LAKE PLACID, NY (Jan. 31, 2015) – Crowds braved the sub-zero tempuratures and gathered at the Olympic Jumping Complex to watch the Putnam Investments Lake Placid Freestyle Cup aerials team competition on Saturday night. Two USA teams advanced to the eight team final. USA Team 1, consisting of Si Ning Chan (Maine, NY) Alex Bowen (Springville, NY) and Mac Bohonnon (Madison, CT) advanced to the super final and finished just off the podium in fourth. Team 1 from China, including current men’s World Cup leader QI Guangpu, took the win.
Athletes competed in a one-jump qualification first, which counted as a World Cup result. Chan was the first American woman to qualify for the team event, taking seventh place with a full tuck, while Elle Guadette (Maple Grove, MN), Tyra Izor (Waterbury, VT), Kiley McKinnon (Madison, CT) and Madison Varmette (Stafford, VA) took 14th, 15th, 16th and 18th place, respectively. It was Chan’s first top 10 World Cup finish.
“Coming into this season, it was a goal of mine to compete on the World Cup,” said Chan. “I’ve been doing well on the NorAm tour, so to come here today and jump against some of the best aerialists in the world and get my first top 10 finish was great.”
Kiley McKinnon remains number one in the World Cup standings and holds on to the yellow bib after finishing 16th in the qualification rounds of the Lake Placid World Cup team event. (Julien Heon Photography.)
On the men’s side, Bohonnon grabbed fifth place with a double full, full, full, while Bowen finished sixth. Mike Rossi (Long Valley, NJ) was ninth and Nevin Brown (Streetsboro, OH) 11th.
After qualifications, the top men and women from each team formed groups for a team event, with each team consisting of two men and one woman. The U.S. had two teams— Chan, Bowen and Bohonnon on one, and Guadette, Zach Surdell and Rossi on the second. Six other teams competed in the team event—two from China and one each from Canada, Ukraine, Belarus and Russia.
With all teams consistently throwing down good jumps, the fight for the four spots in the super final was close. USA Team 1 qualified in fourth and went on to jump against teams from Belarus, Russia and China. A few minor mistakes in their jumps landed USA Team 1 in fourth.
Competing in teams was the highlight of this event for the athletes. After their jump, each athlete was greeted in the finish area by their fellow teammates. When the final jumper from Belarus turned to start down the in run, all the teams gathered at the bottom to watch.
“The most fun part is having the team,” said Bowen. “Usually we’re just an individual sport. This event gives us a chance to be a little more connected than we usually are. Everyone was jumping really well and the top three teams were killing it all night. We made it to the final round and didn’t do so well there, but it was really fun.”
With the conclusion of this week’s World Cup in Lake Placid, the aerials team will return to Park City, UT for training before travel to Moscow, Russia for their next World Cup on February 21st.
HIGHLIGHTS
- USA Team 1, consisting of Si Ning Chan, Alex Bowen and Mac Bohonnon, finished fourth in the Putnam Investments Lake Placid Freestyle Cup aerials team competition.
- The USA had two teams advance to the round of eight in the team competition. Elle Guadette, Zach Surdell and Mike Rossi were members of USA Team 2.
- Chan was the highest American women’s finisher in qualifications in eighth place while Bohonnon was the top male finisher in fifth. Qualification results counted as a World Cup result.
- Women's Qualification Podium: Renee McElduff from Australia was first, Veronika Korsunova from Russia was second and Hanna Huskova from Belarus was third.
- Men's Qualification Podium: Hang Zhou from China was first, Guangpu Qi from China was second and Ilya Burov from Russia was third.
- Team Competition Podium: China, Belarus, Russia
QUOTES
Si Ning Chan
Coming into this season, it was a goal of mine to compete on the World Cup. I’ve been doing well on the NorAm tour, so to come here today and jump against some of the best aerialists in the world and get my first top 10 finish was great.
Alex Bowen
The most fun part is having the teams. Usually we’re just an individual sport. This event gives us a chance to be a little more connected than we usually are. Everyone was jumping really well and the top three teams were killing it all night. We made it to the final round and didn’t do so well there, but it was really fun.
RESULTS
Women’s individual results
Men’s individual results
Full Team Results
