Saturday, February 10

Hardaway and Dawson on the Podium in Japan

www.usskiteam.com

IIZUNA KOGEN, Japan - In the last FIS Freestyle World Cup prior to the season finals, Hannah Hardaway (Moultonborough, NH) took second and Toby Dawson (Vail, CO) placed third in a moguls contest on the '98 Olympic hill in Japan. Finn Mikko Ronkainen and Norwegian Kari Traa were the victors.

Ronkainen won with a score of 27.07 and was followed by Canadian Pierre-Alexandre Rousseau and Vail's Dawson. Ryan Riley (Steamboat Springs, CO) was fifth, Chris Hernandez (S. Lake Tahoe, CA) was seventh, and Evan Dybvig (Tunbridge, VT) was 12th.

With powerhouse Finn Janne Lahtela out of the competition after suffering a left knee injury in duals Saturday, the contest was anyone's to win. Ronkainen took advantage of the situation and picked up his second win of the season and third of his career.

Dawson launched several big airs off the jumps and collected the highest air points of the day. It was his second career World Cup podium, as he took third at Mt. Tremblant, Quebec last season. The finish moved him from 17th to 10th on the World Cup points list, assuring him a spot on the roster for World Cup Finals.

Traa, the World Cup points leader, won with a score of 25.25. Hardaway followed with a 25.20 and Japan's Aiko Uemura was third, posting a 24.69. Ann Battelle (Steamboat Springs, CO) finished just off the podium in fourth with a 24.15. Donna Weinbrecht (Killington, VT) took seventh and Jillian Vogtli (Park City, UT) was 11th.

Out of the six World Cup events this season, Traa has won all but one. At Deer Valley, Utah, she placed second behind Hardaway as the New Hampshire native won her first career World Cup.

Hardaway recorded the highest turns score of the contest and finished behind Traa by only .05.

World Cup Finals take place March 9-11 in Himos, Finland.

FIS FREESTYLE WORLD CUP
Iizuna Kogen, Japan
Moguls

MEN

1. Mikko Ronkainen, Finland, 27.07
2. Pierre-Alexandre Rousseau, Canada, 26.84
3. Toby Dawson, Vail, Colo., 26.66
4. Richard Gay, France, 26.27
5. Ryan Riley, Steamboat Springs, Colo., 26.05
6. Yugo Tsukita, Japan, 26.04
7. Chris Hernandez, S. Lake Tahoe, Calif., 25.84
8. Teppei Noda, Japan, 25.64
9. Stephane Rochon, Canada, 25.48
10. Serguei Ivanov, Russia, 25.05
11. Ryan Johnson, Canada, 24.58
12. Evan Dybvig, Tunbridge, Vermont, 4.56

WOMEN

1. Kari Traa, Norway, 25.25
2. Hannah Hardaway, Moultonborough, New Hampshire, 25.20
3. Aiko Uemura, Japan, 24.69
4. Ann Battelle, Steamboat Springs, Colo., 24.15
5. Tae Satoya, Japan, 24.11
6. Jennifer Heil, Canada, 24.07
7. Donna Weinbrecht, Killington, Vermont, 23.89
8. Minna Karhu, Finland, 23.87
9. Corinne Bodmer, Switzerland, 23.35
10. Ingrid Bernsten, Norway, 23.35
11. Jillian Vogtli, Park City, Utah, 22.65
12. Tami Bradley, Canada, 22.03