Kearney 2nd - Deneen 3rd in Calgary

CALGARY, AB (Jan. 4) – World Cup Champion Hannah Kearney (Norwich, VT) earned a second-place finish on a steep and icy Calgary moguls course Saturday, while Patrick Deneen (Cle Elum, WA) took third, his first FIS World Cup podium of the Olympic season. On Saturday Kearney also became the first U.S. athlete to achieve two top-three finishes required for Olympic qualification. Athletes will be gunning for podium spots harder than ever at the Visa Freestyle International at Deer Valley Jan. 9-11.

HIGHLIGHTS

• World Cup Champion Hannah Kearney (Norwich, VT) earned a second-place finish on a steep and icy Calgary moguls course Saturday, while Patrick Deneen (Cle Elum, WA) took third, his first FIS World Cup podium of the Olympic season.
• Kearney also became the first U.S. athlete to achieve two top-three finishes required for Olympic qualification.
• Sho Kashima (S. Lake Tahoe) earned a fifth-place finish, proving his mental strength after he injured his knee last season on the same run, while Heather McPhie (Bozeman, MT) earned a 6th place finish.
• Canadians Mikael Kingsbury and Justine Dufour-Lapointe won the men's and women's events. Kearney and Dufour-Lapointe are tied in FIS points and will both wear the yellow bib at the Visa Freestyle International at Deer Valley.
• Single-digit temperatures and course conditions were a factor for all the athletes, preventing most from skiing confidently on the slick, icy snow.
• Saturday was the second of four World Cup moguls events in the Olympic selection period, so athletes will be gunning for podium spots harder than ever at the Visa Freestyle International at Deer Valley Jan. 9-11.

QUOTES
Hannah Kearney
This was a great reminder that I can be beat, and by someone younger than me. I've won on this course before, so even though I earned a podium, it's not what I was hoping for. It's motivation and at the same time it's a great feeling knowing that I'm in this position for the Olympics. I know I need to be tighter coming out of my bottom air and I'm going to focus on that going into Deer Valley and Lake Placid–two courses I feel confident with. 

Patrick Deneen
This was a tricky course and I honestly surprised myself with how consistently I was able to ski today. I've had difficulty on this course before, so that makes this podium that much better. I feel really confident looking towards Deer Valley and Lake Placid, both courses I've had a lot of success on. 

RESULTS
Official Men’s Results
Official Women’s Results

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