Matt Graham has won a bronze medal as part of the ‘dad podium’ in Men’s Dual Moguls. 

It is Australia’s fifth medal in four days at Milano Cortina 2026 and the third Australian Moguls medal. 

Article courtesy olympics.com.au / Images Copyright Chris Hocking

In a day where there were a lot of crashes on course, Graham was consistent throughout the five rounds of racing, narrowly missing a spot in the Big Final after falling to Ikuma Horishima (Japan) in the semifinal 21-14. He defeated Japan’s Takuya Shimakawa in the bronze medal showdown 20-15 to collect his second Olympic medal, having won silver at PyeongChang 2018.

Horishima went on to take silver with moguls legend Mikael Kingsbury winning Canada’s first gold medal of the Games.

The trio have been competing against each other for years and were proud to share the ultimate ‘dad podium’, with all three eager to show their kids their medals in some of the most heartwarming scenes of the Games. 

“At the end of the day, I knew what was at stake before that last run because Mikael and Ikuma had already locked in their podium spots and me, being the third dad, I needed to execute to make sure we could fulfil that dream of having a ‘dad podium’,” Graham said.

“I was really happy with the way I skied and I knew when I crossed the line I was happy with the run and knew it would be hard to beat. When I saw the score come up, I was very relieved, a little bit shocked and also very satisfied.”

“It was just great to bounce back from the other day. It was a little bittersweet finishing fifth [in singles] and knowing that I could have done more, but today, the sun is shining, the course is skiing really well, I was just really happy to be able to just repeat run after run.”

Moguls is Australia’s most successful Winter Olympic sport with medals at five of the last six Games, with an incredible tally of four gold medals, two silver and Graham’s bronze.

The 31-year-old said it was especially significant to stand on the Olympic podium with his family watching on.

“It was so special at the end when I was about to step on the podium and I could see [wife] Jess and [daughter] Ada, my mum, dad and brother, and that made me tear up a little bit and it was a very emotional moment.”

It was a great showing for Australia with Moguls gold medallist Cooper Woods (13th), Jackson Harvey (11th) and George Murphy  (16th) joining Graham in the 1/8 final, meaning the Australians made up one quarter of the field.

Only Graham progressed into the quarterfinal and he continued to look strong all the way to the podium. He kept his form tight and clean as he showed some of the best turns in the field, particularly in his final run. Graham ripped the middle section, cleaned up his airs and the judges rewarded him with the bronze medal.

Winning his second Olympic medal exactly 20-years to the day since his mentor Dale Begg-Smith won gold in 2006, Graham attributed Australia’s Milano Cortina Moguls success to those that came before him, and the Team culture they’ve created.

“We have such a strong team and obviously the last few days have really shown how good we are – two gold and a bronze medal is pretty crazy in one small, little discipline of mogul skiing,” he said.

“I think it goes back to all the people of the past who started this sport in our country from the 90s.

“Then in the thousands, we had Dale Begg-Smith show us what's possible – winning the gold and a silver medal.

“And then, the likes of myself and Britt Cox in those early 2010s. Being able to get on World Cup podiums, and when I earned my silver in PyeongChang, I guess it sort of showed the likes of Jakara and Cooper that it is possible for an Australian-born to be really successful in this sport.

“And now, we've got such a good program behind us, and I’m just really proud of the whole team – from all the staff and all the athletes.”

While he couldn’t duplicate his gold medal performance from earlier in the week, Cooper Woods said he was thrilled to watch his teammate succeed.

“He’s the captain and the leader of our Team because he works the hardest and he deserves it more than anyone else,” Woods said.

“You know, if you’re not winning, you want your teammate to win.

“It’s been an incredible few days for our team.”

In a format where the skier only has to worry about the one opponent next to them – rather than the entire field – skiers were pulling out huge tricks and incredible speeds, resulting in a lot of crashes on the icy course.

“I was a little out of time the whole way. I got spat around in the course and chewed up and it almost spat me back out… I’m disappointed, but I still walk away with my head really high after the other day,” Woods said of his 1/8 final run.

Harvey defeated Goshin Fujiki (JPN) in his first dual 19-16, before Sweden’s Walter Wallberg ended his run in the round of 16 after a bumpy ride on the infamous blue course.

“I’m frustrated with the last one, only because I didn’t put down the run that I knew I could." Harvey said.

“I wanted to put down a run where I would showcase the technical skiing that I know I’m capable of, and I got a little caught up – that blue line is tough today.

“But it’s been a great week, I’m stoked to be in the top-16 and a lot to take away, so feeling happy.”

Olympic rookie Murphy had a fantastic opening dual, defeating Benjamin Cavet of France in the round of 32, which Murphy said was a highlight of his competition.

“I was happy with my first run, to take down Ben – he’s a real vet and top-five in the world – so that was huge,” he said.

“For my Games experience, I’ve just been enjoying it, sucking it in. It’s my first Games, so I can’t really expect too much, but I’ve really enjoyed it.

“To see Cooper and Jak win those medal, I mean, that’s history for Australia!”

Mogul skier Cooper Woods has become Australia’s seventh Winter Olympic gold medallist.

