THE CANADIAN PRESS
LAKE PLACID, N.Y. — Warren Tanner of West Vancouver won a World Cup freestyle ski race Friday despite qualifying only 14th for the men’s moguls final.
Alex Bilodeau of Rosemere, Que., looked to be in medal contention after easily winning the qualification round, but he had trouble in the middle of the course and finished 15th.
Tanner, meanwhile, prevailed with a score of 25.55, as two other Canadians cracked the top five.
Dale Begg-Smith of Australia was a close second in 25.49, while Patrick Deneen of the United States finished third in 25.22.
Tanner, 27, made the cut into the 16-skier final by three-10ths of a point, before turning his skiing up a notch.
"It’s not a regular thing to come out of 14th with the win," Tanner said. "But that may have helped because there wasn’t a ton of pressure, and I went for it.
"I skied about as well as could have. I pretty much left it all out on the hill. I had a plan, I executed it, and I stuck to it. I’m just elated."
Vincent Marquis of Quebec City finished fourth while Renaud Jacques-Dagenais of Prevost, Que., was fifth.
"I knew I was able to compete with the best guys on the circuit," said Marquis, 23.
"For sure, I’m a little surprised, but this is what I’m trying to do."
The win leaves Tanner second in the season’s overall moguls standings with 110 points, behind leader Dale Begg-Smith, who has 120. Pierre-Alexandre Rousseau of Drummondville, Que., who was 37th Friday, is third overall with 100 points, courtesy of his December World Cup win in Tignes, France. Bilodeau is sixth and Marquis seventh.
In the women’s final, American Emiko Torito was a convincing winner in 25.17. Deborah Scanzio of Italy was second in 23.98 and American Kayla Snyderman third in 23.70.
Kristi Richards of Summerland, B.C., was seventh, while Sylvia Kerfoot of Vancouver finished 11th and Nathalie Bazin of Quebec City was 12th.
Competition resumes with aerials Saturday and dual moguls Sunday.