What do the 2019 FIS World Championships Mean to You? - Brad Wilson
When the 2019 FIS Snowboard, Freestyle and Freeski World Championships kick off Feb. 1, it will mark the first time since the 2002 Olympic Winter Games that Utah - The State of Sport - has hosted so many athletes for a World Class event. In this three-part series, we talk to a number of U.S. Ski & Snowboard athletes expected to compete in the upcoming World Champs, and their thoughts on competing on home soil, in front of family and friends, the pressure to exceed expectations, and their overall view of what the World Championships mean to them.
- Part One: Snowboard and Ski Cross at Solitude
- Part Two: Slopestyle, Halfpipe and Big Air at Park City Mountain
- Part Three: Aerials and Moguls at Deer Valley
Aerials and Moguls at Deer Valley Resort
“The World Championships are only a small step below the Olympics. As athletes, we look at it as almost as big as the Olympics, it will have the same competitors there as Pyeongchang. Because Deer Valley is the greatest venue in the world, the World Championships events there will be some of the biggest competitions I’ve ever competed in.”
- Brad Wilson (Butte, Mont.), 2017 World Championships moguls silver medalist
However, it’s not just about accommodation, but rather in an in-depth knowledge of the actual field of play that athletes will be battling it out on that can pay dividends. Wilson has had the pleasure of competing on the Deer Valley moguls course numerous times as it is a regular stop on the FIS World Cup tour. This offers advantages, but they are not necessarily exclusive to U.S. athletes. One thing is for sure, Deer Valley Resort knows how to do it right.
“I have a lot of experience on this course for sure,” said Wilson. “But with Deer Valley being a constant stop on the World Cup tour, so do many other athletes. Deer Valley showcases our sport better than anyone in the world, so they will showcase FIS World Champs better than anyone!”
In freestyle, keep an eye out on Canada’s Mikael Kingsbury who is the winningest moguls athlete in the history of the sport. Also, for the women, Olympic gold medalist Perrine Laffont of France and Yulia Galysheva from Kazakhstan are strong contenders.
The anticipation is building and there is a clear consensus among athletes. The host venues have what it takes to host the top snowboard, freestyle and freeski competitors for ten days of world-class competition. Brad Wilson certainly think so!
“I’m super excited for World Champs at Deer Valley and on our home soil,” he said. “So is the rest of the world. Deer Valley is definitely the majority favorite place to compete for all the competitors. Already, on a normal season the Deer Valley World Cup is top tier, now with it being World Champs, it makes it that much better.”
HOW TO WATCH
All times EST
Preliminary broadcast schedule, subject to change
Streaming schedule TBA
*Same-day broadcast
**Next-day broadcast
Friday, Feb. 1
1:00 p.m. - Men and women's snowboardcross finals - NBCSN
Saturday, Feb. 2
3:00 p.m. - Men and women’s skicross finals - Olympic Channel
8:30 p.m. - Men and women’s skicross finals - NBCSN*
Sunday, Feb. 3
1:00 a.m. - Men and women’s freeski big air finals - NBCSN**
1:00 p.m. - Team snowboardcross - Olympic Channel
4:00 p.m.- Team snowboardcross - NBCSN*
Monday, Feb. 4
3:00 p.m. - Parallel snowboard giant slalom - Olympic Channel
7:00 p.m. - Parallel snowboard giant slalom - NBCSN*
Tuesday, Feb. 5
3:00 p.m. - Parallel snowboard slalom - NBCSN
9:00 p.m. - Men and women’s snowboard big air - NBCSN
Wednesday, Feb. 6
3:00 p.m. - Men and women’s freeski slopestyle finals - NBCSN
9:00 p.m. - Men and women’s aerials - Olympic Channel
11:30 p.m. - Men and women’s aerials - NBCSN*
Thursday, Feb. 7
9:00 p.m. - Team aerials - NBCSN
Friday, Feb. 8
1:00 p.m. - Men and women’s snowboard halfpipe - NBCSN
9:00 p.m. - Men and women’s moguls - NBCSN
Sunday, Feb. 10
2:00 a.m. - Men and women’s dual moguls - NBCSN**
1:00 p.m. - Men and women’s snowboard slopestyle - Olympic Channel
3:00 p.m. - Men and women’s snowboard slopestyle - NBC*
Monday, Feb. 11
10:30 p.m. - Women’s freeski halfpipe finals - NBCSN**