Moguls star Kingsbury leads Canadian freestyle ski team into Milano-Cortina Games
Freestyle Canada, Canadian Olympic Committee announce 25-athlete team
Star moguls skier Mikaël Kingsbury heads to the Milano-Cortina Winter Games looking for two medals as part of Canada's freestyle skiing team.
Freestyle Canada and the Canadian Olympic Committee announced the 25-athlete team in a joint release on Tuesday.
Kingsbury, from Deux-Montagnes, Que., won gold in men's moguls at the 2018 Games in Pyeongchang, South Korea, and silver at the 2014 Olympics in Sochi, Russia, and the 2022 Games in Beijing.
The all-time leader in World Cup victories will have two chances to reach the podium in Italy as dual moguls makes its Olympic debut next month.
Kingsbury is coming off another strong season on the World Cup circuit that included his 100th career victory on home snow in Val Saint-Come, Que.
Other returning Olympic medallists include Cassie Sharpe (gold, silver) and Rachael Karker (bronze) in halfpipe and Lewis Irving, Marion Thenault and Miha Fontaine (bronze) in mixed team aerials.
"It's an honour for me to represent Canada at the Olympic Games for the fourth time in my career", Kingsbury said in a release. "I always felt it was a privilege to wear my country's colours, and this year will be even more memorable for me.
"For the first time in Olympic Games history, we will have two events. Of course, my desire is to step on the podium at the end of both events. It would be a great way to celebrate what will probably be my last Games."
The freestyle events will take place throughout the duration of the Games, beginning on Feb. 7 (Day 1).
Full team
Moguls / Dual Moguls
- Laurianne Desmarais-Gilbert, Sainte-Adele, Que.
- Mikael Kingsbury, Deux-Montagnes, Que.
- Ashley Koehler, Lac-Beauport, Que.
- Jessica Linton, Vancouver
- Maïa Schwinghammer, Saskatoon
- Elliot Vaillancourt, Drummondville
- Julien Viel, Quebec City
Aerials
- Alexandre Duchaine, Lac-Beauport, Que.
- Miha Fontaine, Lac-Beauport, Que.
- Lewis Irving, Quebec City
- Emile Nadeau, Prevost, Que.
- Marion Thenault, Sherbrooke, Que.
Slopestyle / Big Air
- Olivia Asselin, Quebec City
- Dylan Deschamps, Quebec City
- Elena Gaskell, Vernon, B.C.
- Evan McEachran, Oakville, Ont.
- Megan Oldham, Parry Sound, Ont.
- Naomi Urness, Mont-Tremblant, Que.
Halfpipe
- Amy Fraser, Calgary
- Dillan Glennie, Comox Valley, B.C.
- Rachael Karker, Erin, Ont.
- Andrew Longino, Calgary
- Brendan Mackay, Calgary
- Dylan Marineau, Calgary
- Cassie Sharpe, Squamish, B.C.
