It was a big night in Ruka last night as Australia took double gold at the FIS World Cup in Ruka, Finland.
Mogul skiers Jakara Anthony and Matt Graham have officially launched their Olympic campaign, throwing down the gauntlet with top of the podium plays.
This is the second time that 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.
Anthony’s win comes off a collarbone injury that stopped her 24/25 competition season last year after just two events.
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 and finishing 13th with 66.63 points.
“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.” Jakara Anthony
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 81.72, 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 Jackson Harvey in 18th, Emma Bosco 20th with Cooper Woods and George Murphy unable to finish the course.
The Australian Team remains in Ruka to continue training for a few more weeks, before the FIS World Cup tour shifts to North America in early January.
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.