The 25-year-old who had only once been on the moguls World Cup podium delivered a masterclass to come through today’s qualifiers and top the Olympic podium.  

Article courtesy olympics.com.au / Images Copyright Chris Hocking

“It’s something you dream of day in day out as a kid - through the hard days, through the good days. It’s an absolute journey,” Woods said.  

Woods dominated all day, topping Qualification 2 (80.46) before laying down a score of 83.60 to top the first final. That meant he was the final skier in the super final – for the first time in his career.  

“I kept telling my coach up there: I’ve got nothing to lose. Let's get stuck into it! 

“There's something when there's so much pressure, where you can just kind of let it all go and just kind of embrace it.” 

With all the pressure on, Woods produced an even better score of 83.71 to take the gold. Australian Team flag bearer and 2018 silver medallist 
Matt Graham
  (fifth) was the first to celebrate, lifting his teammate up high on his shoulders. 

“I've struggled with a lot of self-belief. I've had such a good year of training but not competing, and what a time to get it dialled and sorted, when the pressure is at its max,” Woods said. 

He finished with the same score as legendary Canadian Mikael Kingsbury, but Woods had the cleaner turns (48.4 to 47.7) to edge Kingsbury for gold. Another all-time great, Japan's Akuma Horishima rounded out the podium. 

Graham’s score of 80.88 put him in fifth. 
Jackson Harvey
 also reached the super final and finished in eighth with a score of 74.93. In the earlier qualification, 
George Murphy
 placed 29th. 

“It's not just my medal, it's a lot of other people's medal... My family, teammates, friends, staff. It's been an absolute journey,” the Cooper said.  

“To be skiing not just for myself, but for a lot of other people, brings a lot of pride.” 

Woods wins Australia’s 20th Winter Olympic medal and is our 18th Winter Olympic medallist. 

"Today was magic," Australian Winter Olympic Team Chef de Mission Alisa Camplin said.  

"It was just so special to watch. Cooper did three perfect runs - the judges were all about perfection and he was flawless in all three runs. I can't tell you how hard it is to be that consistent.  

"He's never been in the last position to go, let alone at the Olympic Games with the weight of the world - and he delivered the best possible result. 

"Cooper's always been a man that rises for the occasion. We saw him do that in Beijing 2022... and then he did it again.  

"There wasn't another man in the field that was flawless. Some people had a couple of harder jumps, but nobody else was flawless. Hats off to Cooper Woods." 

Four-time Olympian Graham said he was incredibly proud of his teammate, who he has been training alongside since Woods was 15. 

“To be up there, the last man standing, I just told him at the top that this is a privilege, make the most of it, turn by turn and just stay in the moment,” Graham said. 

“He did that to the best of his ability and he’s standing up there alongside two of the greatest mogul skiers of all time, and he’s on the top step. 

“I’m stoked for him – it's a win for our team, a win for the Australian Olympic Team, and a win for Australia.” 

Coming into the super final ranked third, Graham said he was proud of his own performance, but two small mistakes prevented him from joining Woods on the podium. 

“I made a little mistake on both landings which was unfortunate. If I had landed both those jumps, I believe I had enough to be in there with him and be competitive with those guys. 

“It was unfortunate, but I'm proud of myself – I went for it, skied really fast, did the two hardest tricks in the comp. Then to see my family, my daughter, at the finish was really special.” 

For Olympic debutant Jackson, it was his first ever time in a super final. 

“It’s still settling in, but I’m really proud of how I handled the day,” the 23-year-old said. “The last run got away from me a little bit, but in high pressure moments, that happens sometimes and I’m not going to beat myself up for it 

“I’m so proud of Coops and Matt, and George – the Aussies put on a damn good show!” 

The Australian Men’s Mogul Team will return for the Dual Moguls competition on Sunday 15 February. 

The Aussie Men’s Moguls quartet have launched their Milano Cortina 2026 campaigns in Livigno, with PyeongChang 2018 silver medallist Matt Graham securing an automatic place in the 20-skier final. 

While not fully satisfied with his run, the four-time Olympian’s experience shone through as he posted 75.77 to qualify in 10th and lock in his finals berth. 

Article courtesy olympics.com.au / Images Copyright Chris Hocking

“It was not my best… I just got a little out of time and out of rhythm in the middle section and then a little bit hung up on the last turn into the bottom air, so not my finest but a lot of room to improve,” the Aussie Flag Bearer said. 

Cooper Woods (15th), Jackson Harvey (23th) and George Murphy (26th) will all have another opportunity to qualify on Thursday. The top 10 athletes from Qualification 2 will join the top 10 from today’s Qualification 1 to complete the 20-skier final, before the field narrows to the top eight for the Super Final. 

For 23-year-old Olympic debutant Jackson Harvey, the day marked a major personal milestone. 

“It’s good to get that one out of the way, I was pretty nervous up at the start but it feels really good to be able to call myself an Olympian, finally,” he said. 

“I was a little shakier than usual, but I think that’s just the nature of big events like this. At the very least, I learnt something, gained some experience – you either win or you learn – so onto the next one. 

“I’ve got a day to rest tomorrow and have another crack.” 

