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Deer Valley • Hannah Kearney did not lose the women's moguls competition at the Visa Freestyle International at Deer Valley Resort on Thursday night.
But she trailed.
And that counted as big news, considering the defending Olympic champion had not been anywhere but on top of the standings after any round of competition all season.
Of course, Kearney pulled it out in the end to beat American teammate Heather McPhie for her record 13th straight World Cup victory, but there was that moment heading into her final jump that things felt, well, different.
"It was a sort of nerves I haven't felt in a while, but in an absolutely positive way," Kearney said. "And I'm glad I was able to take the nerves and perform well and not take them and buckle under the pressure."
Buckle?
Kearney?
Please.
Having watched McPhie put together the best run of the "final" round, Kearney blasted through her last run in the new "super final," clocking the fastest time of the night and performing a back layout off the first jump and a heli-mute grab off the second to win with a 84.03 points.
The victory came at the site of her last loss — in the Freestyle World Ski Championships here last year — for which Kearney had vowed to get redemption.
"Good thing I didn't make myself look really dumb," she said.
Canada's Mikael Kingsbury won his sixth straight World Cup meet in the men's moguls with 86.33 points, outdistancing countryman and reigning Olympic champion Alexandre Bilodeau with a sizzling final run that included a cork 1080 off the final jump.
All of the skiers are still getting used to a new competition format this season that features a "super final" round for the top four racers from the "final" round, which already is whittled from a qualifying round.
Scores no longer carry over from one round to the other, either, meaning skiers must rank among the best in each round in order to advance.
One false move, and they could be out.
That was the fate that befell American Jeremy Cota, ranked second in the world. One of his poles snapped when he landed on it after the first jump, spinning him out and forcing him to abandon his run.
But McPhie was among four Americans to reach the super final, along with Patrick Deneen and Heidi Kloser, who both finished fourth. She landed an impressive D-spin on the second jump of her final run, and figured she's getting closer to finally ending Kearney's reign.
"I did push her," McPhie said. "So I'm stoked."
mcl@sltrib.comTwitter: @MCLTribuneFacebook: @RSLTribune —
Visa Freestyle International
Men's moguls
Gold • Mikael Kingsbury, Canada, 86.33
Silver • Alexandre Bilodeau, Canada, 85.33
Bronze • Vinjar Slatten, Norway, 83.50
Women's moguls
Gold • Hannah Kearney, USA, 84.03
Silver • Heather McPhie, USA, 82.56
Bronze • Britteny Cox, Australia, 76.13