Home Snow Win for Bohonnon

LAKE PLACID, NY (Jan. 30, 2015) - With three Chinese packing the top of the leader board, Mac Bohonnon (Madison, CT) threw a near perfect quadruple-twisting triple flip to win his first World Cup at the Putnam Investments Lake Placid Freestyle Cup Friday night. Teammate Kiley McKinnon (Madison, CT) was eighth but it was enough to take over the yellow bib as World Cup leader - first time for an American woman since 1998.

 

It was a storybook for Bohonnon, coming back to the jumps where he got his start in the sport just five years ago. In front of his family and friends, he hit his money jump in super finals to stop a potential podium blockade of Chinese. With scores in the 125-126 range, Bohonnon needed to be perfect. 

 

“He executed it almost flawlessly - I’m really proud of him,” said Aerials Head Coach Todd Ossian. “That trick’s been going really well for him all season. It was going especially well in training today. I was very confident he was going to do a sweet one and it was even better than I thought.”

 

It was an emotional evening for Bohonnon. Qualifying fifth, he led the first round of finals with teammate Jonathan Lillis fifth. His full, double full, full gave him a 124.78 to lead over China's Zongyang Jia. In the super finals, the Chinese went big - each one throwing double full, full, full and leaving Bohonnon, the final aerialist of the night, with a significant challenge. 

 

"My coaches absolutely killed it," said Bohonnon "They nailed the conditions - I didn’t have to worry about that at all. All I was thinking about was my takeoff and my jump every time. I can’t thank you coaches enough for allowing me to do that."

 

The win had special value for Bohonnon, who came to Lake Placid in 2010 to join the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association's fledgling Elite Aerial Development program. Excited by the program, he recruited his friend, McKinnon to join, as well. Five seasons later, the two Connecticut teens are making an impact on freestyle skiing.

 

"It’s great to have my first World Cup win here in Lake Placid," said Bohonnon. "Any first time World Cup win is really special. But here in Lake Placid is the icing on the cake - here with my family and this is where it all started."

 

The weekend wraps up Saturday in Lake Placid with a team World Cup where the first round of finals also counts as an individual competition.

 

 

 

 

I was just trying to take a step back. My coaches absolutely killed it. They nailed the conditions - I didn’t have to worry about that at all. All I was thinking about was my takeoff and my jump every time. I can’t thank you coaches enough for allowing me to do that.

 

It’s great to have my first World Cup win here in Lake Placid.  Any first time World Cup win is really special. But here in Lake Placid is the icing on the cake - here with my family and this is where it all started.

 

His last jump in the super final was double full, full, full. That’s a new trick for him this year. He executed it almost flawlessly - I’m really proud of him. That trick’s been going really well for him all season. It was going especially well in training today. I was very confident he was going to do a sweet one and it was even better than I thought.

 

The team has a lot of positive energy - if it isn’t one of them, it’s another. It was nice seeing Jon getting close to a podium. I’m super proud of Kiley - she’s been consistent all winter. We’re still getting better and these guys are really coming together as a team, supporting each other, and I really look for this to continue.