Freestyle Worlds: Japan rules dual moguls, Kearney third

By Pete RughPublished On: March 8th, 2009Comments Off

The 2009 FIS Freestyle World Ski Championships when out with a bang today as the world’s best mogul skiers went head-to-head down a tricky course in Inawashiro, Japan. American Hannah Kearney captured a bronze medal to punctuate her team’s performance at the event, while Japanese skiers defended their turf, taking half the podium slots.

Kearney was the only non-Japanese skier in the women’s top four as Aiko Uemura and Miki Ito claimed first and second, respectively. Teammate Tae Satoya was just off the podium in fourth.

“Dual mogul is tough and I felt that the course was little bit different from yesterday,” said Uemura. “I could not ski as I wanted to, but I could go to next heats today and just wanted to do my best. I’m really happy we got two Japanese on the podium, that’s wonderful.”

World Cup leader Kearney was pleased with her performance today following her 14th-place finish after crashing in yesterday’s singles event. “A World Championship medal is always a wonderful thing to have and it feels great. I’m happy to head home with it,” Kearney said. “Congratulations to the Japanese, their fans were great.”

World Cup leader, Canadian Alexandre Bilodeau won the men’s event, followed by Japanese Nobuyuki Nishi in second and Tapio Luusua of Finland in third.

“Being world champion is great,” Bilodeau, told the Canadian Press. “It’s something I’ve look forward to since I was a little boy. It’s a dream come true.”

Bilodeau is looking unstoppable, having won the last four World Cup events and now the World Championship.

Yesterday’s winner, Pat Deneen led the U.S. effort in fifth place. Sho Kashima (10th) and Landon Gardner (20th) also finished within the top-20.

Kearney and Bilodeau go into the final World Cup competition of the year in La Plagne, France, March 18, as the clear favorites for the moguls titles.

“This is maybe the egg of the cake – a key ingredient, but definitely not the icing. That’s going to hopefully come next week during the last World Cup of the year,” Kearney said. “I want to ski cleanly and win. I want that World Cup title more than I’ve wanted anything in a long time, so I’m going to rest, train and show up with some better technique and be ready to take the title.”

The final medal count for the U.S. was four. Aerialist Ryan St. Onge and mogul skier Pat Deneen both took home gold, while Kearney and halfpipe skier Jen Hudak earned bronze medals.

OFFICIAL RESULTS
2009 FIS FREESTYLE SKI WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
Inawashiro, Japan – March 8, 2009
Dual Moguls

Men
1. Alexandre Bilodeau, Canada
2. Nobuyuki Nishi, Japan
3. Tapio Luusua, Finland
4. Vincent Marquis, Canada
5. Pat Deneen, Cle Elum, WA
–
10. Sho Kashima, South Lake Tahoe, CA
20. Landon Gardner, Missoula, MT
26. Michael Morse, Duxbury, MA

Women
1. Aiko Uemura, Japan
2. Miki Ito, Japan
3. Hannah Kearney, Norwich, VT
4. Tae Satoya, Japan
5. Nikola Sudova, Czech Republic
–
11. Shannon Bahrke, Tahoe City, CA
22. Emiko Torito, Denver

The 2009 FIS Freestyle World Ski Championships when out with a bang today as the world’s best mogul skiers went head-to-head down a tricky course in Inawashiro, Japan. American Hannah Kearney captured a bronze medal to punctuate her team’s performance at the event, while Japanese skiers defended their turf, taking half the podium slots.