Vinecki and Zhang Triumph on Day 2 at Lac-Beauport
Feb 12, 2024·Freestyle
The curtain fell on a mesmerizing two-day exhibition of elite freestyle skiing on Sunday at Lac-Beauport's Le Relais, marking the conclusion of a thrilling weekend of aerials competitions in Quebec, Canada. Winter Vinecki (USA) made a remarkable comeback with her triples, clinching the women's title, while newcomer Zhang Yifan (CHN) captured his first World Cup win, a milestone in his career, on the men's side.
The event at Lac-Beauport, while largely celebratory, was marred by a dramatic incident when Qi Guangpu, Saturday's victor, experienced a significant crash in his final jump. Qi was promptly attended to by the medical team and transported to the hospital. Early reports suggest he sustained a concussion, fortunately without severe injury. Our thoughts are with him for a swift recovery.
In the women's category, Winter Vinecki overcame a less-than-ideal performance on Saturday, adopting a fresh approach that saw her executing triples from the qualifications onwards. Despite a minor hand-drag during the landing in F1, which nearly jeopardized her advancement to the super final, Vinecki secured her spot and ultimately triumphed, scoring 97.88 points with her Lay-Full-Full. This victory marked her third individual and fourth overall World Cup win of the 2023/24 season.
Chen Meiting (CHN) secured second place with her double Full-Full, earning 88.12 points. Danielle Scott (AUS) completed the women's podium in third place, also with a double Full-Full, scoring 81.42 points. This was Scott's second podium finish in as many days, highlighting her consistency throughout the competition in Canada.
With this victory, Vinecki reclaimed the yellow World Cup leader's bib, now leading the standings with 352 points, closely followed by Scott with 340 points. With just one event remaining this season, the race for the World Cup title and the coveted Crystal Globe is more exhilarating than ever.
On the men's side, Zhang Yifan, in his debut World Cup season, secured his inaugural victory with a nearly flawless Full double Full-Full, amassing 119.03 points. This win not only highlights his exceptional talent but also cements his claim for the Rookie of the Year award.
For the second consecutive day, Wang Xindi (CHN) took second place, contributing to a Chinese 1-2 finish at Lac-Beauport, with a complex triple jump that included five twists - double Full-Full double Full - and scored 108.50 points.
Noe Roth (SUI), the reigning World Cup champion who has had a challenging season, finally made it to the podium with a third-place finish in Canada, thanks to his double Full-Full-Full, scoring an even 100.00 points.
The FIS Freestyle World Cup series will pause before returning with full vigor for the season's final competitions in March. The concluding aerials event will take place in Almaty from March 8-10, promising an exciting finale to an already memorable season.
QUICK LINKS:
Lac-Beauport World Cup FIS data page (start lists, results, etc.)
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