Mikael Kingsbury on verge of making moguls history

Before entering the start gate, Canadian moguls skier Mikael Kingsbury isn't listening to music or psyching himself up. He's closely watching his competitors, making sure he doesn't miss something that could help him beat them.  

That start-of-race routine is just one of the things that sets Kingsbury apart from everyone else in the sport, and just one of the many reasons he could win gold at this Saturday's World Cup event in Finland.

Kingsbury will be going for his 29th career World Cup victory, which would give him the all-time record for moguls. He's currently tied with retired Frenchman Edgar Grospiron.

But that isn't Kingsbury's focus this weekend. It's just his motivation.

"If I get in the final I'm going to have it in the back of my head," Kingsbury told CBC Sports. "It's not my main focus to beat it right away. But it would be very fun."

Breaking records isn't new for Kingsbury. The 23-year-old from Deux-Montagnes, Que., owns the mark for most consecutive World Cup moguls wins after reeling off seven in a row last season (that streak is still intact, though Kingsbury was defeated in dual moguls during that time). He's also the youngest moguls skier to reach both 20 and 25 wins. He's earned 46 podium finishes in 61 World Cup starts, giving him a 75.4 per cent podium rate.

"What really, truly makes Mik special and separates him from everyone else — ever, in the history of our sport — is his ability to be consistent," said Rob Kobur, the head coach of the Canadian men's moguls team. "And Mik just makes far fewer mistakes, and the mistakes he does make are less severe than anyone I've ever seen before.

"It's just something very special about him that we've not seen before in Canada or anywhere else in the world in our sport."

Kingsbury's previous success is exactly why he will not focus on results this weekend. Despite the opportunity to break a world record, Kingsbury wants to kick off the first World Cup event of the season by simply continuing to do what he's already doing. 

"I don't want to change the way I plan my stuff just because I need to win the one gold and win the record," he said. "I try not to focus on the results. I try just to think about myself, and when I do that usually it goes well."

While Kingsbury isn't focusing on the win, he admits having the record in front of him during the off-season wasn't a bad motivator. Although it doesn't seem like he can climb much higher, Kingsbury has been working on improving what many see as an already perfect form.

"I've been changing stuff in my skiing. I have a better ski line, I'm faster, I'm a bit bigger — just a little bit — and that's going to help me this season," he said. "I try not to focus on the results.

"My main competitor is myself. I know if I could beat me, then it's going to be good."