Anthony and Kingsbury triumph in duals to conclude Bakuriani weekend
Dec 23, 2023·Freestyle
The final FIS Freestyle World Cup of 2023 in Bakuriani, Georgia, concluded with an exhilarating two-day display of freestyle skiing. The dual moguls event at the Kokhta moguls venue ended the weekend on a high note. Australia's Jakara Anthony followed up her moguls win with another stellar performance, securing the top spot in the women's competition. Meanwhile, Canada's Mikael Kingsbury made a remarkable comeback, claiming his fourth World Cup win of the season and reaffirming his dominance in men's moguls.
On Saturday, Anthony was unstoppable, effortlessly advancing through the competition's brackets. She overcame formidable competitors like Yuliya Galysheva (KAZ), Hinako Tomitaka (JPN), and Jaelin Kauf (USA), setting up a superfinal clash with Canada's Maia Schwinghammer, who had already achieved her career’s best result by this stage.
In the superfinal, Anthony continued her dominant form, skillfully navigating the challenging Bakuriani course. Her flawless execution in the course’s middle section and stylish jumps from both airs led her to her sixth win of the season, bringing her career total to 14 World Cup victories.
Schwinghammer, despite a slight misstep after the top air in the superfinal, delivered an outstanding performance in Bakuriani. She triumphed over competitors like Olivia Giaccio and Alli Macuga from the USA to claim her first World Cup podium. This achievement marked the first top-3 finish for Canadian women since Justine Dufour-Lapointe's win in Deer Valley in 2020.
The third-place finisher of the day was Jaelin Kauf from the USA, who won her small final matchup against teammate Alli Macuga.
The men's competition was equally thrilling, with numerous tight battles throughout the day. Just like the women, also the men pushed their limits, resulting in some crowd-pleasing matchups that lasted until the final heat of the day.
Kingsbury concluded his successful weekend in Bakuriani by complementing his third-place finish in the single moguls with a resounding win in the duals. On his mission to victory, Kingsbury outperformed athletes like Yutaro Murata (JPN), Cooper Woods (AUS), and Filip Gravenfors (SWE), eventually facing off against Japan's Ikuma Horishima in the big final.
The showdown between Kingsbury and Horishima in the duals' big final was nothing short of epic, living up to the high expectations. Kingsbury, known as the "King" in the moguls world, secured his fourth victory of the season in a display of skill and determination.
Horishima also had a remarkable weekend, securing his second top-3 finish and his fifth in the 2023/24 season, consistently proving himself as a top contender.
The men's podium was completed by Nick Page (USA), who earned third place after winning his small final against Filip Gravenfors. This marked Page's second top-3 finish in the 2023/24 season.
With the exhilarating event in Bakuriani coming to a close, the FIS Freestyle tour caps off a dynamic December. This month's tour spanned four distinct locations, cumulatively hosting a total of seven competitions in both moguls and dual moguls. As the athletes now enjoy a well-deserved holiday break, anticipation builds for the next leg of the tour. The action is set to resume in the third week of January, with the North American part of the tour promising more thrilling performances and unforgettable moments.
Quick links:
Bakuriani World Cup FIS data page (start lists, results, etc.)
