Hintertux launches the freestyle season in style with a strong FIS Open event

With the World Cup season getting closer and anticipation rising in this Olympic year, the first major milestone of the 2025/26 Northern Hemisphere calendar took place this past weekend in Hintertux, Austria. Hintertux once again delivered on its reputation as one of the world’s premier pre-season hubs. National teams from across the globe have been training on the glacier throughout the last weeks, and this event showed exactly why. With a top-notch moguls course, perfect bluebird weather, and a vibrant training atmosphere, the venue provided an ideal setting to launch the competitive season.

This year’s Hintertux competition acted as a natural wrap-up to the pre-season training block. The FIS Open and Moguls Alps Tour events brought together a mix of rising prospects and established athletes, offering valuable competition experience before the World Cup opener. The Moguls Alps Tour featured both junior and FIS-level contests, run on two separate courses designed to support the progression of young athletes entering the FIS system.

The week opened on Thursday with U13 and junior events, where the next generation of freestyle skiers took centre stage. More than 50 young athletes competed, gaining valuable experience in an international-style environment. Hintertux has become one of the key global stops for nurturing young mogul skiers, and this year reaffirmed that role.

Friday and Saturday featured the FIS Open Moguls and Dual Moguls competitions, drawing several World Cup athletes and producing an impressive level of early-season skiing. In Moguls, Kazakhstan’s Yuliya Galysheva claimed the win, leading a strong outing for her team. She finished ahead of teammate Anastassiya Gorodko, with Hannah Wesse (GER) in third. In the men’s field, Kazakhstan continued to stand out as Pavel Kolmakov took the win. The Czech Republic delivered a solid showing with Marek Gajdecka and Matyas Kroupa completing the podium.

Saturday’s Dual Moguls competition capped the event with intensity and close matchups. Anastassiya Gorodko completed a perfect weekend, adding a Dual Moguls victory after defeating Yuliya Feklistova (KAZ) in the super final. Laura Eckle (GER) secured third place. The men’s event saw Fyodor Bugakov (KAZ) take the win ahead of Mason Clark (USA), with Rihu Kim (KOR) finishing third, rounding out a standout weekend for the Kazakh team.

Full results are available HERE. 

With Hintertux in the books, attention now shifts to Idre Fjäll for the final pre-World Cup competitions on November 22–23 (FIS Open) and November 30–December 1 (FIS event). These will be the last opportunities for athletes to sharpen their competition form before the World Cup season opens on December 6–7. Hintertux delivered a strong start, setting the tone for an exciting season ahead.