Congrats to the U.S. Women's Freestyle Team, they had a very successful weekend, Jan. 22-23, at the World Cup events in Lake Placid. Winning gold is nothing new to mogul skier, Hannah Kearney. She swept the mogul events, making for four straight individual World Cup victories. Oh, and remember the 2010 Winter Olympics? She won that too! The 25-year-old has won nearly every event in her past nine competitions. But, winning gold is new to Kearney's teenage teammate, Ashley Caldwell. Caldwell, 17, captured her first World Cup win this past weekend! Here's an excerpt from First Tracks!! Online Ski Magazine's article on Ashley's first victory. Way to be young, fearless women Hannah and Ashley! — Leah Fielding, Associate Editor

For the link to Ashley's winning run, click here.

by firsttracksonline.com
Just four years after switching from gymnastics to skiing, South Carolinian Ashley Caldwell won her first career aerials World Cup Friday at the Nature Valley Freestyle Cup. The 17-year-old threw a stunning second jump to clinch the win in her adopted hometown of Lake Placid.

Reigning World Champion Ryan St. Onge, of Winter Park, Colo., was second in the men's competition.

Caldwell, the 2010 World Cup Rookie of the Year, was fourth after her first jump. But in the finals, the Charleston, S.C. native rode a wave of wind, soaring higher than she had ever jumped before, to take the win. Her 99.93 on the second jump was an amazing score for a double flip.

"The weather was really crazy. There was wind, snow and then perfectly blue skies. I think I got the blue sky times," said an excited Caldwell. "They were two of the best jumps that I can ever remember doing, they both felt really good."

Caldwell’s win marks the first U.S. women’s victory since Emily Cook (Belmont, Mass.), who was fourth for the second straight event Friday, won in Moscow on March 1, 2008. Belarus’s Alla Tsuper, who had been the leader going into the final round, earned silver with a total score of 186.42, while China’s Mengtao Xu, the current women’s aerials World Cup leader, was third with 183.83 points.

Caldwell’s ascent on the world stage has been rapid. A former gymnast, Caldwell switched to competitive skiing only a few years ago. She first skied under coach Nick Preston at Waterville Valley, N.H., before joining the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association's elite aerial development program in Lake Placid. In just her second season skiing competitive, she won a NorAm Cup. A year later, at the age of 16, she was the youngest female member of the 2010 U.S. Olympic Team, finishing 10th in Vancouver. She also took Rookie of the Year honors on the World Cup.

"This gives Ashley so much confidence," said U.S. Ski Team Freestyle Aerials Head Coach, Todd Ossian. "She just keeps improving and it is so great to be able to watch her. Conditions were all over the place today but both she and Ryan were able to make the best of it and throw some unbelievable jumps. Today was such a great day. I am so proud of Ashley and Ryan."

"I can't believe I just won!" said Caldwell after her victory. "It doesn't seem real to me, after training so hard, it feels so good to get this win under my belt."

For the rest of the article, click here.