Building off the success of last year's crystal clad season, the U.S. Freestyle Ski Team athletes continued to push the limits and land top finishes on the World Cup circuit and beyond. This season was full of break through performances from veterans and new comers alike. With 10 different athletes landing on the podium, the talent and depth of the moguls and aerials teams shone through alongside the crystal globes and medals. Here are the top moments from the 2015-16 U.S. Freestyle Ski Team season.
SUMMER PREP PAYS OFF With over a thousand jumps on the water ramps during the summer and plenty of on snow time at pre-season camps, Mikaela Matthews came in to the World Cup opener feeling like she could win. She did just that, battling through seven duals on the mogul course in Ruka to secure her first career World Cup win.
TRIPLING UP FOR HISTORY The Chinese have always dominated on their home turf in Beijing. This season, the United States national anthem played for the first time inside the Bird’s Nest as Ashley Caldwell landed her first win of the season at the World Cup opener. She took home two podiums that weekend with a second place finish in the team event qualifications. Caldwell left Beijing wearing the World Cup leader yellow bib for the first time in her career.
Ashley Caldwell stands at the top of the scaffolding site inside Beijing's Bird's Nest. (U.S. Freestyle Ski Team/Greg Heuer)
NORTHROP RETURNS WITH A TOP 10 The Visa Freestyle International at Deer Valley Resort always seems to bring out spectacular performances from the athletes. This year was no different. After missing two years on the World Cup due to injury, Morgan Northrop landed a new trick and lead the U.S. team with a sixth place finish, the best of her career to date.
Northrop celebrates her career best World Cup result at Deer Valley Resort. (Steve Earl Photography)
GO BIG OR GO HOME There is a level of strategy in aerials and, while Ashley Caldwell can most definitely land her doubles, she tends to compete triples, hoping the bigger risk will reap a bigger reward. Caldwell was rewarded for her efforts in the second aerials competition at the Visa Freestyle International, landing a third place finish. She was the only woman to perform a triple in the super final, laying down a full, full, full to earn the podium spot.
Caldwell is all smiles after laying down a solid jump in finals at the Visa Freestyle International. (Steve Earl Photography)
KAUF MAKES HER MARK ON CHAMPION Mogul skiing is in Jaelin Kauf’s blood. Both her parents competed on the pro mogul circuit. Her dad is a five-time pro mogul champion. So it’s no surprise that, in only her fourth World Cup event, Kauf blazed down Deer Valley’s Champion mogul course to land her first career World Cup podium with a third place finish in duals. “Jaelin is young, talented and brings a very high level of athleticism and speed,” said coach Lance Field after the event. “She has a bright future ahead of her."
Kauf defeats teammate Mikaela Matthews to take home her first career World Cup podium.
MAGICAL NIGHT IN MOSCOW In the 13 years that they’ve been teammates, Jon Lillis and Mac Bohonnon had never stood on the World Cup podium together. They decided to change that in Moscow, with Bohonnon jumping to his first win of the season and Lillis finishing second. Teammate Madison Olsen joined them in their celebrations with her first career podium, a third place finish on the women’s side. The U.S. team had seven athletes in the super finals in Moscow, their best showing of the season.
LILLIS LANDS A WIN The 2016 season was full of firsts for Chris Lillis. It was his first year of triples on snow. He earned his first domestic world cup starts, did well and moved on to his first international events. In the last event of the season in Minsk, Belarus, he landed his first World Cup win. At 17 years old, Lillis became the youngest man ever to win an aerials World Cup.
WELCOME BACK, BRAD When Brad Wilson suffered a knee injury at the World Cup opener in December 2014, he knew he had a long road ahead of him. With the help of the U.S. Freestyle Ski Team coaches and medical staff, Brad spent the next year and a half rehabbing and preparing for his return to the World Cup circuit in Tazawako, Japan. And what a triumphant return it was. Wilson put down one of his best runs ever to take home the moguls win. The weekend in Tazawako was one of the most successful for the U.S. team this season, with Tom Rowley also posting a second place finish in duals.
BEST IN THE WORLD Going in to the final event of the season, Ashley Caldwell knew the race was tight for the women’s aerials title. She needed to land her full, full, full. Caldwell not only landed it, she posted her highest score for that jump so far and won the event, claiming the first crystal globe of her career. “Winning the overall title is a huge career accomplishment that I’ve wanted since I started this sport,” said Caldwell. To finally have it come to fruition is incredible.”
Caldwell shows off her hardware from the season. (U.S. Freestyle Ski Team/Sarah Brunson)
With podiums from Caldwell and Lillis in the final event, the U.S. aerials team was able to secure the Nation’s Cup, awarded to the team with the most World Cup points across all of its athletes, for the second season in a row. They truly were Best in the World.
One of the coolest things about this one is that every single member of the team contributed to this, so that makes it really special,” said head coach Todd Ossian. “It’s given everyone motivation. We’re going to see this even more next year.”
2015-16 U.S. Freestyle Ski Team Season Statistics
One World Cup Champion (Ashley Caldwell)
Two World Cup Rookies of the Year (Jaelin Kauf, moguls; Morgan Northrop, aerials)
13 World Cup podiums (6 wins, 3 seconds, 4 thirds)
Four Junior World Championship medals + the Hodler cup