Harvey fought his way back from missing the entire 2023/24 season after a serious knee injury that kept him off snow for 14 months, making his debut even more meaningful. 

“It means a lot, it’s been a journey and something I’ve dreamed of for a long time. The tough times and tribulation just makes it all the more sweeter. 

“It took a bit of grit to get through and to stay motivated, but I never wavered in my wanting to get back. 
​
“[Competing today] is the proudest moment of my life so far.” 

​IMAGE - Matt Graham launching off the bottom air
COPYRIGHT CHRIS HOCKING

Jakara Anthony has rewritten Australian winter sports history, taking out her 26th World Cup victory with a commanding performance in Waterville Valley, USA, surpassing legendary aerial skier Jacqui Cooper on 25 wins to become Australia’s all‑time World Cup wins leader.
 
The NSWIS skier heads into the Milano‑Cortina Olympic Winter Games on a three‑event winning streak, and ranked number one on the World Cup standings as she prepares for February.
 
Anthony was the only female skier to break the 80-point barrier on the day, winning all three rounds of the event in a commanding performance. She opened with a score of 80.04 points in qualification, and in the first round of finals secured her place in the six woman super-final with 81.59 points.
 
In the super-final, Anthony performed another fast and clean run with her jumps including a cork 7 and backflip mute grab to score 81.17 points, 3.05 points ahead of second place finisher Elizabeth Lemley of the USA on 78.12. Another American, Olivia Giaccio, rounded out the podium in third on 76.60 points.
 
NSWIS teammate Charlotte Wilson also impressed, reaching the top‑16 women’s final and finishing 13th, her third finals appearance of the season.
 
In the men’s event, NSWIS pair Matt Graham and Jackson Harvey both qualified strongly for finals, placing third and eighth respectively with scores of 78.34 and 75.32. In the final, Harvey backed up his recent form with another top‑10 result, finishing eighth with 78.00 points. Unfortunately Graham was too big and back on his bottom air landing after skiing an excellent run to that point, leading to a score of 65.94 points to finish 16th.
 
“I guess I have a good track record here now,” said Anthony, who was a double winner in Waterville at her last event at the New Hampshire resort.
 
“It hasn’t been the easiest comp this week, and the season’s been all over the place. I’m just super stoked to put down a few really clean runs.
 
“It’s a nice place to leave the World Cup season on hold until the next one,” added Anthony, as she gets ready for next month’s Olympic Games.
 
Also in action were Aussies Emma Bosco finishing 23rd in the women’s event and in the men’s competition Cooper Woods was 22nd and George Murphy 42nd.
 
After four events, Anthony has extended her lead on the World Cup standings on 340 points, a 78‑point lead over the USA’s Tess Johnson. In the men’s rankings, Graham sits second on 245 points, trailing Japan’s Ikuma Horishima by 51 points, with Harvey rounding in tenth on 93 points.
 
The Australian Mogul Team will now travel to Ruka, Finland, for a training camp before heading to Italy for the Milano‑Cortina Olympic Winter Games.

Jakara Anthony celebrates her record setting victory (top) and in action in Waterville (bottom)
© Chris Hocking

NSWIS mogul skiers have started 2026 impressively, with Jakara Anthony winning gold and Matt Graham claiming silver in Val St. Come, Canada. Their second consecutive dual podium finish propels both athletes into the coveted yellow leader’s bib ranked number one on the standings, the first time Australia has simultaneously held the top ranking in both men’s and women’s moguls.
 
Wet conditions with poor visibility impacted the competition, reducing the women’s event to a single run, while the men’s event was delayed for several hours before proceeding with qualifying and a one-run final.
 
Anthony opened with a commanding run, scoring 79.83 points to ultimately give her the victory with a margin of close to four points ahead of American Tess Johnson in second place with 75.85. Fellow American Olivia Giaccio rounded out the podium in third with 75.78.
 
With this victory, Anthony now boasts 25 career World Cup wins, matching aerial skiing legend Jacqui Cooper for the most by any Australian athlete.
 
In the men’s event, Matt Graham qualified for the finals in fifth place with a score of 81.22, joined by teammate Jackson Harvey in 15th on 74.39.
 
Graham delivered a strong performance in the final, boosting his score to 83.50 to secure the silver medal, marking the 29th podium of his career. Harvey achieved a personal best, finishing seventh with 80.24 points. Canada’s Mikael Kingsbury claimed victory with 85.83, his 100th of his career, while American Nick Page rounded out the podium in third on 80.96.
 
“It was a different victory tonight, pretty weird competition day, but having put it down in qualifications worked out for me with finals cancelled,” said the 27-year-old Anthony-from Barwon Heads in Victoria.
 
“I find it pretty important to put down the best run that I can from round to round, with the goal to build throughout the day, so that’s just what I was out there doing.”
 
“Very exciting to be back in the yellow jersey, I haven’t worn that since the 2024-2025 season. Even more special to have Matt in the yellow jersey at the same time, I think that’s a first for Australia.”
 
Graham commented after his podium performance.
 
“Obviously a good day, really happy with the way I adapted given the conditions,” said the 31-year-old from the NSW Central Coast.
 
