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Canadian freestyle skier and current Olympic silver medalist. Mikael Kingsbury says he is almost fully healthy after suffering a left groin injury and is preparing to return to the World Moguls Championship lineup this week in Val-Saint-Côme, Quebec.
Kingsbury, who was forced to withdraw from the men's small final at the season opener in early December in Ruka, Finland, first suffered the injury four months ago in training.
“I'm not 100 percent [but] I'm getting closer. I am pleased with the progress,” he said during a 30-minute call with English and French journalists on Monday. “I would like to participate in every race, but [I] need to make smart decisions because the main goal is the Olympic Games [next month in Milan Cortina]”
Kingsbury will compete in the singles mogul on Friday night, having reached 99 World Cup wins, and will assess his health on Saturday before tackling the doubles mogul in the evening.
The 33-year-old excelled on the tough track in Val Saint-Côme.He also won gold in the 2024 mogul pairs in Val Sainte-Côme.
“I love competing in front of my friends and family,” said Kingsbury, who will be one of Canada's strongest medal contenders at the Winter Games in Italy, where the double mogul will make his Olympic debut. “[Val St-Côme] became a training center between races when [I] come home, so this is a course I know well.
“I mostly skied [in all types of] conditions for this course. Lots of experience that I can use to my advantage [this week]”
As for 100 career wins, Kingsbury told CBC Sports he started believing it was possible three years ago when he talked to his mental health coach.
“And here we are, one win away,” said the Deux-Montagnes, Que., native, who seemed surprised by the amount of kick and force he put into his skis during a recent practice session. “After I won [Olympic gold] in 2018 [in Pyeongchang, South Korea] I thought 100 wins was impossible. World Cup starts will never be enough [for me] to get to 100 [victories].
Canadian mogul star Mikael Kingsbury of Deux-Montagnes, Que., wins the men's mogul doubles in Val-Saint-Come, Que., for his 96th World Cup victory.
Motivated in the gym and aiming for 100 world championship wins.
“When you're 50, 60, that's a lot of winning. It kept me in the gym every day and on cold days in the snow to stay in shape. I know [100] sooner or later it will happen, but I'm not trying to put too much pressure on myself to do it [this week]”
After suffering a groin injury “in late August/early September”, Kingsbury said he started skiing in late November before heading to Ruka, where training went well before he started feeling discomfort.
In addition to rest, Kingsbury treated his groin with ice, heat, physical therapy, laser therapy and red light therapy, which are said to reduce pain and inflammation, speed tissue healing and improve blood flow.
“Things have been going well the last four weeks, especially the last three,” he told CBC Sports. “It’s nice that every week I take some steps and can advance a little more.”
With the Olympics a month away, Kingsbury realizes many children and aspiring Olympians may be watching him compete in Val Sainte-Côme, adding that it wasn't long ago that he was a teenager on the other side of the fence looking for an autograph and a photo with his idols.
“I know what it is [like] to be that little kid,” said Kingsbury, who won Olympic silver in 2014. in Sochi, Russia. “Giving time to my children is important to me. I know how inspiring it is. I used to dream about the life I live now, and this is something special. I still chase my childhood dreams.
“I hope I can get my 100th victory. [for the kids this week]. It would be unusual to do this at home [snow] but the goal is to ski as best as possible and we’ll see what the result is.”
The next stage of the World Cup after Rate St-Come will take place January 15-16 in Waterville Valley, New Hampshire. The event was originally scheduled for Deer Valley Resort in Utah, but was moved due to “challenging conditions.” weather conditions at the beginning of the season.”
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