Freestyle

Storybook Record for Hannah Kearney

by
USSA
2015-03-15 07:00
 

MEGEVE, France (March 15, 2015) – Olympic champion Hannah Kearney (Norwich, VT) capped her illustrious World Cup career with a storybook finish, winning the season finale dual moguls for her 46th career victory. Kearney matched the record held since 1997 by fellow American Olympic champion Donna Weinbrecht. She also walked away with both the FIS Freestyle World Cup moguls and overall crystal globes.

“Getting the record is huge,” said Kearney. “To me, it’s almost perfect. Records are important to me because I think they are a testament to your training and results. Being even in the same category as Donna is huge. I never would have guessed that I would be compared to her.

Coming in to the final World Cup, Kearney had the moguls crystal globe locked down, but the overall globe was still up in the air, with Kearney’s competition racing just a few runs over in Megeve.

“It was a fairytale ending, to win both globes. I was watching the ski cross finishes because they were right next to ours. Anna Holmlund had won the last two days and as a result pulled ahead of me in the overall standings. So today I had to win in order to get that overall title. I was very aware of that. I just knew I had to ski well, so that was what I was focusing on. I just skied straight forward, and my turns really won it for me today.”

"I first met Hannah Kearney at a Spring camp in 2002 at the end of my career - a teenager with school books in tow and the drive to become a great moguls skier," said Weinbrecht Sunday as she headed out onto the slopes at Killington with her family. "I saw her evolve to the point where she took control of the sport pushing the envelope of moguls skiing. 

"I was so happy and proud then and am absolutely delighted now, to be sharing the record for World Cup wins with such an accomplished athlete. Well done, Hannah! What a fantastic time for U.S. freestyle skiing"

Kearney kept her focus throughout the day. She had a bye in the round of 32, then faced teammate Mikaela Matthews (Vail, CO) in the round of 16. She advanced to the quarterfinals where faced another teammate, K.C. Oakley (Piedmont, CA). She earned her spot into the finals with a win over Canada’s Andi Naude. Her toughest matchup came in the final run of the day, facing Olympic silver medalist Chloe Dufour-Lapointe.

With the 2015 World Cup tour in the books, the U.S. team will compete at the U.S. Freestyle Championships in Steamboat Springs, CO before officially closing out the season.

 

HIGHLIGHTS

  • Hannah Kearney earned her fourth win of the 2015 FIS Freestyle World Cup season, bringing home both the moguls and overall freestyle titles.
  • Kearney’s win tied Donna Weinbrecht’s record for the most World Cup wins at 46.
  • K.C. Oakely and Keaton McCargo posted top-10 results for the U.S. women, finishing seventh and eighth. Nessa Dziemian, Morgan Schild and Ali Kariotis finished 15th, 17th and 20th, respectively.
  • Schild was named Rookie of the Year, along with teammate Tom Rowley, who was second in men’s dual moguls.
  • The U.S. team finished second in the Nations Cup standings behind Canada.

 

QUOTES
Hannah Kearney
Getting the record is huge. To me, it’s almost perfect. Records are important to me because they are a testament to your training and results. Being even in the same category as Donna is huge. I never would have guessed that I would be compared to her.

It was a fairytale ending to win both globes. I was watching the ski cross finishes because they were right next to ours. Anna Holmlund had won the last two days and, as a result, pulled ahead of me in the overall standings. So today I had to win in order to get that overall title. I was very aware of that. I just knew I had to ski well, so that was what I was focusing on. It was a really enjoyable day.

So if that’s the end of my career, it’s a very good ending to my career. My mother was here today. She was at my first mogul competition 20 years ago. It was an emotional day for her too. It’s just all been a very fun experience.

It was a really straightforward course in the middle section. The top air exit was a little bit tricky. The bottom air was huge, bigger than anything we’ve jumped on, so those were the two spots I think people had a bit of trouble with. I just skied straight forward today. I think I just barely got my speed down and my turns really won it for me today. I did a nice big, floaty helicopter on the bottom air, which was fun because the jump was so big.

All my duals were really good. It was unfortunate to have to ski against American’s, but they helped push me. I think our team had a very strong performance today.

Garth Hager, Head Mogul Coach
Hannah is an anomaly. From a coaching standpoint, she’s one of the only skiers who’s programmable. She has enough confidence in her skills that you can tell her the one little thing to add and she can add that while maintaining everything else. She never questions what is going to happen, she’s just going to do it. A lot of her success is based on confidence, having the repetition and knowing her capabilities.

Donna Weinbrecht, Fellow record holder
I first met Hannah Kearney at a Spring camp in 2002 at the end of my career - a teenager with school books in tow and the drive to become a great moguls skier. I saw her evolve to the point where she took control of the sport pushing the envelope of moguls skiing. 

I was so happy and proud then and am absolutely delighted now, to be sharing the record for World Cup wins with such an accomplished athlete. I was in the audience at the Vancouver Olympics, 18 years to the day from when I won the first Olympic gold, as Hannah won her Olympic title. I know the dedication, drive and goal setting that it takes to become a record holder.

Well done Hannah! What a fantastic time for U.S. freestyle skiing.

 

RESULTS
Men’s Dual Moguls
Women’s Dual Moguls
Men’s World Cup Moguls Standings
Women’s World Cup Moguls Standings
Men’s World Cup Overall Standings
Women’s World Cup Overall Standings
Nations Cup Standings

 

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