Kuhn, Li first-time World Cup winners in Lake Placid as China sweep Crystal Globes
Jan 12, 2026·Freestyle)
Before the Lake Placid stop this season, Kaila Kuhn (USA) was a world champion who had never been top of a World Cup podium.
The American picked the most opportune time to change that on 12 January, taking her maiden victory on home snow in the final tune-up before the Olympic Winter Games in a few weeks’ time.
She scored 105.60 points with a back Full-Full-Full, just edging out reigning Olympic champion Xu Mengtao (CHN), who attempted the same jump but lost out with her landing to score 105.17 points.
Danielle Scott (AUS) made a second podium in as many days, taking third place with a 85.65-point effort.
“I can’t describe this feeling at all,” Kuhn said, shortly after the final Aerials World Cup of the season concluded.
Despite missing out on the win by just fractions of a point, Xu finished the day with the Crystal Globe, proving that at age 35 and ahead of a fifth Olympic Games she is still just as good, just as hungry, and just as successful.
The 2022 Olympic champion had already guaranteed her spot at the top of the Cup standings even before taking her run in the superfinal. She finishes the season with one win and four podium finishes in Aerials, earning 420 points to beat teammate Kong Fanyu (CHN) by a commanding 127 points.
In the men’s competition, it was another first-time winner on top of the podium.
Li Xinpeng (CHN) dominated the day to win by a big margin, scoring 137.19 points with a
Back Full-double Full-Double Full to also complete a late-season charge.
He finished ahead of teammate Wang Xindi (CHN), who had 112.00 points, while Miha Fontaine (CAN) earned a podium spot with 107.73 points.
The results mean that out of six men’s Aerials contests this season, four were won by four different Chinese aerialists, a sure sign of the team’s depth and quality in Aerials skiing.
The men’s Crystal Globe was a tussle among three teammates, with Sun Jiaxu, Li Tianma and blue bib holder Qi Guangpu all in the mix.
But it was Sun who took the crown, after his win and second-place finishes in Lac-Beauport contributed to 330 points at the top of the Cup standings to beat Li by 34 points.
The Rookie of the Year awards went to Gabriel Dion (CAN) and Feng Junxi (CHN), while China were again winners of the Nations Cup for their overall performance as a team.
QUICK LINKS
Lake Placid World Cup FIS data page (start lists, results, etc)
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