Jaelin Kauf and Tess Johnson gave the U.S. its first one-two in World Championships history in dual moguls, an event that makes its Olympic debut at the 2026 Milan Cortina Games.
Kauf, the top moguls skier this World Cup season, and Johnson, ranked third on the World Cup, went head-to-head in Friday’s gold-medal final with Kauf prevailing for her first world title.
Kauf previously won a combined four silver medals and one bronze medal between the Olympics and World Championships. She was eighth in the traditional moguls event at worlds in Switzerland on Wednesday.
“Especially after singles (moguls), a bit of redemption out here,” said Kauf, who is the first American to win a world title in any moguls event since Hannah Kearney in 2015.
Johnson capped her best overall season by winning her first World Championships medal in six years. Last month, she earned her first World Cup victory in seven years. The 2018 Olympian finished this season ranked third in the overall standings behind Kauf and 2018 Olympic gold medalist Perrine Laffont of France.
Dual moguls has been contested at the biennial world championships since 1999. In 2022, it was added to the Olympic program starting with the 2026 Milan Cortina Games, giving moguls skiers a second medal event at the Olympics.
Earlier Friday, Americans Mac Forehand and Alex Hall finished second and third in men’s ski slopestyle at worlds.
Norway’s Birk Ruud repeated as world champion with an 89.10-point second run to better Forehand (85.53) and Hall (84.72).
Forehand, 20th at the 2022 Olympics, earned his first World Championships medal. Hall, the 2022 Olympic gold medalist, also earned world bronze in 2021.
In snowboard slopestyle, Ollie Martin took bronze in his world debut. Martin, 16, became the second-youngest U.S. snowboarder to win a world championships medal after Arielle Gold, who won halfpipe gold in 2013 at a younger 16.
Martin’s run included a switch backside 1620, frontside double 1440 and backside 1800 for 78.98 points.
He was bettered only by Canadian Liam Brearley (90.15 points) and China’s Su Yiming (85.07 with a switch backside 1980).
Canadian Mikaël Kingsbury won men’s dual moguls for a record-extending ninth world title between the two moguls events.
The World Freestyle Skiing and Snowboarding Championships continue Saturday with finals in snowboarding’s parallel slalom and team ski cross, which are not Olympic events.
