Now three-time reigning world champion, holder of seven world titles and the nickname “king of the moguls” that does not crumble! In short, Quebecer Mikaël Kingsbury remained the monarch of freestyle skiing on Saturday, thanks to a victory obtained at the World Championships in Bakuriani, Georgia.
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With a score of 89.82 in the superfinal, Kingsbury edged Australian Matt Graham (88.90). Swedish Walter Wallberg, champion of the last Beijing Olympics, won the bronze medal.
“It’s crazy, reacted the 30-year-old Quebecer, a few moments following the ordeal. I arrived without putting too much pressure on myself, but it was a very tough superfinal. I just believed in myself. It’s a perfect day for me!”
Kingsbury used their experience to prevail as this singles competition took place at a new track in Bakuriani. The Quebecer was able to adapt. The skier from Deux-Montagnes was also in a good position by qualifying first for the superfinal with a score of 89.10.
See you on Sunday
Kingsbury, also a three-time Olympic medalist and holder of 23 World Cup crystal globes, will have the chance to add to his list, starting Sunday at the World Championships, when the event will be contested in parallel.
The Quebecer is aiming for the double, a feat he had achieved in the two previous editions, in 2019 and 2021.
“The job is half done,” agreed Kingsbury. Why not achieve a third consecutive double?
Kingsbury is in its seventh Freestyle Skiing World Championships. He now has (4 gold, 1 silver, 2 bronze in singles). His results in parallel: 3 times gold and 2 times silver so far. Only once has Kingsbury been left off the podium, in dual moguls, in 2017, in Spain.
Quebecers Elliot Vaillancourt and Julien Viel took 12th and 14th place respectively on Saturday.
Perrine Laffont champion
Among the women, the Frenchwoman Perrine Laffont won, ahead of the American Jaelin Kauf. The surprising Austrian Avital Carrol, third, won her first career medal.
Canadian Maïa Schwinghammer, 21, qualified for the superfinal with a score of 79.10. The one who is also Viel’s spouse, however, fell during her final descent, finishing fifth.
With an 11th place, Quebecer Laurianne Desmarais-Gilbert had her best result of her season on the international scene.
