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Silver start for Jenn Heil

Off to a positive start after making some adjustments to her skiing, Jennifer Heil now feels ready to really push things forward.The Olympic silver medallist finished second in the women’s moguls event at the World Cup freestyle skiing opener Saturday, one spot ahead of teammate Kristi Richards.
Finland Freestyle Ski World Cup TOPIX
Silver medalist Jennifer Heil

RUKA, Finland — Off to a positive start after making some adjustments to her skiing, Jennifer Heil now feels ready to really push things forward.

The Olympic silver medallist finished second in the women’s moguls event at the World Cup freestyle skiing opener Saturday, one spot ahead of teammate Kristi Richards.

Mikael Kingsbury made it a three-medal for Canada with a silver in the men’s competition for his first career World Cup podium, while Olympic champion Alexandre Bilodeau ended up seventh.

Heil, from Spruce Grove, finished with 24.02 points, just behind Olympic champion Hannah Kearney of the U.S., at 24.09.

The 2006 Olympic gold medallist, Heil was poised for gold in Vancouver when she claimed top spot after the penultimate run with a score of 25.69. But Kearney knocked her one spot down the podium in the final run, posting a score of 26.63.

“It’s always great to be at the first World Cup of the season and to get back into the rhythm,” said Heil. “I had a breakthrough on my skis at a training camp earlier in the season and I could feel it today, although I wasn’t skiing at my full limit.

“Now it’s time to charge it up for next week’s contest in France.”

Richards, from Summerland, B.C., took bronze with 23.52 points after a trying week dealing with lingering feelings from a 20th-place finish at the Vancouver Olympics.

“It’s been an interesting time for me,” she said. “There have been a lot of emotions from the Games, and I’ve had to face them and overcome them by trying to simplify things — feeling wind on my face, snow under my skis, and by being patient on my jumps.”

Justine Dufour-Lapointe of Montreal was fifth with a score of 22.76, Audrey Robichaud of Quebec City was right behind her at 22.74, Maxime Dufour-Lapointe of Montreal was eighth at 22.56, and Chelsea Henitiuk of Whistler, B.C. was 15th with 21.22.

Kingsbury, the reigning rookie of the year from Deux Montagnes, Que., put up a score of 24.89 to finish behind American Patrick Deneen’s 25.23 and was pretty chuffed about it afterwards.

“I didn’t make any mistakes,” said Kingsbury. “I feel fast and strong in the moguls. I’m so happy — you’ve never seen a smile this big on my face. I’ve been waiting to win a World Cup medal since I was eight years old watching the World Cup at Tremblant.”

Guilbaut Colas of France was third at 24.78.

Bilodeau, who became the first Canadian to ever win Olympic gold on home soil at the Vancouver Games, finished with 23.55. The Rosemere, Que., native gained instant fame across Canada after his victory last February and wanted to build on that in the opening to the new season.