Quebec’s Julien Viel clinched his inaugural World Cup championship on Saturday by triumphing in the men’s dual moguls event at the FIS Freestyle Ski World Cup held in his home country. Despite finishing about 1.5 seconds behind his Japanese rival Ikuma Horishima, Viel secured the title with a 20-15 score, displaying skill and composure in his performance. Sweden’s Filip Gravenfors claimed the third position, surpassing Finland’s Olli Penttala.
Viel mentioned that he adopted a cautious approach during the competition to avoid any potential risks, emphasizing the dangerous nature of the event. He expressed satisfaction with his strategy, striking a balance between pushing himself adequately without exceeding limits. The enthusiastic crowd from Val St-Côme, Quebec, cheered Viel enthusiastically, reaching a crescendo when his winning score was announced. Viel acknowledged the crowd’s support from the slope’s summit, expressing gratitude for their encouragement towards Team Canada.
The outcomes of the men’s moguls and men’s dual moguls events both favored Canadians, with Mikaël Kingsbury securing gold in the moguls on Friday, marking his 100th career World Cup triumph. Notably, Charles Beaulieu also represented Canada by finishing eighth in Saturday’s men’s dual moguls competition.
In the women’s category, the United States dominated the top four positions, with Jaelin Kauf emerging victorious with a score of 23, surpassing silver medalist Elizabeth Lemley. Tess Johnson completed the U.S. podium sweep, finishing ahead of Olivia Giaccio. Among the Canadians, Maïa Schwinghamme claimed seventh place, while Jessica Linton secured the eighth spot in the top 10 standings.