BAKURIANI — Canadian freestyle skier Mikael Kingsbury's streak of World Cup mogul victories ended at five on Friday.
France's Benjamin Cavet, whose last victory was in Idre Fjäll, Sweden, in December 2020, scored 84.08 points, narrowly ahead of Kingsbury (82.93). Severi Vierela (80.80) took third, becoming the first Finnish skier to reach the podium since Jimi Salonen's silver at Deer Valley in 2016.
Kingsbury, from Deux-Montagnes, Que., had won every race since the World Cup in Almaty last March, a run that included three solo victories and two dual wins.
The last time he missed a World Cup podium was February in Deer Valley when he finished sixth in the parallel moguls.
Kingsbury, now in his 16th season, has 92 World Cup victories and 132 medals in 152 starts.
In the women's event, American Olivia Giaccio (80.19) claimed top spot, edging out France's Perrine Laffont (76.53) and fellow American Jaelin Kauf (76.13). Saskatoon's Maia Schwinghammer finished sixth.
The World Cup competition continues Saturday with the season's first parallel event.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 20, 2024.
The Canadian Press
