Canadian mogul skiing sensation Mikael Kingsbury easily advanced through the qualifying round on Tuesday at the Milano Cortina Olympics, assuring fans that he has more to showcase. Japanese world champion Ikuma Horishima led the 30-man freestyle skiing qualifiers with an impressive score of 85.42, held at the Livigno Aerials and Moguls Park in Livigno, Italy.
Quebec City’s Julien Viel secured the second spot with a score of 79.56, while Kingsbury landed in third place with a score of 79.11. Elliot Vaillancourt from Drummondville, Quebec, finished in 16th place with a score of 73.48.
Following Kingsbury’s run, Horishima took the lead, displacing Kingsbury from the top position. Despite this, Kingsbury remained unperturbed, stating that the Olympic Games’ ultimate winner would not be determined by the qualifying rounds.
The top 10 competitors from the men’s qualifiers advanced directly to the first final, with the remaining athletes having a chance to progress through a second round of qualifying. Subsequently, 10 more skiers would advance, setting the stage for the top eight participants to compete for medals in the final rounds.
The women’s qualifiers are scheduled for the following days, with the second round of qualifying and final events for women on Wednesday, followed by the men’s events on Thursday. Two Canadian women, Maïa Schwinghammer from Saskatoon and Laurianne Desmarais-Gilbert from Sainte-Adèle, Quebec, secured direct entry into the first final.
Kingsbury, a seasoned competitor participating in his fourth Olympics, aims to add to his medal collection, which includes one gold from Pyeongchang 2018 and two silvers from Sochi 2014 and Beijing 2022. Despite some challenges, Kingsbury expressed satisfaction with his performance, emphasizing his potential for improvement in subsequent runs.
Viel, who defeated Horishima in a previous competition, mentioned that Horishima appeared nervous during the qualifications. Kingsbury, accompanied by his 18-month-old son, Henrik, emphasized his focus on enjoying the competition in Italy while aiming for further success.
With a decorated career, Kingsbury, the first male moguls skier with three Olympic medals, remains a dominant force in the sport, boasting nine world titles and 29 Crystal Globes. He expressed optimism about the dual moguls event, a new addition to the Olympic program, offering him additional opportunities for podium finishes.
The challenging Olympic course received positive feedback from Kingsbury and Viel, lauding its complexity and favoring technical skiers. Canada has accumulated 11 moguls medals at the Olympics so far, including six gold and five silver.
In another event, Norway’s Birk Ruud clinched an Olympic slopestyle skiing gold medal in Italy, building on his previous big air title from China four years ago. Ruud delivered a flawless run amidst tough conditions, securing a remarkable victory in the competition.
Defending champion Alex Hall settled for silver, while New Zealand’s Luca Harrington claimed the bronze medal. Ruud, a seasoned slopestyle skier and multiple X Games champion, is set to defend his big air title later in the competition.