Ikuma Horishima and Jakara Anthony lead the way in moguls qualifications at Milano Cortina 2026

After three flawless days of training, competition finally got underway at the Moguls and Aerials venue in Livigno at the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games. It was a strong opening day for moguls, with Ikuma Horishima of Japan and Jakara Anthony of Australia topping the first round of qualifications, as the top three men and women secured their places directly in the finals.

The men were first to drop, and Horishima set the tone immediately. His opening run earned more than 85 points and made his intentions for these Games very clear. Notably, it was a controlled and conservative performance by his standards, with Horishima clearly saving his biggest tricks for later rounds. The strategy paid off, positioning him to drop last in the final and respond directly to the scores ahead of him.

A major highlight of his run was an outstanding turns score of over 50 points, a rare achievement at this level. Calm, composed, and razor sharp, Horishima looks to be in peak form at exactly the right time.

Second place went to Julien Viel of Canada, who continues to build on the momentum from his breakthrough first World Cup victory in Val St-Côme earlier this season. Viel is quickly establishing himself as a genuine medal contender in Livigno.

Third on the day was the undisputed legend of the sport, Mikaël Kingsbury. After a season limited by a groin injury sustained during summer training, Kingsbury’s approach has been clearly focused on peaking for the Olympic Games. Speaking after qualifications, he appeared relaxed and confident, noting that the first qualification round is often the most challenging. With nothing left to prove after recently joining the exclusive 100-win World Cup club, Kingsbury’s experience could be his greatest asset. If this is indeed his final Olympic appearance, he looks more than capable of closing out a remarkable era in style.

Also securing direct qualification to the finals were Benjamin Cavet (FRA), Nick Page (USA), reigning Olympic champion Walter Wallberg (SWE), Dylan Walczyk (USA), Thibaud Mouille (FRA), Pavel Kolmakov (KAZ) and Matt Graham (AUS).

The remaining athletes will have one more opportunity to qualify in the second round, with ten additional spots still available for the finals. With the best score from either round counting, expect the intensity to rise significantly.

The women followed with an equally high-level competition, led by Jakara Anthony. The reigning Olympic champion delivered a confident run for 81.65 points, underlining her intent to defend her title. After an injury-interrupted season last year, Anthony looks fully back to her best and arrives in Livigno as the world number one for good reason.

Second place was claimed by Elizabeth Lemley of the USA. Just 20 years old and returning from an ACL injury, Lemley has been one of the standout performers leading into the Games and carried that form straight into Olympic competition. Her composure under pressure continues to impress, and she is expected to push even harder in the finals.

Third was Olivia Giaccio, who has also returned strongly after injury. Giaccio has finished on the podium at all but one World Cup this season, and once again delivered a consistent, high-quality performance in qualifications.

All three women scored above 80 points, setting the stage for an extremely competitive final.

Joining them in the top ten qualifiers were Perrine Laffont (FRA), Hinako Tomitaka (JPN), Maia Schwinghammer (CAN), Haruka Nakao (JPN), Laurianne Desmarais-Gilbert (CAN), Tess Johnson (USA) and Camille Cabrol (FRA).

One notable surprise was a difficult run from Jaelin Kauf (USA), who lost her line through the middle section of the course. Kauf, along with the rest of the field outside the top ten, will have another chance to qualify in the second round.

The moguls programme continues on Wednesday, 11 February, with women’s qualification round two at 11:00 CET, followed by the finals at 14:15. The men enjoy a rest day before returning on Thursday, with qualification two at 11:00 CET and finals again at 14:15.

With perfect course conditions and the level already sky-high, the stage is set for a thrilling continuation of moguls competition in Livigno.