CALGARY, AB (Jan. 26, 2017) – The FIS Freestyle moguls World Cup makes its fourth stop of the tour this weekend in the Canadian metropolis of Calgary, Alberta. Athletes will compete in a single moguls competition at the Canada Olympic Park on Saturday, Jan. 28.
Similar to the World Cup stops at Lake Placid, NY and Deer Valley Resort, UT, the Olympic legacy lives on on the slopes at the Canada Olympic Park. The Park hosted demonstration events for aerials and ballet skiing at the 1988 Winter Olympic Games. Today, the Park includes a variety of skiing venues, including one of the more challenging mogul courses on the circuit.
“Calgary lands itself on the tougher side as far as courses go,” said K.C. Oakley (Piedmont, CA), who will be competing on the Calgary course for the fifth time in her career this weekend. “It’s one of the steeper courses on tour - the slope drops off after the top air. For this reason, it can be tough and variable, and is a ski-dominant course.”
The U.S. team has proven that they can ski challenging courses and hold their own in the talented field of skiers on the World Cup this season. Morgan Schild (Pittsford, NY), Keaton McCargo (Telluride, CO), Mikaela Matthews (Frisco, CO) and Brad Wilson (Butte, MT) are all currently ranked in the top 10 in the World Cup standings, with rookie Tess Johnson sitting just outside in 12th. Those athletes, along with Oakley and Troy Murphy (Bethel, ME) will be looking to build on their recent strong performances with clean, aggressive skiing.
“Calgary, as a course, has always been one of my favorites on tour because it’s steep and technical,” continued Oakely. “Athletes have to be aggressive and forward while skiing to make it down. The venue itself is unique because we’re overlooking the city’s skyline. We’re accustomed to looking out at mountains when we’re skiing - but this view is beautiful in its own way.”
Competition on Saturday begins with women’s qualifications at 9:25 a.m. followed by men’s qualifications at 11:20 a.m. MST. Finals will begin at 1:30 p.m., with a live stream of the event available at nbcsports.com/live.
HIGHLIGHTS
- The FIS Freestyle moguls World Cup tour continues this weekend at Canada Olympic Park in Calgary, Alberta.
- Keaton McCargo and Brad Wilson lead the U.S. in the current World Cup rankings, sitting sixth and ninth respectively.
- Morgan Schild and Mikaela Matthews are also ranked in the top 10 for the women.
- Competition begins on Saturday, Jan. 28 with qualifications at 9:25 a.m. and finals at 1:30 p.m. MST.
- A live stream of finals will be available at nbcsports.com/live or via the NBC Sports App.
- Live scoring is available via FIS Freestyle.
QUOTES
K.C. Oakley
Calgary lands itself on the tougher side as far as courses go. It’s one of the steeper courses on tour - the slope drops off after the top air. For this reason, it can be tough and variable, and is a ski-dominant course. Calgary, as a course, has always been one of my favorites on tour because it’s steep and technical. Athletes have to be aggressive and forward while skiing to make it down. The venue itself is unique because we’re overlooking the city’s skyline. We’re accustomed to looking out at mountains when we’re skiing - but this view is beautiful in its own way.
CALGARY WORLD CUP START LIST
Men
Troy Murphy (Bethel, ME)
Tom Rowley (Long Beach, NY)
Emerson Smith (Dover, VT)
Dylan Walczyk (Rochester, NY)
Brad Wilson (Butte, MT)
Women
Nessa Dziemian (East Hampstead, NH)
Tess Johnson (Vail, CO)
Jaelin Kauf (Alta, WY)
Mikaela Matthews (Frisco, CO)
Keaton McCargo (Telluride, CO)
K.C. Oakley (Piedmont, CA)
Morgan Schild (Pittsford, NY)
