On March 10th, Jaelin Kauf became the first American since Hannah Kearney in 2015 to win a FIS Freestyle Crystal Globe, securing the title with a first-place finish in the moguls event at the World Cup finals in Livigno, Italy. The competition, held as a test event for the 2026 Milan-Cortina Olympics, also saw Charlie Mickel earn his debut podium in third and Tess Johnson mark her 100th World Cup start with a third-place finish. Nick Page climbed to third in the overall moguls standings with a strong showing.
The Livigno course, hosting its first World Cup since 2000, provided a stunning backdrop under cloudy skies and light snow. Kauf led the U.S. women, qualifying second, followed by Johnson in fourth and Kasey Hogg in tenth, while Kylie Kariotis placed 18th. All four U.S. men advanced to the finals: Mickel in sixth, Page in ninth, Walczyk in 12th, and Asher Michel in 15th. In the round of 16, Kauf outpaced France’s Perrine Laffont with the day’s fastest time, while Johnson impressed with a cork 720 and venom grab, earning the top air score.
In the super finals, Johnson scored 74.94, bolstered by a 15.56 air score, and Laffont posted 77.07. Kauf, skiing last, delivered a flawless run with an 18.58 time score, totaling 81.21 to clinch the win and the globe, cheered by her family in the finish area. Mickel’s 80.14 earned him third behind Japan’s Ikuma Horishima and Canada’s Mikael Kingsbury, while Page took fourth, locking in his season ranking. Kauf called the moment emotional, with her parents and stepdad present, while Johnson reflected on her 100-start journey shaping her career.
