Ruka raises the curtain as FIS Freestyle World Cup begins
Nov 29, 2024·Freestyle
As far as season openers go, Ruka has long been a crystal ball into what the rest of the FIS Freestyle Moguls World Cup season may hold, and who could finish with the coveted Crystal Globes.
After all, the Finnish resort has played this role for more than a decade – the 30 November event will be the 15th straight time it is the season’s curtain raiser.
This time, a compelling contest will also be on the cards.
Perrine Laffont returns to competition
Perrine Laffont (FRA) is making a highly-anticipated return to the mounds, having taken a year off competition to recover, recharge, and refocus on her long-term goals.
As one of the most successful mogul skiers in freestyle skiing history, the five-time World Champion and nine-time Crystal Globe winner is sure to bring both star power and exceptional skiing to Ruka.
But she will face some stiff competition, not least in the form of Jakara Anthony (AUS).
To say the Australian’s 2023/24 season was stellar is an understatement. Last season, she stood top of the podium a record 14 times, and also made history as she became the first woman to achieve the moguls “hat trick”, ending the season with all three Crystal Globes.
“Last season was pretty insane,” said Anthony. “In terms of results, it was super successful but I was also really proud of the way we worked on the technical aspects of my skiing and jumping. This season, we will be going in with the aim to keep progressing from what we did last year and the results will take care of themselves.”
Mikael Kingsbury competes as new dad
In the men’s competition, Mikael Kingsbury (CAN) is the headline act. The undisputed “King of Moguls” with an astonishing 90 World Cup wins is no stranger to the circuit. This season, however, could feel slightly different as he takes on the additional role of being a father.
The 32-year-old’s son Henrik was born in August, and the three-month-old will be among those watching him in action in Ruka.
Japan’s Ikuma Horishima is expected to be one of Kingsbury’s top challengers, having dethroned Kingsbury last season to take his first Moguls Crystal Globe.
There are plenty of other contenders to watch in Ruka, including Elizabeth Lemley (USA), Olivia Giaccio (USA), Walter Wallberg (SWE), all who were podium finishers last season.
To dig deeper, read our season preview, which covers the ones to watch across the season’s various stops.
This year, Ruka will feature only the moguls event, with aerials starting their season in the new year.
Competition on Saturday will begin with women’s qualification at 10:45 local time, followed by men’s qualifications at 13:00. Finals will take place from 15:45.
The athletes are raring to get things started, and so are we.
WATCH LIVE
As always, extensive TV broadcast coverage is available for fans to follow the action, along with streaming on FIS TV.
Live streaming for both WOMEN'S QUALIFICATIONS and MEN'S QUALIFICATIONS, as well as FINALS will be accessible on our YouTube channel.
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
Ruka World Cup FIS data page (start lists, results, etc)
Photos: Moguls
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