Vinecki and Burov shine under the lights in Moscow
Jan 23, 2021·Freestyle
The fourth individual FIS Freestyle Ski Aerials World Cup competition of the 2020/21 season went down in style on Saturday night in Moscow, with Winter Vinecki (USA) claiming her career’s first World Cup victory in the women’s event, while Maxim Burov (RUS) reached for his fourth straight top spot over on the men’s side of competition.
The 11th iteration of the aerials World Cup event in Moscow was once again a blast, with the world’s best aerial skiers pushing their limits all day long on the spectacular scaffold venue located at the Sparrow Hills, which provided a perfect setting for what was another thrilling night of top-tier aerials action.
In the women’s event it was Winter Winecki who nabbed her career’s first World Cup victory while stomping a new trick in her repertoire - a double full-full that earned her a score 94.11 points in the super final. After a handful of impressive results and a couple of fourth place finishes on tour in the last two seasons, the 22 year-old finally managed to get on the World Cup podium, while winning the competition with a trick she brought to snow just a couple of weeks before at the season opener in Ruka (FIN).
"I just can't believe it," said Vinecki, ”I am so excited! It’s been a long road coming back from injuries and being so close to podiums so many times. I don’t know how many top sixes I have had, and so to finally have that podium moment - let alone that first place - is incredible."
"The biggest thing was just getting my double-in and doing a nice one to my feet," Vinecki reflected on how the night came together, ”It has always been a bit of a struggle for me getting that last jump in the last run. I did my usual full-full for qualies. I did another really nice full-full to get me into the top six. I sealed the deal with that double-in. At the end of the night, it was just waiting to see if I was first or second, and I'm beyond stoked.”
Second place on the day went to Australia’s Laura Peel, who was leading the way through qualifications as well as the first round of finals while impressing with her trademarks triple flips. In the big final Peel went for a full-full-full, and while it was clearly the most difficult trick in women’s competition, the judges didn’t quite like her execution and landing. Peel received a score of 92.72 points and had to settle for second place.
Canada’s Marion Thenault rounded out the women’s podium in third place with 90.59 points for her double full-full, also finishing an exciting week in Moscow with her career’s best result and her first top-3 in just five World Cup starts.
In the World Cup ranking Peel maintained her top spot, leading the way with 290 points after four events. With the victory in Moscow Vinecki has now moved into second place on the women’s side with 203 points, while her teammate from the U.S. Aerials Team Ashley Caldwell sits in third with 190 points.
Things were equally exciting over in the men’s event, where fan-favourite Maxim Burov impressed once again in what has been an exception season for the Russian athlete so far. Putting down the high score in every single round of Saturday’s competition, Burov was dominant as he extended his winning streak to four consecutive World Cup victories.
Dropping as the last man in the big final, Burov stomped a textbook double full-full-full and as soon as he put it down to his feet it was clear that the 22-year-old would walk away with another huge win. 126.26 points and a high-score of the night sealed the deal for Burov, who is clearly one step closer to clinching his career’s second aerials World Cup crystal globe.
Despite a little slow start into 2020/21 Chris Lillis (USA) proved his skills on Saturday night by scoring his first podium of the season. In the big final Lillis too landed a double full-full-full, for which he received a score of 116.74 points and consequently a second place result on the night.
Third place went to Noe Roth (SUI), who received 103.54 points for his full-double full-full. It was Roth’s second top-3 finish in the 2019/20 campaign after the reigning World Cup champion also finished in third place last Saturday in Yaroslavl (RUS).
In the men’s aerials World Cup standing Maxim Burov leads the way with a perfect score of 400 points. Pavel Krotov (RUS) sits just behind his teammate in second place with 232 points, while Noe Roth rounds out the top-3 with 168 points.
The FIS Freestyle Ski Aerials World Cup tour will now travel to Raubichi, Minks (BLR), where another nighttime city event is slated to go down on Saturday, January 22.
QUICK LINKS:
Moscow World Cup data page (startlists, live timing, results)
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