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Steamboat Magazine

Locals Named to U.S. Moguls Freestyle Ski Team

12/10/2014 01:26PM ● By Joe Lauber

Photo Courtesy: Garth Hagar/U.S. Ski Team

RUKA, FINLAND (Dec. 9, 2014) – Olympic Champion Hannah Kearney (Norwich, VT), along with Olympic veterans Patrick Deneen (Cle Elum, WA) and Bryon Wilson (Butte, MT), will lead the U.S. Freestyle Ski Team’s moguls squad for the 2015 season. The team was named this week in advance of the Dec. 13 FIS Freestyle World Cup season opener in Ruka, Finland. Also returning to the team this year are Heidi Kloser (Vail, CO) and Sho Kashima (South Lake Tahoe, CA). Both spent the off-season recovering from injuries and plan to return to the World Cup mid-season. The World Cup tour comes to the U.S. on Jan. 8-10 for the Visa Freestyle International at Utah’s Deer Valley Resort and Jan. 29-31 for the Putnam Freestyle World Cup in Lake Placid. NY. This season, athletes will also compete at the 2015 FIS Freestyle Ski & Snowboard World Championships in Kreischberg, Austria Jan. 14-25.

 

Highlights

  • The U.S. Freestyle Moguls team named 20 athletes to its roster this season, including Olympic Champion Hannah Kearney and Olympic veterans Patrick Deneen, Bryon Wilson and Heidi Kloser.
  • Final Season?: In what she says will be her final season, Hannah Kearney is hoping to add to her very impressive results roster, including two Olympic medals, six World Championship medals and eight crystal globes.
  • World Champs: The 2015 FIS Freestyle Ski & Snowboard World Championships will be a highlight of the season. Athletes will compete in Kreischberg, Austria Jan. 14-25.
  • Return from Injury: Sho Kashima and Heidi Kloser are both expected to return to the World Cup mid-season after battling injuries in the off-season.
  • Sochi Olympians Heather McPhie and Eliza Outtrim will not be competing this season.
  • Bradley Wilson suffered a knee injury during training in Finland and will not be competing in the World Cup opener.
  • The FIS World Cup season kicks off in Ruka, Finland on Dec. 13 with dual moguls.
  • Domestic World Cups include the Visa Freestyle International at Utah’s Deer Valley Resort Jan. 8-10 and the Putnam Freestyle World Cup in Lake Placid, NY Jan. 29-31.
  • Colorado’s Steamboat Ski Resort will host this year’s U.S. Championships Mar. 26-29.