Parkite Vinecki wins Canadian aerials world cup, regains leader bib

Winter Vinecki in the finish after winning the aerials World Cup in Lac-Beauport, Canada. (U.S. Ski & Snowboard). Photo: U.S. Ski & Snowboard

QUEBEC, Canada — On Sunday, the second day of competition in Lac-Beauport, Québec, Canada, Winter Vinecki, who lives in Park City while competing and attending law school online, led the way for the Stifel U.S. Freestyle Ski Team aerials athletes, earning her third individual win of the season. 

Vinecki won gold in Deer Valley’s Aerials World Cup less than a month ago.

It was another moody weather day on course with intermittent rain and persistent clouds, leading many athletes to adjust their typical game plans. The weather didn’t appear to significantly impact the U.S. team, however, as they put on a show in the qualification round, advancing five women and two men into the finals. Included in this group was Winter Vinecki, who missed out on the previous day’s finals but qualified in the second position today. She was looking to regain the yellow bib, signifying the overall World Cup leader. Karenna Elliott, the prior day’s winner, ran into trouble in qualification, finishing in 13th place just outside of finals. 

In finals, Vinecki almost lost her balance on her landing, but her score of 76.05 was just enough to put her in the sixth position to advance into the super finals. Chris Lillis fell hard in finals, landing on the knoll, but he skied away unharmed. Just outside super finals was Megan Smallhouse, finishing eighth along with Tasia Tanner, from Salt Lake City and Park City in 10th. It was a close fight in finals for the men, with Connor Curran narrowly missing super finals, finishing in seventh place. Chris Lillis finished 12th. All of the above are residents of Park City. 

Ultimately, Kaila Kuhn and Winter Vinecki represented the United States in the final round of six. Here, Vinecki pulled out all the stops to get in the top spot by competing a back lay-full-full as the only woman attempting a triple in today’s competition. Her efforts paid off, as she earned her third individual and fourth overall win of the season, completed by regaining the well-earned yellow leader’s bib. Kuhn toned down her difficulty in super finals but was technically perfect in her back lay-full. Kuhn sat in podium position in third place until the final competitor, current World Cup leader Danielle Scott of Australia, bumped her into fourth place.