Moguls World Cup back at Waterville, where it all began for Freestyle Skiing
Jan 24, 2025·Freestyle)
After weeks of rest, recovery and prep work, Moguls skiers are getting back into the groove of World Cup activity as proceedings shift to North America.
Competition will take place in the hallowed hills of Waterville Valley, a place widely regarded as the birthplace of freestyle skiing.
It was here more than five decades ago that freestyle skiing found its beginnings in the “hot dog” era of the 1960s. Young skiers keen to outdo themselves and each other found ways to execute tricks, jumps and other acrobatic manoeuvres, leading to the first "Hot Dog Competition: National Championships of Exhibition Skiing" of 1971.
In the decades since, Waterville Valley has nurtured generations of freestyle skiers while also paving the way for Freestyle Skiing to grow and develop into the Olympic discipline that it is today.
The location continues that legacy this year, even though the 2025 contest is just the second time that Waterville is hosting a Moguls World Cup.
Lower Bobby’s Run, a double-black diamond run spanning 246 metres with a pitch of 28 degrees, is set to host a list of world-class athletes vying for honours.
Among them is Frenchwoman Perrine Laffont (FRA), the current leader of the women’s World Cup standings after making the podium on every stop so far.
The 26-year-old took a season off the circuit to recharge and refocus, and has spoken about how happy and proud of the way she has made a return to the world stage.
Australia’s Jakara Anthony (AUS), however, will be absent for Waterville. The 26-year-old broke her collarbone last month, after crashing during training at the Idre Fjäll World Cup and will not return to competition yet.
A group of contenders will be looking to capitalise in her absence, especially as competition moves into their home turf. This includes American pair Olivia Giaccio and Jaelin Kauf, as well as Canadian Maia Schwinghammer, who picked up her first individual World Cup podium finish in Sweden.
Said Kauf: “We just wrapped up a camp just before this, so that was our little post-Christmas prep camp. Stoked to be back on home soil at Waterville. They did such a good job last season. Hopefully, it brings out a nice crowd. We’ll have some friends and family here, which is awesome.
On the men’s side, Moguls king Mikael Kingsbury is, as always, a favorite. The legendary Canadian, competing in his 16th World Cup season, has already chalked up two more World Cup wins so far this season for an incredible 92 victories.
Ikuma Horishima (JPN)’s results so far this season are by no means poor, having made the podium at the Ruka and Idre Fjäll stops. Still, the winner of last year’s Crystal Globe would certainly be hoping to build on his win here last year for a first this season.
Competition will start on Friday, 24 January with women’s qualifications at 9:10 local time, while men’s qualifications will begin at 11:15. Finals will take place from 14:00.
On Saturday, preliminary rounds for Dual Moguls start from 10:35, while finals will start from 14:00.
WATCH LIVE
Extensive TV broadcast coverage is available for fans to follow the action, along with streaming on FIS TV. We invite you to join us live and help spread the word about the live streaming of the competition available on our YouTube channel.
Here are the links and information about geo-restrictions –
Friday, 24 January
Saturday, 25 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
Waterville World Cup FIS data page (start lists, results, etc)
Photos: Moguls
)
