Kingsbury captures mogul silver in Sweden, defeating reigning Olympic champion Wallberg
Mikaël Kingsbury exacted a measure of revenge against reigning Olympic champion Walter Wallberg, although American Nick Page proved a tougher challenge in World Cup moguls action on Saturday.
Page scored 81.02 on his second run to defeat Kingsbury of Deux-Montagnes, Que., who posted 79.06 in Idre Fjäll, Sweden. Wallberg, who recorded 83.23 in the six-man super final at the Beijing Olympics in March to beat Kingsbury, rounded out the podium with 78.98.
Japan’s Ikuma Horishima (78.46) was fourth on Saturday, a week after finishing second to his Canadian rival in Ruka, Finland, where Kingsbury claimed his 75th career World Cup victory.
Kingsbury, who has reached a World Championship podium 145 times in his long career, was the lone Canadian in Saturday’s event.
Now in his 12th season on the World Cup circuit, Kingsbury said he is as motivated as ever.
SEE | Kingsbury starts the moguls season with WC gold:
“I’m always excited for the first race of the season. So I’ve never had a problem with motivation, really,” Kingsbury said. “I want to be there. I want to be the last guy to go. I want to be in those positions. I want to feel nervous.”
Kingsbury’s six world championship golds and 10 overall World Cup titles are records that will remain virtually untouched as he gears up to add to them this season.
The 30-year-old won Olympic gold in 2018, silver in 2014 and silver again in February in Beijing.