Freestyle Skiers Carry Momentum into 2018
MOSCOW (Jan. 4, 2018) – The FIS Freestyle World Cup tour opens 2018 with stops in Moscow for aerials and Calgary, Alberta for moguls. Both competitions are scheduled for Saturday, Jan. 6. The U.S. Ski Team will have a total of 22 athletes competing in the third weekend of selection events for the 2018 Olympic games.
Aerials athletes will take to a scaffolding set up just outside of Moscow’s city center for a competition under the lights. U.S. athletes have historically jumped well on the Moscow site; Mac Bohonnon (Madison, Conn.), Jon Lillis (Rochester, N.Y.) and Madison Olsen (Park City, Utah) all podiumed there in 2016. Ashley Caldwell (Ashburn. Va.) and Kiley McKinnon (Madison, Conn.) currently have one of two podiums needed to meet objective criteria to make the Olympic team, so they will also be in the hunt for more top finishes.
Jaelin Kauf (Alta, Wyo.) and Troy Murphy (Bethel, Maine) led the charge for the U.S mogul squad at the last World Cup in Thaiwoo, China. Kauf achieved objective criteria to make the Olympic team with a win and a second place finish. Murphy earned his one of two podiums needed with a third place finish, the first podium of his career. The U.S. women’s team has consistently put four or more athletes into finals and will look to continue that trend on the mogul course at Canada’s Olympic Park.
Read on to see who to watch and where to watch all the freestyle action this weekend.
MOSCOW AERIALS
Men’s Starters
Mac Bohonnon
Alex Bowen
Jon Lillis
Eric Loughran
Nik Seemann
Zach Surdell
Women’s Starters
Ashley Caldwell
Kiley McKinnon
Morgan Northrop
Madison Olsen
CALGARY MOGULS
Men’s Starters
Casey Andringa
Troy Murphy
Emerson Smith
Dylan Walczyk
Brad Wilson
Women’s Starters
Nessa Dziemian
Olivia Giaccio
Tess Johnson
Jaelin Kauf
Mikaela Matthews
Keaton McCargo
Morgan Schild
HOW TO WATCH
All times EST
Jan. 6
12:00 p.m. – Men’s and women’s aerials; Moscow – Olympic Channel TV
3:30 p.m. – Men’s and women’s moguls; Calgary – Olympic Channel TV
