Mikaël Kingsbury’s 91st victory on the freestyle skiing World Cup circuit was particularly delicious for the Quebecer on Saturday in Ruka. It was her first since the birth of her son Henrik, who is present in Finland with his mother Laurence.
Kingsbury collected 83.90 points in the super final of the individual moguls event to beat Sweden’s Walter Wallberg (81.14) and Japan’s Ikuma Horishima (80.51). It was also an 11th victory on the Ruka track for the representative of the maple leaf.
The presence of his family was “the icing on the sundae” for the Kingsbury.
“It’s really special for me to win as a father, but especially to have Laurence and my little guy who were at the bottom of the track,” commented Kingsbury. I know he won’t remember, [mais] I will remember it.
“As soon as I got my yellow jersey, I put it on him and we took a nice photo. For me, it’s definitely in my top 3 of the best victories of my career, just because I had them with me. »
Kingsbury was otherwise satisfied with his efforts despite a more complicated landing in the super final.
The three-time Olympic medalist finished first in all three runs. This was also his objective at the start of the season.
“I’m really satisfied with my skiing, with the way I managed it. I felt strong and stable on my skis today, he said.
“For me it is always important, during the first [Coupe du monde] of the season, to do a big qualification to show that you are in the game at the start of the year. I was really happy to get first place. »
Quebecer Elliot Vaillancourt qualified for the first final, but his score of 75.07 placed him in eighth place, just 69 hundredths of a point behind Horishima, sixth and last skier to obtain his ticket for the super final.
Among the women, Canadian Maia Schwinghammer (75.34) finished just off the podium. Frenchwoman Perrine Laffont (81.13) won the event.
Canadians Laurianne Desmarais-Gilbert and Jessica Linton were unable to qualify.
The next stage of the World Cup will take place in Idre next weekend in Sweden, with individual and parallel events.
“I have the yellow jersey, that looks good for the future,” concluded Kingsbury.
