Quebec’s Julien Viel clinched his inaugural World Cup victory on Saturday by triumphing in the men’s dual moguls event at the FIS Freestyle Ski World Cup held on his home turf. Despite finishing about 1.5 seconds behind his Japanese rival Ikuma Horishima, Viel claimed the title with a score of 20-15, demonstrating skill and composure in his performance. Sweden’s Filip Gravenfors secured third place, surpassing Finland’s Olli Penttala.
“I opted for a cautious approach today. The conditions were risky, so I focused on executing my runs without risking injury,” Viel remarked after his win. “The strategy paid off. I pushed myself adequately but not excessively, and I am extremely pleased with the outcome.”
The supportive crowd in Val St-Côme, Quebec, cheered enthusiastically for Viel throughout the competition, erupting in cheers when his winning score was revealed. Viel acknowledged the crowd’s impact, expressing gratitude for their support of Team Canada. “Hearing the crowd from the starting point is incredible and provides that extra motivation you need before the run,” he shared.
The Canadian dominance continued as both the men’s moguls and men’s dual moguls titles went to Canadians. Mikaël Kingsbury secured gold in the moguls event on Friday, marking his 100th career World Cup win, although he did not compete in the dual moguls. Charles Beaulieu also represented Canada well, finishing in eighth place in the men’s dual moguls competition.
On the women’s side, the U.S. athletes claimed the top four spots. Jaelin Kauf emerged victorious with a score of 23, outperforming silver medalist Elizabeth Lemley. Tess Johnson completed the U.S. podium sweep, finishing ahead of Olivia Giaccio. Among the Canadians, Maïa Schwinghamme placed seventh, and Jessica Linton finished in eighth place in the top 10 rankings.