Calgary (AB), Canada – Local boy Warren Shouldice wowed his hometown crowd with two enormous triple backflips and landed on top of the aerials skiing podium at an FIS World Cup in Calgary on Saturday.nShouldice, who has gone by the moniker “Wookie” since his second year on the Canadian team eight years ago, wears a lucky t-shirt that reads “let the Wookie win” under his team jacket every contest day. On Saturday the t-shirt, and the man in it, did his job to perfection and scored a total of 244.90.
Shouldice seemed a little taken aback by the emotions of winning at home. “I grew up in Calgary, started jumping in Red Deer — I’ve lived here my entire life,” he explained. “I can’t believe that we got a World Cup and I can’t believe that I won the thing.
“I had no idea it would be so special until it happened. I thought it was just another world cup stop, but now having won it at home, it’s so much more — it’s one of the best days of my life and I’m going to remember it forever, so I’m just on cloud nine.”
Taking second place in the men’s aerials was Switzerland’s Renato Ulrich at 243.01 and Scotty Bahrke, of Squaw Valley, Calif., was third, taking home his first World Cup medal at 229.57.
After finishing on the bubble in qualifying, Bahrke competed in Saturday’s finals throwing first a full double full-full, which he followed up with a stellar double full full-full.
“Its pretty wild, standing up there,” exclaimed Bahrke. “I don’t know if it’s really quite hit me yet. I’m really excited!”
“He has made a lot of impressive changes to his jumping and his takeoff over the summer,” said U.S. Ski Team Freestyle Aerials Head Coach Todd Ossian. “It’s nice that all that hard work can pay off.”
For the World Championships, Bahrke intends to keep his aerial assault plan the same with the two different quad twisting doubles.
“I want to keep the same mindset,” said Bahrke. “I was really happy with landing the two jumps.”
Bahrke was the only U.S. male to make the finals in Calgary. Just missing this 10 person final were Americans Dylan Ferguson (Amesbury, Mass.) in 11th and Ryan St. Onge (Winter Park, Colo.) 12th.
In women’s aerials, China brought in the top two scores with Shuang Cheng scoring 187.23 and Mengtao Xu at 186.65. Olga Volkova of the Ukraine was third at 175.40.
Laval, Quebec’s Sabrina Guerin was the top Canadian finishing fifth at 132.87 after falling on her first jump. Crystal Lee, of Queensville, Ontario, also crashed on one of her jumps and landed in a personal-best eight position at 118.03.
Following her top qualification for Saturday’s finals, the two-time Olympian Emily Cook, of Belmont, Mass., had a tough final. She finished sixth after two sketchy landings. Despite not getting the result she was hoping for, Cook had an excellent week in training and qualification. She was the only American woman who qualified for the finals.
“Emily had such a great day of training, it couldn’t have gone any better,” said Ossian. “I have a lot of confidence that Emily is going to be ready at Worlds.”
The U.S. Freestyle Ski Team will announce its World Championship Team for all events today at Deer Valley Resort in Park City, Utah. The finals for aerials will take place on Feb. 4.
OFFICIAL RESULTS
FIS Freestyle World Cup
Calgary, AB – Jan. 28, 2011
Aerials
Men
1. Warren Shouldice, Canada, 244.90
2. Renato Ulrich, Switzerland, 243.01
3. Scotty Bahrke, Squaw Valley, CA, 229.57
Women
1. Shuang Cheng, China, 187.23
2. Mengtao Xu, China, 186.65
3. Olga Volkova, Ukraine, 175.40