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, the 24-year-old secured the title with a score of 20-15, demonstrating poise and control in his performance.
Sweden’s Filip Gravenfors claimed the third spot, surpassing Finland’s Olli Penttala in the competition. Viel, expressing his strategy after the win, stated, “I opted for a cautious approach today. The conditions were perilous, so I focused on executing my runs without risking injury.” He added, “The plan paid off. I pushed myself adequately but not excessively, and I am extremely pleased with the outcome.”
Throughout the event, Viel received enthusiastic support from the Val St-Côme crowd, with the spectators erupting in cheers upon learning of the Canadian’s victory. Viel acknowledged the crowd’s impact, mentioning, “The cheers from the top of the slope are incredible and provide that final boost you need before your run. I am grateful to the fans for backing Team Canada.”
Notably, the Canadian dominance extended as Mikaël Kingsbury secured gold in the moguls event, marking his 100th career World Cup triumph the day before. Although Kingsbury did not compete in the dual moguls, Charles Beaulieu secured a top 10 finish, placing eighth in the men’s dual moguls event on Saturday.
In the women’s division, the United States swept the top four positions, with Jaelin Kauf emerging victorious with a score of 23, overtaking silver medallist Elizabeth Lemley. Tess Johnson completed the American podium sweep, finishing ahead of Olivia Giaccio. Among Canadians, Maïa Schwinghamme secured seventh place, while Jessica Linton finished in eighth place in the top 10 rankings.