World Cup Freestyle Skiing & Moguls
January in the Whiteface Region is all about getting outside and taking part in winter events at Whiteface Mountain. Each week Whiteface offers a host of on- and off-hill activities and events to keep you active and entertained.
By far the biggest event of the month this year is the return, once again, of FIS World Cup Freestyle skiing. The USANA World Cup event kicks off at Whiteface Mountain on Wednesday, January 15. Moguls competitors will take to the hill that day in the next to last competition prior to the Sochi Olympics.
In men's moguls, the Canadians dominate again this year, with Mikael Kingsbury and the legendary Alex Bilodeau battling it out for top spots against the strongest of the Chinese competitors, Jia Zongyang. Don't miss seeing Bilodeau work the moguls! He is likely the fiercest and most determined competitor on the World Cup Freestyle circuit and has won nearly everything there is to win going all the way back to 2005. He is the 2010 Vancouver Olympic Winter Games gold medalist and current World Champion. But don't discount Mikael Kingsbury, who currently holds the 2012-13 top rank for moguls and winner of the year's overall Crystal Globe for top skier in all disciplines. It will be an awesome competition to witness.
Of course, in womens moguls there is but one American star dominating the hill. A native of nearby Hanover, Vermont, Hannah Kearney has won everything there is to win in moguls skiing. Kearney will go in the record books as one of the greatest athletes in the history of skiing. This year's World Cup event will promise a battle-royale between Kearney and the Canadian powerhouse, Justine Dufour-Lapointe, who has proven herself to be Kearney's biggest threat. At the moment Dufour-Lapointe is at the top of the World Cup standings with 23.56 points to Kearney's 23.29. It's a close match to be sure. One can't discount the rest of the Canadian "Air Force" team, as they definitely dominate in Women's Moguls with Justine's sister, Chloe in third place, followed very closely by Andi Naude in fourth, and the third of the Canadian sister trio, Maxime Dufour-Lapointe in fifth. This event should draw a large contingent of nearby Quebec fans to Whiteface Mountain for the moguls finals to cheer on their team. It will be an impressive battle.
During the rest of the month at Whiteface Mountain, catch some great live entertainment in the Cloudspin Lounge apres ski every Saturday. Lots more events dot the calendar at Whiteface throughout January with Why Not Wednesdays (discounted lift tickets) and kids competitions and weekly citizen races. Drop by the full events calendar for the run-down.