“It pretty much rained all day, with big delays before the qualification round. We had to sit around for two hours, and then buckle up to do the qualification round is always challenging, and at that point in time we were not sure if it would be a one run event or finals would happen, so had to lock in and put in a performance that would give me a good result.
 
“It was huge for Mikael Kingsbury to get his 100th World Cup win, I was glad I was able to share that moment with him, we have competed against each other for a long time and shared a lot of podiums together. Happy I have slowed him up from winning on three sperate occasions, but I am super happy for him and his family.
 
Also representing Australia were Charlotte Wilson, who narrowly missed the finals by just one spot in 17th, and Emma Bosco, finishing 27th. In the men’s competition, George Murphy placed 19th and Cooper Woods finished 21st.
 
Dual Mogul World Cup
The first dual moguls World Cup event of the season also took place in Val St Come, with Graham and Anthony both advancing to the quarter-final round. Graham finished fifth overall, while Anthony secured sixth place.
 
In other Australian results, Bosco placed 22nd and Wilson 27th in the women’s event. For the men, Woods finished 27th, Murphy 36th, and Harvey 46th.
 
The final World Cup events before the Milano-Cortina Olympic Winter Games will take place in Waterville Valley, USA, featuring moguls on January 15 and dual moguls on January 16.

IMAGE
Matt Graham and Jakara Anthony celebrate their podium performances in Canada
© Kate Blamey

NSWIS mogul skiers Jakara Anthony and Matt Graham have launched their Olympic campaign in perfect fashion, claiming a double gold medal overnight at the FIS World Cup in Ruka, Finland.
 
The achievement marks the second time Anthony and Graham have secured dual victories, having previously done so in Deer Valley in 2023, and only the third time in Australian history. Graham also shared the top of the podium with Britt Cox in Calgary back in 2017.
 
For Anthony, the win signals a triumphant return to World Cup competition, coming in just her second start since a collarbone injury in Sweden 12 months ago ending her 2024–2025 season early.
 
In the first round of finals, Anthony placed second with 78.54 points, before lifting her performance in the super-final medal round to score 79.89, securing her 24th career World Cup victory. She finished ahead of Americans Olivia Giaccio (78.64) and Jaelin Kauf (78.08).
 
Jindabyne 20-year-old Charlotte Wilson also impressed, making finals on both days in Ruka, finishing 13th today with 66.63 points and was 16th on day one after not being able to complete her fin in the final.
 
“It’s pretty special,” said the 27-year-old Anthony from Barwon Heads in Victoria.
 
“It’s probably nearly a year to the day of getting injured. I’ve been out since then, so this is a pretty special one.” 
 
She also made the super final a day earlier but ended in sixth place after not completing her run.
 
“Yesterday was a bummer, just didn’t quite nail that last one,” she said. “To get some redemption tonight is pretty special. Took a few learnings about how the course developed. Been a while since I skied a comp, so I had to remember that, and make those adjustments tonight.” 
 
In the men’s competition, Matt Graham bounced back from a near-podium finish on day one in fourth place to deliver one of the finest performances of his career on day two. Graham dominated all three phases to claim his fifth World Cup victory and first-ever gold in Ruka.
 
Graham topped the qualification round with 79.43 points, led the first final with 81.97, and sealed the gold in the super-final with 81.72 points. He finished ahead of Japan’s Ikuma Horishima, who scored 80.58, and Canada’s Julien Viel, who placed third with 79.30.
 
“It’s good to be putting down really good runs. The course was challenging, but really fun, and I’m just enjoying it,” said the 31-year-old Graham from the NSW Central Coast.
 
“To get a double gold with Jakara – it’s massive. We’re not a skiing nation. We’re a beach nation, so how the hell does this happen?” 
 
Also competing for Australia but missing finals were NSWIS teammates Jackson Harvey in 18th, Emma Bosco 20th with Cooper Woods and George Murphy unable to finish the course.

On the previous day Woods made finals in ninth, with Harvey 19th, Murphy 20th, Bosco 26th and Oliver Logan 26th, but was unable to compete on day two. 
 
The NSWIS team will remain in Ruka to continue training for a few more weeks, before the FIS World Cup tour shifts to North America in early January.

IMAGES COPYRIGHT CHRIS HOCKING

NSWIS skier Matt Graham has claimed the 27th World Cup podium of his career in Almaty, Kazakhstan, after capturing bronze in the dual moguls.
 
The 2018 Olympic silver medallist, Graham, shared a historic moment with fellow skiers Mikael Kingsbury and Ikuma Horishima on the first ever mogul skiing “dad podium,” as all three medallists became first time fathers just prior to the 2024-2025 season.
 
In the match up for the bronze medal, Graham defeated Korean Daeyoon Jung 22 to 13, his second dual mogul podium of the season. Canadian Mikael Kingsbury was victorious 21-14 in the gold medal dual over Ikuma Horishima of Japan.
 
“It’s great to be back on the podium. We have been knocking on the door to have the dad podium all season. Two times we have finished 1-2-4, so to get 1-2-3 is pretty awesome,” said the 30-year-old Graham from the NSW Central Coast.
 
