Anthony claims silver in World Cup season-opener
Published Sun 01 Dec 2024
Courtesy OWIA
Australian mogul skier Jakara Anthony has started the 2024/25 FIS World Cup season with a silver medal performance overnight in Ruka, Finland.
The podium result is the 42nd medal of her incredible career, pushing her ahead of aerial skier Kirstie Marshall (41) in terms of FIS World Cup podiums by Australians.
In the Super Final, Anthony put down a strong run scoring 80 points from the judges but was narrowly outscored by French skier Perrine Laffont on 81.13, with American Olivia Giaccio rounding out the podium in third place with 76.95 points.
“Pretty happy with what we have been able to achieve walking away with a second place at the start of a super long season, it’s a great way to kick it off” said the 26-year-old from Barwon Heads in Victoria.
“Breaking the record for the most World Cup medals is an impressive stat, I never find out about these things until I have broken it, that’s a cool one and another accolade, super proud of me and my team and how we have been able to go about completing that, it’s been a big journey, there is still a long way to go and we will be looking to rack up a few more this season.
“Over the week that the course has been up here in Ruka we have kind of had every condition that’s possible from pretty big soft bumps to little icy ones, so have had to use all sorts of skills out there, but pretty lucky we have been able to work it out.
“It’s great to have so many chicks up that top end of the sport, that’s what makes it exciting, we are all going out there each day fighting for that top spot, which means we are all pushing each other and we have seen the sport progress a lot over the past four years.”
Charlotte Wilson was impressive on World Cup debut, finishing in 20th and just a few points away from a final appearance.
In the men’s event, Matt Graham and Cooper Woods qualified for finals in third and ninth place respectively, but in the final missed out on advancing to the Super Final, finishing 10th and 13th respectively. Oliver Logan finished in 44th with George Murphy recording a did not finish.
Canadian Mikael Kingsbury finished in first place, ahead of Walter Wallberg (SWE) and Ikuma Horishima (JPN).
Next weekend the World Cup mogul skiing tour moves to Sweden for a single and dual mogul event on December 6 and 7.