Calgary, AB – Team Canada delivered strong performances across Moguls, Dual Moguls, and Aerials at the FIS Freestyle Skiing World Cup in Almaty, Kazakhstan. Headlining the weekend was Mikaël Kingsbury, who added two more World Cup victories and two more Crystal Globes to his legendary career, while Victor Primeau secured his spot at the upcoming World Championships with a clutch top 10 finish in Aerials.
Mikaël Kingsbury once again proved why he is the most dominant mogul skier in history. He secured his 97th and 98th career World Cup victories with wins in both Moguls and Dual Moguls, further cementing his lead in the FIS Overall Moguls standings heading into the final event of the season in Livigno, Italy. His victory in moguls also secured him two more Crystal Globes, marking the 27th and 28th of his illustrious career.
“It’s been an incredible weekend. Winning here three years in a row is amazing, and to add another Crystal Globe to my collection is really special,” said Kingsbury. “Now, all focus is on Livigno.”
In Aerials, Victor Primeau rose to the occasion in the final event before the World Championships qualification cutoff. His 9th place finish secured his selection as the fourth male aerialist, ensuring another strong Canadian presence on the world’s biggest stage.
Maïa Schwinghammer delivered a 6th place qualification in Moguls despite battling illness and recovering from a training crash in Almaty. Her injuries were compounded by stiffness from her Dual Moguls fall in Deer Valley at the previous World Cup. To prioritize recovery ahead of World Cup Finals, she made the tough decision to sit out Dual Moguls, as did Louis David Chalifoux, who also fell ill before the event.
Marion Thénault showcased her drive and commitment to progress her performance in women’s Aerials. After performing triple-twisting double to qualify for F1, she opted to step up the difficulty for finals. In the first final, she did a double twisting triple and qualified to the Superfinal in 2nd place. For her last jump of the day, she performed a triple-twisting triple flip—the jump she and her coaches believe is necessary to contend for a medal at next year’s Olympic Winter Games. Despite the increased difficulty, she narrowly missed the podium, finishing fourth. The performance gives her more mileage, and confidence, as she continues to push towards an individual Olympic medal.
With the season winding down, Freestyle Canada’s athletes remain focused on delivering strong performances as they build toward the 2026 Olympic Winter Games. They’ll aim to close out the World Cup season on a high note at Finals in Livigno, Italy, before shifting their focus to the World Championships in St. Moritz, Switzerland, the following week.
Other Canadian Results:
Moguls: Julien Viel – 11th, Elliot Vaillancourt – 18th, Sam Goodison – 19th, Louis David Chalifoux – 23rd, Joey Dubuc – 27th and Sam Cordell – 32nd.
Dual Moguls: Julien Viel – 11th, Sam Goodison – 14th, Joey Dubuc – 16th, Elliot Vaillancourt – 23rd while Sam Cordell and Louis David Chalifoux did not start.
Aerials: Miha Fontaine – 17th, Alexandre Duchaine – 19th, Anthony Noel – 21st, Lewis Irving – 22nd and Pierre Olivier Cote – 24th.
For full results, please visit the FIS website