“I was feeling the pressure a little at the top, it was running through my head, but I had to tell myself to land the top air, ski a run and let it happen from there in the final dual.
 
“I am really fit and healthy at the moment, the body is feeling great, so I am looking forward to going to Livigno and checking out the (2026 Olympic) course there and then finishing off at the World Championships (in St Moritz).
 
NSWIS teammate Cooper Woods also performed well finishing in seventh place, after losing to eventual winner Kingsbury in the quarter-finals, while teammates Jackson Harvey was 19th, George Murphy 21st and Oliver Logan 34th.
 
With two World Cup events remaining, Matt Graham is ranked third overall in the combined mogul standings, sixth in single moguls and fourth in dual moguls.
 
Both final World Cup events of the season will take place at the 2026 Olympic venue in Livigno, Italy, with moguls on March 11 and dual moguls on March 12.

NSWIS 2018 Olympic medallist Matt Graham has continued his strong form, just missing the podium in the moguls event with a fourth-place finish at the World Cup in Beidahu, China. Graham also had a second top-10 in the dual moguls on day two of competition, placing sixth.
 
Graham and NSWIS teammate Cooper Woods both qualified for finals in second and eighth place, scoring 78.66 and 76.70 points respectively.
 
In the first round of finals, Graham stepped up his run to score 81.41, placing him through to his first super-final of the season in fifth. Unfortunately Woods was unable to progress finishing 16th.
 
Graham stepped it up again in the super-final, this time scoring 83.65, to fall just short of the podium by 0.14 points.
 
In first place was Ikuma Horishima of Japan, 86.57, Canadian Mikael Kingsbury was second on 85.91 and Filip Gravenfors of Sweden third with 83.79.
 
NSWIS skiers George Murphy was 30th, Jackson Harvey is his return from injury34th and Oliver Logan 36th.
 
Dual Moguls: Quarter-Finals for Graham
Graham advanced through to the quarter-final round in the dual moguls, finishing in sixth.
 
Graham had victories over Korean Yoonseung Lee in the round of 32 and Canadian Sam Cordell in the round of 16 to set up a quarter final match against Nick Page of the USA.
 
In a close quarter final duel, Graham unfortunately lost to the American 20 to 15.
 
Fellow NSWIS skiers Cooper Woods and Jackson Harvey both made it through to the round of 32, finishing in 17th and 32nd place respectively, George Murphy was 39th and Oliver Logan 40th in the round of 64.
 
Finish skier Severi Vierela claimed his first career victory, Horishima was second and Viel of Canada third.
 
With double World Cup events remaining in Almaty, Kazakhstan (February 28 and March 1), and the Olympic test event in Livigno, Italy (March 11 and 12), Graham is currently ranked sixth in single moguls, fourth in dual moguls and fourth overall on the combined Mogul standings.

Matt Graham flying down the China bumps
© Taro Tampo

The first event for the FIS Freestyle World Cup season takes place this weekend in Ruka, Finland, with the Australian Aerial and Mogul skiing teams based at the Finish resort for a number of weeks, training on the World Cup courses in the lead in to the first event.

First up will be the Mogul World Cup on Saturday December 2, with Olympic gold medallist and 2023 World Cup single moguls champion Jakara Anthony looking to replicate her win at Ruka 12-months-ago. 2023 dual World Championship medallist Matt Graham will be competing for the first time since end of season shoulder surgery which impacted his Australian winter, and has worked extremely hard to make it to the start line for the opening event.

Also in action will be Olympic finalist Cooper Woods, Jackson Harvey, George Murphy and making his debut will be 19-year-old Oliver Logan.

"Ruka has been good so far. I am still getting my legs back a bit after my disrupted off-season due to multiple shoulder surgeries," said Graham the 2018 Olympic silver medallist.

"I am pretty confident with how I am skiing and jumping, and I believe I am in a good position to have a good performance this weekend."

"I am excited to get the season underway and see what I am capable of considering how little I have been able to train this year."

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Mogul skier Matt Graham has claimed his second medal at the 2023 FIS World Championships, capturing the bronze medal in the dual moguls overnight in Bakuriani, Georgia, becoming just the second Australian to ever win two medals at a FIS World Championships after Dale Begg-Smith's gold and silver in Madonna di Campiglio, Italy, back in 2007.
 
Graham has now collected an impressive four World Championship medals across his career and has won at least one medal at each of the past three World titles, which are held every two years.
 
After taking the silver medal in the single moguls in Georgia, Graham was full of confidence heading into the dual moguls, which will feature in the Olympic Winter Games for the first time in 2026 at Milano-Cortina, Italy.
 
Graham had victories in the round of 32 against British skier Thomas Gerken-Schofield and Kosuke Sugimoto in the round of 16 to reach the quarter final stage.
 
After defeating Nick Page of the USA in the quarter-final, Graham then faced 2022 Olympic gold medallist Walter Wallberg of Sweden in the semi-final, going down 14-21 points. .
 
In the duel for the bronze medal, Graham then defeated Pavel Kolmakov of Kazakhstan with a score of 20-15 for his second medal at the World Championships.
 
