Aerialist Warren Shouldice of Calgary captured a bronze medal in FIS Freestyle World Cup action Saturday, as several other jumpers struggled with the windy conditions.
High winds forced cancellation of the men’s aerials event Friday, when the women managed to complete a one-jump final.
Defending overall men’s World Cup aerials champion Steve Omischl of Kelowna, B.C., was among those who battled the changing speeds on the in-run before finishing fifth. Shouldice’s eighth medal of his World Cup career also represented his first podium performance in a season-opener.
His one World Cup victory also came at this Adventure Mountain site, in 2005. The volatile conditions caused several delays, but Shouldice was ecstatic with his result.
Aerialist Veronika Bauer of Toronto looked past a bumpy 2007-08 World Cup freestyle ski season and turbulent weather conditions Friday to open a new season with a bronze medal.
Windy, snowy conditions forced cancellation of the World Cup’s second round of jumps for women and the entire men’s aerials event.
But one round was enough to determine the female medallists, as Bauer collected the 20th World Cup medal of her career with one of her more difficult jumps.
“It didn’t exactly happen here, because of the conditions,” said Bauer, 29. “But I went into the season thinking I’m going to do great jumps every competition.”
