagen AG. ©2013 Audi Canada. *Based on the estimated fuel consumption rating, determined using Natural Resources’ Canada’s approved criteria and testing methods, for the 2014 Audi A8 NWB 3.0 TDI clean diesel with Tiptronic ® automatic transmission of 5.3/100 km (highway) compared to 7.6L/100 km (highway) for the 2014 Audi A8 NWB 3.0 TFSI with Tiptronic ® automatic transmission. Actual fuel consumption will vary based on driving conditions, driver habits and vehicle’s additional equipment. **Diesel fuel has 15% higher energy density by volume (approx. 36.9MJ/L compared to 33.7MJ/L). Source: European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association, 2013. “Audi”, “A8”, “A7”, “A6”, “Q7”, “Q5”, “Vorsprung durch Technik”, and the four rings emblem are registered trademarks of Audi AG.