“To go back-to-back in any World Cup or World Championships is awesome, and now we have the opportunity to do it at the Olympics, in three years’ time assuming I am there – that’s what I will be chasing,” said the 28-year-old from the NSW Central Coast.
 
“It felt pretty exhausting to be honest. There are a lot of runs in duals and the intensity was so high, and it’s been a long week with three training days and two competition days. At the top I was just trying to psych myself up and get the legs firing each run and just happy to make it down and get through all the rounds and come away with a bronze medal.”
 
“Strength and conditioning off snow is so important, and now having duals at the Olympics it’s even more important to have to put runs down back-to-back on such a quick timeline, so I guess I need to get home and back in the gym.”
 
Cooper Woods had a number of impressive duels in the early rounds and was unlucky not to advance through to the quarter finals, with the judges awarding his round of 16 dual to Kolmakov 18-17, giving him a final ranking of ninth.
 
Also in action for Australia in just a second start in the World Championship were George Murphy in 14th place and Jackson Harvey in 19th.

Mogul skier Matt Graham has claimed the second medal for Australia at the 2023 FIS World Championships, with a silver medal performance overnight in Bakuriani, Georgia. Graham has now won medals at the last three World Championships, which are held every two years.
 
The 2018 Olympic silver medallist placed fifth in the first round of finals with a score of 85.60 points, and then stepped it up in the super-final with a huge score of 88.90 points together with the fastest speed in 22.49 seconds.
 
Edging out Graham to take the win by just 0.92 points in the last run of the day was the defending World Champion Canadian Mikael Kingsbury, with Walter Walberg of Sweden rounding out the podium in third with a score of 88.52 points. 
 
“It’s pretty surreal to be honest” said the 28-year-old from the NSW Central Coast.
 
“Everyone was skiing so well today and so fast. In my last run I felt like I had to find three points on top of the other guys, so I just rally planted that top air well, charged though the middle section and then was just hanging on to get off the bottom air and managed to put it to my feet.”
 
“When the score came up and it was over 88, that was awesome, I knew I had put the pressure on the top guys and managed to hold onto second place, so I am over the moon.”
 
“My expectations were to come here and enjoy the experience, and really focus on putting down clean runs that I am happy with, and the results would take care of themselves. If I put that run down and came fifth place then so be it, but fortunately enough it was good for a silver, so I am really happy.”
 
Cooper Woods was the best of the other Aussie skiers in 11th place and World Championship debutants George Murphy and Jackson Harvey were 26th and 28th.
 
Earlier in the women’s competition Olympic Champion Jakara Anthony was sixth in the qualification round but slipped to 17th after having trouble with her top jump landing.
 
The mogul skiers will be back in action tonight competing in the World Championships dual mogul event.

The Australian mogul team has taken part in the final World Cup event before the World Championships, with a dual mogul event in Chiesa in Valmalenco, Italy.

2022 Olympic champion Jakara Anthony was Australia's leading performer at the event, with the NSWIS skier reaching the quarter-final stage, narrowly losing her dual in a score of 17-18 to American Olivia Giaccio, giving her a final ranking of fifth.

Anthony's NSWIS teammates Matt Graham (17th), Cooper Woods (21st) and Jackson Harvey (24th) all exited the competition in the round of 32, with George Murphy (33rd) out in the round of 64.

With two World Cup events remaining in the season, Anthony has an unbeatable lead in the single moguls standings, is fifth in the dual moguls and second on the overall moguls rankings, just 49 points behind Perrine Laffont of France.

Matt Graham is ranked third in single moguls, fifth in duals and fourth on the overall standings.

The single mogul event at the World Championships in Bakuriani, Georgia, will take place on February 25, with dual moguls the next day on February 26.

NSWIS skier Matt Graham has carried his great form over from his win in the single moguls, with a second place finish in the dual event in Deer Valley, his third medal of the season.

Graham advanced through the rounds with ease to reach the big final against his great rival, Mikael Kingsbury of Canada. With both skiers putting it all on the line for the win, Graham unfortunately crashed out in the middle of the course, giving the win to Kingsbury with Graham having to settle for the silver.

Olympic champion Jakara Anthony reached the quarter-final stage, before narrowly being edged out by Japanese skier Rino Yanagimoto with a score of 16-19, finishing in fifth place.

Other NSWIS skiers results include Jackson Harvey in 24th, Cooper Woods 32nd and George Murphy in 45th.

The mogul skiing tour now heads to Valmalenco, Italy, for the last event before the World Championships, a dual mogul World Cup on February 11.

Australian mogul skiers Matt Graham and Jakara Anthony have recorded an incredible double gold medal performance at the World Cup event in Deer Valley, USA, becoming the second Australian pair to achieve victory on the same day.
 
For Graham, the result is even more special, as it’s his first victory in the single moguls discipline since Calgary in 2017, fittingly the last time Australia claimed victory in both events, when he did so with World Champion four-time Olympian Britt Cox.
 
Deer Valley is blue ribband World Cup event for mogul and aerial skiing. The Utah event is in its 25th edition and is held annually at the 2002 Olympic venue, “the Champion Run”.
 
