By Freddy Perryman, U.S. Ski Team

RUKA, Finland – Patrick Deneen (Cle Elum, Wash.) and Hannah Kearney (Norwich, Vt.) started off the 2011 World Cup moguls season capturing both top spots for the U.S. Ski Team near the Arctic Circle in Ruka, Finland. It was the first career World Cup win for Deneen, the 2009 World Champion, and 11th for Kearney.

Setting aside all the jitters that come with the first competition of the season, Olympic champion Kearney threw down her first heli mute grab in competition to claim victory.

Kearney’s winning run started with a back layout off the first jump and a clean exit allowed her to carry her speed through the middle bumps.

A new jump package also allowed Deneen to have the fastest run of the night on his way to victory, besting Canada’s Mikael Kingsbury and Guilbaut Colas of France.

Conditions in Ruka were chilly, just above 10°F, but the course was in great condition, allowing the athletes to showcase their talents unencumbered.

Eliza Outrrim (Steamboat Springs, Colo.) finished just outside the podium in fourth. Four U.S. women and two men made the top-16 finals including World Cup Rookie of the Year Heidi Kloser (Vail) in 10th and Heather McPhie (Bozeman) in 13th for the women and Jeremy Cota (Carrabassett Valley, Maine), who finished 14th for the men.

This Wednesday, freestyle competition resumes in Meribel, France, with dual moguls. Then it’s off to Beida Lake, China. This event marks the first time a World Cup moguls competition will have been held in China.

Official results,FIS Freestyle World Cup, Ruka, Finland, Moguls

Men

1. Patrick Deneen, Cle Elum, WA, 25.23

2. Mikael Kingsbury, Canada, 24.89

3. Guilbaut Colas, France, 24.78

4. Dmitriy Reiherd, Kazakhstan, 24.61

5. Cedric Rochon, Canada, 23.99

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14. Jeremy Cota, Carrabassett Valley, ME

19. Bryon Wilson, Butte, MT

22. David Digravio, Farmington, ME

24. Jimmy Discoe, Ridgway, CO

26. Joe Discoe, Telluride, CO

28. Sho Kashima, Lake Tahoe, CA

Women

1. Hannah Kearney, Norwich, VT, 24.09

2. Jennifer Heil, Canada, 24.02

3. Kristi Richards, Canada, 23.52

4. Eliza Outtrim, Steamboat Springs, CO, 22.97

5. Justine Dufor-Lapointe, Canada, 22.76

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10. Heidi Kloser, Vail, CO

13. Heather McPhie, Bozeman, MT

24. Laurel Shanley, Squaw Valley, CA