Beidahu kicks off Asian swing as Moguls, Aerials World Cup season reaches business end
Feb 20, 2025·Freestyle)
After traversing through Europe, then North America, the Asian swing of the Freestyle Skiing World Cup circuit is now set for motion.
China’s Beidahu, a stone’s throw from Jilin City, sets the scene for the next stop from 21-24 February.
As far as ski resorts go, Beidahu belongs to an elite group. Not only is it the biggest in Asia, its location on the world’s golden ski belt also means the kind of snow favoured by athletes.
Its slopes carry rich history too, having hosted the 6th Asian Winter Games in 2007.
Little wonder, then, that Beidahu has earned the moniker of “Whistler of China”, and it is precisely on these slopes that we can expect more world-class action.
And there will be plenty of action on the horizon, with Moguls, Dual Moguls, Aerials and Aerials Team races calendared.
With things reaching the business end of the World Cup season, there will also be a lot on the line. Skiers have only three more chances to either stay ahead on the standings, or make gains on the leaders.
King and queen of Moguls lead the pack
In Moguls, undisputed king Mikael Kingsbury is still the one to catch. The Canadian has chalked up six World Cup victories so far this season, and is within reach of a century of wins.
On the women’s front, Perrine Laffont is ahead in the standings as her superb form after returning to competition continues. However, it is Jaelin Kauf and her speedy skis who is leading in Dual Moguls.
Chinese stars take stage at home
In Aerials, few – if any – would count against the excellent Chinese team, especially on home snow.
They are riding high on confidence, too, having just passed the test at the Asian Winter Games in Harbin with flying colours as they swept the Aerials titles on offer.
Beijing 2022 champion Xu Mengtao, in particular, is looking in fine form. The 34-year-old veteran achieved a “career Grand Slam” of Olympic gold, world championship title and a top position at the continental Games by taking first place in Harbin.
Xu missed the last World Cup stop in Deer Valley to compete at the Asian Winter Games, but was also enjoying a fine run before with three podium finishes.
To succeed, however, Xu will have to get past Australia’s Laura Peel, who is looking unstoppable at the moment after three victories on the trot.
Competition begins with Moguls on Friday, starting with Women’s Qualifications at 09:45 local time, then Men’s Qualifications at 11:45. Finals take place from 14:00.
Dual Moguls will follow on Saturday. Preliminary rounds start at 11:30, before finals follow from 14:00.
Aerialists will then take the stage on Sunday, with Women’s Qualifications at 09:15 and Men’s Qualifications at 11:30. Finals will start at 14:00.
The final day of competition on Monday will feature Team Aerials starting from 14:00.
WATCH LIVE
TV broadcasts will be available for fans to follow the action live, while there will also be live streaming on FIS TV.
Here are the links and information about geo-restrictions –
Friday, 21 February
Saturday, 22 February
Sunday, 23 February
Monday, 24 February
Please note that due to broadcasting rights restrictions, live streaming availability may be limited in certain regions.
However, the livestream for the finals is accessible in countries such as Australia, New Zealand, Iceland, Singapore, and South Korea. For the qualifications, the livestream is available globally, with the exception of geo-restrictions in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.
QUICK LINKS
Beidahu World Cup FIS data page (start lists, results, etc)
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