Kristi Richards was all smiles after winning the inaugural FIS Mogul World Cup in Suomu, Finland today.
Kristi Richards of Summerland, B.C., won the gold medal in women’s moguls on Friday and Alex Bilodeau of Rosemère, Que., added a bronze in men’s moguls at a FIS freestyle skiing World Cup competition.
In women’s moguls, Richards earned her second career World Cup victory with 24.97 points posting the second fastest time and the highest style points. Aiko Uemura of Japan was second at 24.56 and Hannah Kearney of the U.S., third at 24.10.
“I’m so excited, I can’t ask for anything more than to start the season like this,” said Richards, 28, the 2007 world champion. “I feel like the last four years of work are coming together at the right time. I just went for it today in the final and didn’t hold anything back.”
Olympic champion Jenn Heil of Spruce Grove, Alta., now living in Montreal, was fifth at 23.81 which assures her a berth on the 2010 Canadian Olympic team. Seventeen-year-old Chloé Dufour-Lapointe of Montreal was sixth, Sylvia Kerfoot of Vancouver 12th and Audrey Robichaud of Quebec City, 16th.
In men’s moguls, Jesper Bjoernlund of Sweden won the gold medal with 24.41 points, Bryon Wilson of the U.S., took the silver at 24.34 and Bilodeau was third at 24.19.