Graham qualified for finals in third place, and then stepped it up in finals scoring 81.27 in the first round of finals to advance to the super-final medal round in first place.
 
In the super-final, Graham put down an incredible run to score a huge 85.35 on the steep and difficult course, to finish ahead of Mikael Kingsbury of Canada with 83.65 points with Frenchman Benjamin Cavet of France rounding out the podium with 81.82 in third.
 
“It’s a surreal feeling, I went back-to-back with Britt Cox in 2017 in Calgary, and now to get the back-to-back wins with Jakara is super special,” said the 28-year-old Olympic silver medallist from the NSW Central Coast.
 
“It was a tough long day today, the course was eating people all day, I was just happy to find my line and rip it each run.”
 
“I was having so much fun here at Deer Valley, I love this event, had my first ever win here in 2016 so it’s good to be back up here and stand on top of the podium.”
 
The victory is the fourth of Graham’s career and his 20th World Cup podium.
 
2022 Olympic Champion Anthony headed into the event with the yellow leaders bib and continued her strong form throughout the event, recording the eighth World Cup victory of her career with a score in the super-final of 80.15 points.
 
In second place was American Jaelin Kauf with a score of 77.17 with Perrine Laffont of France in third with 77.17.
 
Anthony was thrilled to share the victory with her teammate.
 
“It’s incredible, the last time was Matt and Britt Cox, so to take that top step with Matt, who I have taken a second place with before and to now take the top step is absolutely incredible and he ripped out there, his run was phenomenal.”
 
After five events the 24-year-old from Barwon Heads in Victoria is in first place on the World Cup standings with 480 points, 150 points ahead of Laffont of France. Anthony now has an unassailable lead in the season rankings with only one event left in early March.
 
The victory sees Graham move into third on the standings with 276 points, with Canadian Kingsbury in the lead with 440.
 
Also in action for Australia was Jackson Harvey in 14th, George Murphy in a personal best finish of 20th with Cooper Woods unfortunately not finishing his qualifying run.
 
Tomorrow it’s the aerial skiers turn to compete in Deer Valley, with the mogul skiers back in action the following day taking part in the dual moguls.

Competing in the second day of competition in Val St Come, Canada, 2018 Olympic medallist Matt Graham has just fallen short of obtaining his second podium of the season, finishing in fourth place.

The NSWIS skier had victories in the round of 32 and 16 against Japanese skiers Kosuke Sugimoto and Ikuma Horishima to advance to the semi-final stage.

In a tight semi-final against 2022 Olympic Champion Walter Wallberg of Sweden, Graham was unlucky to go down in a score of 19-16 points to the Swede.

In the dual for third place, Graham faced another Swede, Filip Gravenfors, losing another close dual 20-15.

Other Australian's in action in the dual moguls were Jakara Anthony in ninth, Jackson Harvey 15th, Cooper Woods 31st and George Murphy 38th.

The World Cup mogul tour now heads to Deer Valley, USA, with the Utah resort hosting a single moguls event on February 2 and dual moguls on February 4.

Jakara Anthony has remained the number one ranked mogul skier in the world, following a silver medal performance in Val St Come, Canada, her fifth medal of the season.

After advancing through to finals in first place, the NSWIS skier scored 81.88 points in the super final to be just edged out of first place by 0.37 points to Anri Kawamura of Japan. American Jaelin Kauf rounded out the podium in third place with a score of 78.34.

After four events, Anthony is ranked first on the mogul standings with 380 points, with French skier Parrine Laffont in second with 270 and Kawamura in third on 248.

“Definitely a solid performance, obviously wanted that top sport, but so does every girl out there, so you have to be laying it down every run,” said the 2022 Olympic Champion.

Also in action for Australia in the men’s event was Matt Graham who finished sixth in the super final, Cooper Woods 13th, Jackson Harvey 17th and George Murphy 38th.

Jakara Anthony has continued her perfect start to the World Cup season in the single moguls discipline, winning her third straight event, and also won a bronze medal in the dual moguls at Alpe d’Huez, France.

The 2022 Olympic champion recorded the seventh World Cup victory of her career, in yet another dominant performance leading from start to finish, moving through all three rounds of the competition in first place.

Competing under sunny skies in the French Alps, the NSWIS skier had the highest turn and jump points in the final to score 79.70 points to finish 3.89 points ahead of French skier Perrine Laffont while American Elizabeth Lemley took third with 74.75 points.

“Three competitions and three wins on this course is pretty crazy” said the 24-year-old from Barwon Heads in Victoria.
“It’s heaps of fun in there, it doesn't look as hard as it is, it’s pretty difficult to ski in there so you really have to be on your game.”

In the men’s event, all three Australians made finals, led by 2018 Olympic silver medallist Matt Graham who narrowly missed advancing to the super-final in seventh place, with teammates Cooper Woods and Jackson Harvey recording strong qualifying performances but both made mistakes in the final to finish in in 15th and 16th place respectively.

BRONZE FOR ANTHONY IN DUAL MOGULS
At the dual moguls event in Alpe d’Huez in France, Jakara Anthony made it a double medal weekend with a bronze medal finish on day two, and has found the podium in four of the five moguls events this season.
 
