Banner weekend for U.S. freestyle team

Banner weekend for U.S. freestyle teamCount them. That’s 15 top 10 placings, scored by the U.S. Freestyle team at Mont Tremblant Jan. 9-10-2005. Thirty-seven percent of the top 10 placings; 58 percent of the podium placings. Not a bad weekend (albeit darkened somewhat by a Shannon Bahrke’s knee injury on Thursday).

The U.S. didn’t win everything. Czech Nikola Sudova got her first World Cup mogul win with a personal best score of 25.39 and Austrian Margarita Marbler collected her 14th career podium in second. The rest of moguls was all USA. Hannah Kearney earned her sixth career podium in third and veteran Jillian Vogtli fourth. Laurel Shanley and Emiko Torito added eighth and tenth respectively.

Not to be outdone, the guys stacked the top four placings. Toby Dawson posted his fifth career win, Jeremy Bloom was second, Luke Westerlund third and Travis Mayer fourth. Nate Roberts added a sixth.

It didn’t even look good for Dawson competing as his luggage was late in arriving. “I had everything I needed,” he said, “except my uniform, skis, boots, and everything else.” The guys did have a little help, as several top competitors, including three time Cup mogul champ Janne Lahtela faltered in finals, but they’ll take the placings and the resultant domination of the World Cup standings.

Women’s aerials went to Lydia Ierodiaconou, last season’s aerial standings runner-up. China’s Nina Li was second and Deidra Dionne of Canada matched her Trembalnt performance of last season with third. Kate Reed was seventh and Emily Cook eighth to earn respectability for the U.S.

Men’s aerials was another U.S. sweep led by Ryan St Onge with his first World Cup victory. Jeret Peterson was second with his third best score ever and Joe Pack third.

“Winning a World Cup is fabulous, and I’m so excited about that. But, being surrounded by my two teammates, two of my closest friends, is just so unbelievable,” said St. Onge.