Chinese veteran freestyle skier Xu Mengtao kicked off the season this weekend in Ruka, Finland, by clinching the women's aerials title at the FIS Freestyle World Cup.
At 35, Xu flew through the crisp Finnish night with a jaw-dropping back full-full-full, scoring 89.29 points and reaffirming her place as a top aerials athlete as she gears up for her potential fifth Olympic appearance at Milano Cortina 2026.
Canada’s Marion Thenault grabbed silver with 82.48 points, while another Chinese skier, Chen Meiting, landed bronze with 75.31 points.
'Today was a very difficult day for me, but I did it. I had nice quality and good landings on my triples. My goal is to do my best at the Olympic Games,' Xu said.
This victory marks the 30th individual World Cup gold of her career, a milestone that shows her longevity and dedication to the sport. Her story proves that with skill and perseverance, age is just a number. 🌟😉
Keep an eye on this space as the countdown to Milano Cortina 2026 heats up. Will Xu make history again? Stay tuned! 🏂🔥
Reference(s):
Chinese veteran Xu Mengtao wins aerials gold at FIS World Cup in Ruka
cgtn.com
