Olympic champion Jakara Anthony has become the most successful Australian World Cup skier, securing her 26th moguls title with a victory at Waterville Valley in the United States. The 27-year-old surpassed fellow Victorian aerials skier Jacqui Cooper on the all-time World Cup list.
Anthony's dominant performance positions her perfectly to defend her Olympic crown at the Milan-Cortina Games in less than a month. She clinched her third World Cup victory of the season with a speedy, clean run in the medal round, scoring 81.17—the only female skier to break 80 points. Her run included a cork seven and backflip mute grab.
Americans Elizabeth Lemley (78.12) and Olivia Giaccio (76.60) finished second and third respectively. Lemley, 19, returned from an anterior cruciate ligament injury that sidelined her last season, posting her second straight podium finish this season.
Anthony, who was a double winner in Waterville last season, said, 'I guess I have a good track record here now. It hasn't been the easiest comp this month, and the season's been all over the place, so I'm just super stoked to put down a few really clean runs.'
In the men's event, Japan's Ikuma Horishima won with a score of 85.56, prioritizing safety in icy conditions. Sweden's Filip Gravenfors took second (80.54), and Japan's Shota Hirayama earned his first World Cup podium in third (79.47). Australians Matt Graham and Cooper Woods finished 16th and 22nd respectively.
