International Moguls Season Wraps, Two on the Podium at Junior Worlds
The international moguls season is officially complete after two days of intense competition at the 2024 FIS Freestyle Junior Ski World Championships in Chiesa in Valmalenco, Italy. The moguls action kicked off with the men’s and women’s single moguls events on April 5. Asher Michel shined for the Stifel U.S. Freestyle Ski Team, finishing third against solid competition. This is his second Junior World Championship podium in the same amount of years. Porter Huff of Ski & Snowboard Club Vail rounded out the top five at only 16 years old in his first Junior World Championships appearance. Charlie Mickel of the Stifel U.S. Freestyle Ski Team finished eighth, followed by Camden Lewis of the Gould Academy in 20th.
On the women’s side, Kylie Kariotis of Wasatch Freestyle landed just off the podium in fourth. Zoe Dwinell of Park City Ski & Snowboard finished 13th, followed by Olivia Maurais of Winter Park Competition Center in 14th and Reese Chapdelaine of Ski & Snowboard Club Vail in 15th. Dwinell, Maurais and Chapdelaine made it to the finals in their first Junior World Championship appearance.
Due to a rescheduling of events, the mixed dual moguls team event was unfortunately canceled, and the athletes went right into dual moguls the following day.
The U.S. athletes had an incredible day two in the dual moguls competition, with the campaign led by Kariotis winning on the women’s side, her second career Junior World Championship podium. In the big final, Kariotis dualed Anastassiya Gorodko of Kazakhstan, who has a consistent presence on the World Cup circuit. Gorodko’s career-best World Cup result of fifth came in duals at Valmalenco back in 2022, giving her a leg up due to her experience and familiarity with the course. Against all odds, Kariotis won the big final 20 to 15, earning her first Junior World Championships win. Maurais finished seventh, rounding out the top 10. Chapdelaine finished 11th, followed by Dwinell in 13th.
On the men’s side, Michel finished fourth in duals, followed by Mickel in seventh, Huff in 10th and Lewis in 17th.
