Graham, Giaccio close World Cup gap after Moguls wins in Nanto-Toyama

The battle for the 2025/26 Moguls Crystal Globes will go down to the wire, after the World Cup season’s penultimate stop in Nanto-Toyama, Japan. 

Competing in wet and soft conditions, Matt Graham (AUS) won the men’s event on 28 February, earning precious points to close the gap in the Cup standings. 

The Australian’s 78.42 points put him ahead of Landon Wendler (USA), who scored 78.21 points to earn just his second career World Cup podium finish. Ikuma Horishima (JPN) was third with 75.63 points. 

Said Graham, who took a Dual Moguls bronze at the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games: “It was really a battle with the mountains today. It was challenging with the weather. The snow was really slow and slushy, and makes it really unpredictable.

In the women’s field, Olivia Giaccio (USA) took the victory after scoring 75.64 points, finishing ahead of Hinako Tomitaka (75.31) and 2026 Olympic Moguls bronze medallist Perrine Laffont (FRA), who posted 75.01. 

This is Tomitaka’s best World Cup finish yet, improving on two third-place results in the 2023/24 season. 

Giaccio’s win, her first this season, is a testament to her stellar form, having made the Moguls podium at every World Cup stop so far. 

She said: “The conditions were a little tough today. I was trying to keep it as clean as possible, lock my jumps as much as possible. 

“I have been trying to push my skiing all season, and I’m excited with the little improvements I’ve been able to make. Happy to be back here in Japan, it’s been long overdue.”

The results mean the season’s top contenders are neck and neck in the Cup Standings as skiers move into the season finale in Azerbaijan. 

Giaccio is now tied with Jakara Anthony (AUS) on 360 points, after the Australian fumbled in Final 1 and did not progress to the superfinal. Tess Johnson (USA) follows closely, just 48 points behind. 

For the men, Graham now trails Horishima by just 11 points. 

Said Graham: “I’m happy to be fighting for the title with Ikuma. He’s such a great skier and everyone knows how good he is. It’s a privilege to be up there fighting with him.” 

Competition resumes on Sunday, 1 March with the Dual Moguls contest. Preliminary rounds start at 11:00, before elimination rounds from 13:30.