In the semi-final round Anthony narrowly went down to eventual winner Anri Kawamura with a score of 19-16 in the Japanese skier's favour. In the dual for third place, Anthony rebounded strongly to take the bronze medal with a score of 22-13 against Avital Carroll from Austria. Perrine Laffont from France finished in second.
 
“I am very happy to be walking away with a third place today” said Anthony who is currently ranked number one in the world on the overall moguls World Cup standings.
 
“The women’s field is so strong, and myself, Perrine and Anri keep tossing around those top few spots, so it’s pretty exciting to see that keep switching up and keeping it fresh the whole tour again.”

Matt Graham and Copper Woods both finished in 19th place in the duals, with Jackson Harvey in 49th.

The mogul skiing World Cup tour will resume in North America in late January, with the first event being a double event in Val St Come, Canada.

2022 Olympic champion Jakara Anthony has made it back-to-back victories to open the season with a gold medal performance in Idre Fjäll, Sweden.

The NSWIS skier was dominant, leading from start to finish, moving through all three rounds of the competition in first place to record the sixth World Cup victory of her career, and second win of the season following on from the success at the opening World Cup event last weekend in Finland.

In the super-final, Anthony again had the highest scoring turns and jumps to score 81.75, and finish ahead on the podium of Anri Kawamura of Japan with a score of 80.02 points in second place, with French skier Perrine Laffont in third scoring 76.08.

“What a way to kick off the season” said the 24-year-old from Barwon Heads in Victoria.

“I am really proud of how I have been able to progress over the days we have been on the course, there has been a lot of figuring out to do and a lot of changes to make, and I think I am making progress in the right direction.”

In the men’s event, three Australians again made finals, led by 2018 Olympic silver medallist Matt Graham who continued his strong comeback from injury with a sixth place finish, with teammate Cooper Woods narrowly behind in seventh and Jackson Harvey in eleventh in just his second World Cup start.

George Murphy improved on his debut performance the week before in Finland to finish in 35th place.

DUAL MOGULS
A dual mogul event also took place in Idre Fjäll, with Jakara Anthony again the highest placed Australian advancing through to the semi-final round. In her semi-final, Anthony was outscored 15-20 to eventual event winner Elizabeth Lemley of the USA, and in the dual for bronze narrowly lost 17-18 to Perrine Laffont of France.

Matt Graham was unlucky not to advance through to the semi-final, after going down to American Nick Page 17-18 to finish in sixth place for the second time for the weekend. NSWIS teammates Cooper Woods finished in 16th, Jackson Harvey 27th and George Murphy 37th.

Next up for the mogul skiing athletes is a double World Cup event next weekend in Alpe d'Huez, France, their final competitions before the Christmas and New Year break.

Australia’s best skiers have made a fantastic start to the mogul skiing World Cup season, with a double podium and four athletes reaching finals at the opening event in Ruka, Finland.
 
2022 Olympic Gold Medallist Jakara Anthony was spectacular, earning the highest turn and air points in the women’s super final to claim the fifth World Cup victory of her career for the 24-year-old from Barwon Heads in Victoria, with a huge score of 81.69, more than 3 points ahead of second place.
 
Behind Anthony on the podium was Perrine Laffont of France and Anri Kawamura of Japan finishing with identical 78.33 scores, with the tie break for second favouring Laffont.
 
“It’s my first win in Ruka ever,” Anthony said after stepping off the Ruka Podium.
 
“To kick off the season with the win and the yellow bib is pretty massive. You come into the first event and you don’t know what everyone’s been doing since last season, so it’s exciting to come out and see what everyone can do and show off what you’re capable of.”
 
“It’s a bit of a different experience for me this year, coming off such incredible experiences last season with the gold medal and the crystal globes,” Anthony continued, “I’ve definitely got a bit of a target on my back now and I think there’s going to be a lot of learning experiences this season, but I’m really looking forward to it.”
 
In the men’s event, 2018 Olympic Silver Medallist Matt Graham bounced back strongly from his injury interrupted Olympic season, to record the 19th podium of his World Cup career.
 
Joining Graham in finals were teammates Cooper Woods in tenth place, and rookie NSW Institute of Sport skier Jackson Harvey making finals in a very strong World Cup debut in 14th.
 
Canadian mogul skiing legend Mikael Kingsbury took home the victory scoring 84.5 points, ahead of Ikuma Horishima of Japan with 80.48 points, and Graham scoring 80.12
 
“I was over the moon to be back here skiing Ruka and competing again so to come away with third place is kind of nice”, said the 28-year-old from the NSW Central Coast.
 
 “It’s been a long 12 months for me, getting injured before the Olympics, and then not having the best Olympic experience, and during the off season spending a lot of time rehabbing my collarbone which I broke last year, and not able to train as much as I would normally, so it’s nice to come here and know that I have still got it.”
 
Also in action for Australia making his debut was George Murphy in 49th.
 
The mogul skiing athletes will now head to the Swedish resort of Idre Fjäll for a double event next weekend on December 10-11.