FREESTYLE SKI. The FIS Freestyle Ski World Cup will finally kick off its 2011/12 season this week, marking another milestone for the discipline of Freestyle Skiing. A record field is at the start of the opening halfpipe event in the 22-foot halfpipe at Copper Mountain (USA). The long-established Visa U.S. Halfpipe Grand Prix was added to the FIS Freestyle World Cup calendar this year and will be the first World Cup level competition since the event was added to the Olympic Winter 2014 program back in July 2011.

At Ruka (FIN), at the simultaneous moguls season opening event, a new competition format will be carried out for the first time as part of the World Cup. Blessed with excellent snow conditions and beautiful winter wonderland, the experienced Organizers in Finland are ready to welcome the athletes to the traditional World Cup opener for the 5th time.

The halfpipe events at Copper Mountain as well as the slopestyle events at Mammoth Mountain that will take place in March 2012, were recently added to the FIS Freestyle World Cup calendar to prepare for these events' Olympic debut at Sochi 2014.

The men's qualification heats are scheduled for Wednesday with finals taking place on Friday. Ladies will qualify Friday morning. With all time high entries, a total of 39 ladies and 64 men representing 13 nations will compete in this historical event. X Games champion Kevin Rolland of France and World Champion Mike Riddle of Canada will be among the favorites in the men's halfpipe, along with Jossi Wells of New Zealand. Sarah Burke of Canada will be a top contender in the female field.
60 kilometers from the Arctic Circle, a total of 36 ladies and 55 men from 16 nations will compete in the moguls World Cup in Ruka, Kuusamo (FIN). Ruka first hosted the World Cup in 2002 (twice), followed by 2003, 2010 and now 2011. The specially constructed moguls course on the famous ‘Battery Run' slope was also used for the 2005 FIS Freestyle World Ski Championships for the moguls and dual moguls competitions.

Contributed by Sofie Torlei Olsen
FIS news
December 08, 2011

For more information and to check results, please visit www.fisfreestyle.com

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