KREISCHBERG, Austria (Jan. 15, 2015) - Alex Bowen (Springville, NY) used the FIS Freestyle World Championships as a proving ground, landing a triple flip he had never done on snow and taking home a silver medal. It was the first U.S. aerials medal since 2009 as Bowen joined teammate Kiley McKinnon (Madison, CT), who won silver for the women.
China’s Guangpu Qi took the gold with a massive 139.50 score on a quintuple-twisting triple, defending his 2013 World Championship title and partially avenging his fourth in Sochi. Bowen was second in a career best 121.27. Maxim Gustik of Belarus was third.
“This is totally unexpected,” said Bowen. “My double full, full, full was the first one I’ve ever done on snow. It was the best jump of the day.”
It was a strong day for the U.S. Freestyle Ski Team with three men and two women qualifying into the three-heat finals. After nailing his triple flip, teammates Mike Rossi (Long Valley, NY) and Ashley Caldwell (Ashburn, VA) were the first to reach Bowen—hugging him hard in the finish, knowing that his jump had a great chance of holding up for a medal.
“I couldn’t have done it without the support of my teammates,” he said. “Without them and the coaches, it wouldn’t have been the same event for me.”
A proud Bowen stands on the podium in second place at World Champs. (Getty Images-Agence Zoom/Stanko Gruden)
Bowen qualified fifth on Wednesday and nearly dropped out in the first of three finals heats, but snuck in at ninth. And it was a pivotal decision that worked out for him in the end as he decided to go full, full, full—not his highest degree of difficulty—opting to save his best for last.
"The guys degree of difficulty was so high in the first round, it was risky for any of the guys to do full, full, full and counting on other people to make a mistake," said aerials head coach Todd Ossian. "But it ended up being a good move for him. He put himself in a position at the end to win."
He made it into the super-final with a full, double full, full netting a 115 point score. He switched it up with his higher degree of difficulty triple in the super-final, landing it clean and knowing he had a shot. Only Qi was able to top him.
Moguls get underway on Sunday at World Championships. Aerialists are back in action at the Putnam Lake Placid Freestyle Cup Jan. 30-31.
HIGHLIGHTS
- Alex Bowen’s silver was the first medal for the USA since Ryan St. Onge won gold in 2009.
- Bowen is a Buffalo, NY-area native who has been moving up slowly and steadily the last few years, coming out of the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association’s Elite Aerials Development Program. He’s also a student at Westminster College in Salt Lake City as a part of the Team’s partnership with Westminster.
- Jonathan Lillis was seventh, Mike Rossi eighth - both just missing a shot in the super-final.
- The World Cup tour resumes Jan. 30-31 with the Putnam Lake Placid Freestyle Cup.
- Universal Sports Network will air coverage at 8:00 p.m. and 11:00 p.m. EST Thursday night. All events are being streamed live at universalsports.com.
QUOTES
Alex Bowen
My Double, full, full, full was the first one I’ve ever done on snow. It was the best jump of the day. This is totally unexpected. I couldn’t have done it without the support of my teammates. Without them and the coaches, it wouldn’t have been the same event for me.
Todd Ossian, Aerials Head Coach
The guys degree of difficulty was so high in the first round, it was risky for any of the guys to do full, full, full and counting on other people to make a mistake. But it ended up being a good move for him.
He put himself in a position at the end to win. Alex is such an amazing acrobat. He’s done these tricks on water a lot of times. For me it’s all about his takeoff. If he puts himself in the right position to have good rotation. Tricks are easy for him.
RESULTS
Men's results
