Vinecki and Duchaine illuminate White Owl amid challenging conditions
Feb 03, 2024·Freestyle
The FIS Freestyle World Cup's second day at Deer Valley will be remembered for its remarkable resilience and dazzling performances, despite the day's adverse weather conditions. Heavy snowfall transformed the competition landscape, necessitating a shift from the planned triple jumps to a 'doubles only' format for safety. In this adjusted competition, Winter Vinecki (USA) emerged as a beacon in the women’s aerials, while Alexandre Duchaine (CAN) distinguished himself with a victorious display in the men’s category.
The White Owl venue, traditionally host to a spectacular aerial feast, faced unprecedented challenges with continuous heavy snowfall. This situation compelled organizers to modify the event format, ensuring the competition could proceed safely. The impossibility of executing triple jumps under such conditions led to a first at the White Owl venue: a competition focused solely on doubles. This unexpected turn of events reshuffled the competitive deck, particularly among the men, where seasoned World Cup leaders found themselves grappling to adapt. This twist provided a thrilling spectacle, showcasing the agility and skill of rising athletes as they made their mark with double flips.
Winter Vinecki stood out in the women’s event, clinching her third individual win and solidifying her position atop the aerials World Cup rankings. In a thrilling final, Vinecki executed a flawless double Full-Full, scoring 77.90 points. Danielle Scott, performing last in the super final, matched Vinecki's score with her double Full-Full. However, a tie-breaker based on form scores crowned the 25-year-old American the victor, marking her first victory on home soil at the prestigious Deer Valley stage, celebrated amidst the cheers of family and friends.
Vinecki's triumph placed her at the pinnacle, with Scott securing second place, and Abbey Willcox (AUS) completing the podium in third. This achievement marked Willcox's first top-3 finish in four years, delivering a strong showing for Australia.
The men’s competition spotlight shone on 19-year-old Alexandre Duchaine, who led the preliminary round and then escalated his performance in the finals. Duchaine performed a complex double Full - double Full, a trick he did not attempt in over two years, clinching his first World Cup podium and the winner's title.
Connor Curran (USA), another 19-year-old newcomer, made a memorable debut in his first World Cup final, securing second place with a spotless Full double Full. Olympic Champion Qi Guangpu claimed third place with his execution of double Full-Full, leveraging Pirmin Werner's absence to ascend the aerials World Cup standings.
The FIS Freestyle World Cup at Deer Valley is gearing up for an electrifying conclusion with the dual moguls competition on the iconic Champion Run on Saturday, promising another day of unparalleled ski action.
QUICK LINKS:
Deer Valley World Cup FIS data page (start lists, results, etc.)
