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1998 women's moguls champion Tae Satoya of Japan flanked by silver medallist Tatjana Mittermayer of Germany (left) and Norwegian bronze winner Kari Traa.
Photo: AFP |
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Competitive freestyle skiing began in the 1960s - a rebellion against the straitjacket of traditional alpine racing that reflected the wider social changes of that turbulent decade.
Norway's Stein Eriksen is often credited as the sport's godfather. Eriksen won the gold medal in giant slalom and silver in slalom at the 1952 Winter Olympics and then became a celebrity ski instructor at a number of U.S. resorts, where he often performed acrobatic shows.
The first freestyle meet is believed to have been held in Attitash, New Hampshire in 1966. During the competition, skiers had to ski "compulsory forms" runs in which they had to display correct technique and then got to do "free style" runs in which they could perform maneuvers of their own choosing.
Freestyle, or hot-dogging, as it used to be known, included moguls, jumps and ski ballet and exploded in the early 1970s. A professional circuit was started in 1971, but was hobbled by sponsorship and insurance problems after some skiers were seriously injured in aerials accidents.
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Eric Bergoust of the United States, the 1998 aerials gold medallist.
Photo: AFP |
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In Canada, the Canadian Freestyle Skiers Association was formed in 1974, and the sport was soon recognized by the Canadian Ski Association. The International Ski Federation (FIS) became freestyle's governing body in 1979 and enacted higher qualification levels for the certification of jumps. A World Cup series was begun in 1980, and the inaugural World Championship was held in Tignes, France -- still part of the freestyle heartland -- in 1986.
All three disciplines -- moguls, aerials and ballet -- were added to the Olympic program as demonstration events for the 1988 Calgary Winter Games. Jean-Marc Rozon, a native of Sherbrooke, Que. who is considered one of the pioneers of modern aerials, captured a gold medal for Canada.
The freestyle events proved to be so popular among both the crowds in Calgary and television audiences around the world that the International Olympic Committee decided to promote moguls to a medal sport at the 1992 Albertville Games and bring aerials back as a demonstration event.
France's Edgar Grospiron made the hometown crowds go wild when he captured the first gold medal in the moguls competition. On the aerials side, Canada's Phillipe Laroche captured the gold, and Nicolas Fontaine captured the silver, although they didn't count in the medal standings. The increasing popularity of aerials and pressure from the FIS and Lillehammer organizing committee convinced the IOC to add aerials to the 1994 Olympics -- ski ballet, which sometimes looked as implausible as its name suggests, has not been accepted in the Olympic program -- much to the benefit of Canada.
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Canadian Jean-Luc Brassard won the moguls gold in 1994.
Photo: AFP |
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In Lillehammer, Laroche captured the silver, while Lloyd Langlois took home the bronze in the aerial events, the first time since 1932 that Canada had won two medals in the same event. Another Canadian, Andy Capicik finished fourth. The gold medallist was Switzerland's Sonny Schonbachler who came out of retirement when the aerials were elevated to full medal status.
In moguls, Jean-Luc Brassard defeated rival Grospiron and became a hero in his native Quebec after capturing gold.
The Nagano Games four years later were a disappointment for Canada's freestyle squad. After dominating the world championships with a total of seven medals a year earlier, Canada left Nagano empty-handed.
Fontaine, the defending world champion, had an off day and finished 10th. Brassard, who finished fourth, stirred up controversy he said he wished he had turned down the task of carrying Canada's flag during opening ceremonies. He later explained that while he was honoured to be chosen, all the attention on his flag-bearing duties the day before his competition was to begin left him tired and distracted.
Americans took gold in both men's events and in the women's aerial event. |
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COUNTRY |
G |
S |
B |
| 1 |
GER |
12 |
16 |
7 |
| 2 |
NOR |
11 |
7 |
6 |
| 3 |
USA |
10 |
13 |
11 |
| 4 |
RUS |
6 |
6 |
4 |
| 5 |
CAN |
6 |
3 |
8 |
| 6 |
FRA |
4 |
5 |
2 |
| 7 |
ITA |
4 |
4 |
4 |
| 8 |
FIN |
4 |
4 |
4 |
| 9 |
NED |
3 |
5 |
0 |
| 10 |
SUI |
3 |
2 |
6 |
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View the Opening Ceremonies photo gallery
>> Children speak to athletes
>> Olympian Q&A
Commentator:
Vic Rauter
Analyst:
Anna Fraser-Sproule
Jeff Bean 
Scott Bellavance
Jean-Luc Brassard
Andy Capicik
Nicolas Fontaine
Ryan Johnson
Steve Omischl
Stephan Rochon
Pierre-Alexandre Rousseau
Veronika Bauer
Tami Bradley
Veronica Brenner
Deidra Dionne
Jennifer Heil
Kelly Ringstad
Eric Bergoust, United States
Dmitri Dashinski, Belarus
Sami Mustonen, Finland
Joe Pack, United States
Mikko Ronkainen, Finland
Aiko Uemura, Japan
Jacqui Cooper, Australia
Hannah Hardaway, United States
Janne Lahtela, Finland
Kari Traa, Norway
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