The athletes of the U.S. Freestyle Ski Team have a lot of fond memories to look back on from the 2015 season. In addition to four medals at the 2015 FIS Freestyle Ski and Snowboarding World Championships, the moguls and aerials teams combined to bring home eight of the 12 major FIS World Cup awards. While one veteran bid ado to a sport she loves, three rookies made a name for themselves on the World Cup stage. From Ruka, Finland to Minsk, Belarus, here are the top moments from the 2015 U.S. Freestyle Ski Team season.
Tom Rowley (pictured here in Megeve, France) takes fourth in dual moguls in Ruka, Finland.
SURPRISE FINISH IN RUKA
After Sochi Olympian Brad Wilson suffered a knee injury during training in Ruka, Finland, the U.S. mogul coaches faced the task of selecting another skier to take his spot. In steps Tom Rowley who, before Ruka, had only one World Cup start on his resume. But Rowley demonstrated he could ski against the best, finishing fourth in the dual moguls World Cup opener.
Kiley McKinnon celebrates her podium in Beijing, China.
AERIALISTS FLY HIGH IN BEIJING
Kiley McKinnon and Mac Bohonnon kicked off the 2015 season with a combined three podiums at the first FIS Freestyle aerials World Cup at the Bird’s Nest in Beijing, China. It was McKinnon’s first career podiums, establishing her as an athlete to watch in the coming competitions.
HISTORIC FINISHES AT DEER VALLEY
Coming off their strong results at the World Cup opener in Beijing, the U.S. aerialists continued to perform, claiming three podium spots at the fan-favorite Visa Freestyle International at Deer Valley Resort, UT. In her first win in four years, Ashley Caldwell joined teammate Kiley McKinnon in the first 1-2 finish for the U.S. women in 26 years. Mac Bohonnon notched his second podium of the season, finishing second.
K.C. Oakley takes her first ever win at Deer Valley Resort. (Getty Images-Streeter Lecka)
BIG WIN FOR K.C. OAKLEY
After finding out she made the World Championship team, K.C. Oakley was on cloud nine. But her great day was just getting started, as she went on to claim her first World Cup victory on the Champion mogul course at Deer Valley Resort. Her successes this season lead to Piedmont, CA (her hometown) officially declaring April 6th as K.C. Oakley Day!
SHINY SILVERS
The U.S. aerials team had an unbelievable performance at the FIS Freestyle Ski World Championships in Kreischberg, Austria with both Kiley McKinnon and Alex Bowen taking home silver medals in aerials. It was the first aerials medals for the USA since 2009 and first women's since 1999. It was also Bowen’s first time throwing a double full, full, full on snow.
Hannah Kearney sports her eight World Championships medals.
WORLD CHAMPS MEDAL NUMBER EIGHT
In her last World Championship appearance, Hannah Kearney claimed the only World Championship medal she didn’t have: a gold in dual moguls. After a silver medal finish in single moguls, Kearney stepped it up another notch in a thrilling finals matchup with Canadian Justine Dufour-Lapointe. It was Kearney's eighth-career World Championships medal, the most ever of any freestyle skier.
"It was ten years ago that I got my first World Championships medal,” said Kearney. “To continue to come back and fight and walk away with eight medals—three gold—that’s a nice necklace.”
Mac Bohonnon celebrates his World Cup win in Lake Placid.
STORYBOOK NIGHT IN LAKE PLACID
In front of his family at the place where he spent summers training, Mac Bohonnon threw a near perfect quadruple-twisting triple flip to win his first World Cup at the Putnam Investments Lake Placid Freestyle Cup. It was his third podium of the season. Teammate Kiley McKinnon was eighth, but it was enough to wrestle away the yellow jersey as World Cup aerials leader—the first time for an American woman since Nikki Stone won the World Cup title in 1998.
Hannah Kearney takes the yellow bib in Val St. Come.
KEARNEY RECLAIMS THE YELLOW BIB
After battling head to head with Canada’s Justine Dufour-LaPointe all season, Hannah Kearney took the win at the single moguls World Cup in Val St. Come, Canada, securing the World Cup leader yellow bib for the first time this season. The entire moguls team had five athletes finish in the top 10, including career-best finishes for Keaton McCargo and Troy Murphy.
“I like the responsibility of carrying the yellow bib,” said Kearney. “I don’t mind having a target on my back. It gives me confidence.”
Aerial coach Matt Saunders embraces Kiley McKinnon, Ashley Caldwell and Mac Bohonnon after their podium finishes in Moscow (Getty Images / Anadolu Agency)
PODIUMS ALL AROUND IN MOSCOW
Just three weeks after winning his first World Cup, Mac Bohonnon jumped to his second consecutive World Cup win atop a scaffolding set up in the streets of Moscow. Teammates Ashley Caldwell and Kiley McKinnon also landed on the podium for the U.S., finishing second and third. This was the second time this season all three athletes were on the podium at the same event.
Hannah Kearney and Morgan Schild smile after their podiums in Tazawako, Japan.
SCHILD BATTLES TO THE TOP
Skiing against the best mogul skiers in the World, 17-year-old Morgan Schild battled through four rounds of dual moguls to claim her first World Cup win in Tazawako, Japan. Hannah Kearney and Jeremy Cota also podiumed over the course of the weekend, the last competition before World Cup finals.
Kiley McKinnon and Mac Bohonnon kiss their World Cup globes.
U.S. AERIALS: BEST IN THE WORLD
The aerials team closed out what was one of the best seasons in history with three podiums, two crystal globes, a Rookie of the Year trophy and the Nations Cup. Ashley Caldwell ended her 2015 with a World Cup win, Kiley McKinnon and Mac Bohonnon took home both the men and women’s overall aerial titles for the first time since 1995 and Alex Bowen was named Rookie of the Year.
“We feel on top of the world right now,” said head coach Todd Ossian. “We are incredibly proud of our team. We still have a super young team and these guys are all getting better. To finish number one in the world as a team, it means a ton and it gives us even more motivation to work harder and do everything we can do to not just stay the best but to improve on our season.”
Morgan Schild and Tom Rowley celebrate their Rookie of the Year awards.
ROOKIES OF THE WORLD CUP TOUR
After their stellar performances on the World Cup this season, Morgan Schild and Tom Rowley were named 2015 FIS Freestyle mogul World Cup Rookies of the Year. Rowley, who earned his first World Cup podium at the beginning of the season, closed out his first full year on the tour with a second place finish at World Cup finals in Megeve, France. With a few World Cup podiums under their belts, Schild and Rowley will be ones to watch in the coming seasons.
Hannah Kearney claims her sixth moguls globe and fourth overall globe. (Getty Images)
HANNAH KEARNEY SAYS FAREWELL
Hannah Kearney 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.
In 117 World Cup starts Kearney was on the podium 71 times, winning 46 events. In 13 seasons, she won eight World Championship medals, three gold; two Olympic medals, one gold; and 10 FIS World Cup crystal globes. As far as World Cup careers go, that’s something Kearney can be immensely proud of.
2015 Season Statistics Four World Championship medals
