FIS Freestyle Aerials World Cup season takes flight at Lake Placid
Jan 18, 2025·Freestyle
A new season of Aerials World Cup is upon us, and there may be no more fitting venue to get the competition going than Lake Placid.
As a two-time host of the Winter Olympics, Lake Placid is not short of history. It is also one of the most familiar stops on tour, dating back to 1985. But it has not held a Freestyle Skiing World Cup event since 2019.
When Aerials action returns to the Olympic Jumping Complex on 18 January, one can be sure it will be some of the best the world’s skiers have to offer.
Australia’s Scott begins bid for three in a row as China’s Xu returns
All eyes will be on Danielle Scott (AUS) to see if the reigning World Cup champion can make it three titles in a row.
Her rivalry with Winter Vinecki (USA) will be one to watch, given the tight contest between the two last season. Vinecki will be able to count on prior knowledge of the course, having competed the last time Lake Placid hosted a World Cup. The competition is also extra meaningful for the American, as she returns to the site of her first career Aerials World Cup start in 2017.
But perhaps the most anticipated showing of the leg will be from China’s Xu Mengtao, the most decorated aerialist in freestyle skiing history. The 34-year-old has competed in only one World Cup since winning gold at the 2022 Beijing Olympic Games, and her comeback is keenly watched by fans and rivals alike.
The depth of the Chinese men’s squad means there will be plenty to look forward to from Xu’s teammates.
Stacked Chinese squad headline men’s contest
Qi Guangpu (CHN), the 2022 Olympic champion who took his third Crystal Globe last season, will headline the men’s competition.
There will also be plenty of high-level tricks expected from Pirmin Werner (SUI) and Noé Roth (SUI) as they lead the Swiss side.
Team USA will be favourites for the Mixed Aerials Team event, having taken gold in the new event at the 2022 Winter Olympics and the 2023 World Championships.
The squad includes Christopher Lillis, who was part of that gold-winning team and performed individually last season too by finishing third in the overall World Cup standings.
Competition begins on Saturday, starting with Women’s Qualifications at 13:20 local time, then Men’s Qualifications at 15:30.
Finals take place under the lights from 19:00.
On Sunday, the team event starts at 19:00.
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 –
Saturday, 18 January
Sunday, 19 January
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
Lake Placid World Cup FIS data page (start lists, results, etc)
Photos: Aerials
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