Freeski slopestyle season set to pick back up in Mammoth
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Fresh off of back-to-back halfpipe World Cup victories in Calgary and set to receive the first crystal globe of her career at Friday evening’s Mammoth halfpipe competition, Gu is essentially unstoppable right now, it seems inevitable that she’ll carry her momentum over to the slopestyle course on Saturday.
It won’t be a walk in the park for 18-year-old Gu, however, as Estonia’s Kelly Sildaru is also on the scene and looking to dial up the intensity ahead of what will also be her first Olympic Winter Games appearance in Beijing. Sildaru claimed victory in commanding fashion at the slopestyle World Cup season opener in Stubai (AUT) back in November, and though she didn’t compete at the Dew Tour slopestyle just before Christmas, there’s no reason to believe she won’t be a major podium threat again this week in Mammoth.
Others who could challenge Gu on the women’s side include Stubai third-place finisher Johanne Killi and her teammate Sandra Eie of Norway, Katie Summerhayes and Kirsty Muir of Great Britain, and the always-strong host U.S. squad, with Maggie Voisin, Caroline Claire and Marin Hamill leading the way.
HEAVY MENS TEAMS ON HAND FOR HOST USA AND CANADIANS
Top spot for the men at Stubai this season went to Norway’s Birk Ruud, who isn’t in attendance her in Stubai. Just behind Ruud there in Austria, however, was Max Moffat (CAN), and the 23-year-old has looked exceptional in training here in Mammoth thus far.
Moffat will be leading an explosive Canadian squad that also features Big Air Chur second-place finisher Teal Harle, Evan McEachran, Mark Henderson, Edouard Therriault and Etienne Geoffroy Gangnon.
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