Mikaël Kingsbury 8th in Sweden after winning Mughal gold to open the World Cup season
Mikaël Kingsbury experienced a rare defeat at the season’s second World Cup stop for moguls on Saturday in Idre Fjäll, Sweden.
After topping a field with 61 finishers a week ago in Ruka, Finland, the reigning Olympic champion and world champion from Deux-Montagnes, Que., Failed to reach the top-six final and ended up in eighth place with a total of 81 , 16.
On a snowy day in Idre Fjall, Canada’s Mikaël Kingsbury gets 81.16 on his first run, currently in eighth place
Even the best have free days 😔
Canada’s Mikaël Kingsbury finishes an uncharacteristic 8th at the World Cup mogul stop in Idre Fjall pic.twitter. com / zk5hJyWJZR
Japanese Ikuma Horishima was at the top of the podium with a score of 86.71 followed by Frenchman Benjamin Cavet (85.68) while Russian Nikita Andreev was third (82.66).
Gabriel Dufresne of Joliette, Que., And Kerrian Chunlaud of Ste-Foy, Que., Were 13th and 15th among 15 finishers.
Before Saturday, Kingsbury’s most recent loss in singles was when it was not put on the sidelines of injury on February 6, 2020 at Deer Valley Resort in Park City, Utah.
It was the eighth time Horishima beat the Canadian and first for Cavet.
The 29-year-old Kingsbury boasts 66 career victories on the World Cup track among his 94 trips to the medal podium.
With a view to a 10th straight World Cup season title, he is expected to compete in the season’s first competition for double moguls on Sunday at 7 ET.
SE | Kingsbury eases a bit of “pressure” with the start of the season: