FIS Moguls Standings: Horishima and Giaccio Top the July Base List as the Post-Olympic Campaign Opens

The International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS) officially turned the page on a historic Olympic year this week, publishing the first Freestyle Skiing Base List of the 2026–27 season. The July 1 points reset establishes the global standings for the upcoming winter, serving as the critical starting grid for athletes aiming to secure World Cup starts and national team funding.[5]

Following the intense pressure of the Milano-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, the new Base List reflects a landscape where established veterans are fending off a rising generation of technical innovators. For the world's elite moguls skiers, the July standings are more than just a leaderboard; they dictate seeding for the entire early-season World Cup tour.[1][5]

In the men's division, Japan's Ikuma Horishima sits firmly at the summit. Horishima delivered a masterclass during the 2025–26 campaign, sweeping the Overall Moguls, Single Moguls, and Dual Moguls Crystal Globes. His performance broke the long-standing monopoly of Canadian legend Mikael Kingsbury, signaling a shift in the men's competitive hierarchy.[4]

Despite Horishima's dominance, the men's field remains tightly packed. Kingsbury remains a formidable threat in the number two spot, while Australian standout Matt Graham—who returned from a collarbone injury to secure multiple podiums last season—holds a strong position in the top five. The rivalry between these three veterans is expected to headline the upcoming Northern Hemisphere winter.[4]

The women's standings present a much more fragmented and fiercely competitive picture. American Olivia Giaccio leads the Overall Moguls Base List, capping off a breakout 2025–26 season where her consistency across both single and dual formats earned her the ultimate prize.[2][4]

However, Giaccio does not hold a monopoly on the discipline titles. Australia's Jakara Anthony remains the top-ranked skier in the single moguls format, having defended her crystal globe with a string of flawless runs. Meanwhile, the USA's Jaelin Kauf leads the dual moguls standings, utilizing her unmatched speed to dominate the head-to-head format.[4]

The Base List also highlights the immediate impact of the Milano-Cortina Olympics. American teenager Elizabeth Lemley, who stunned the field to capture Olympic gold with a massive score of 82.30, has rocketed up the global rankings. Her victory underscored the rising technical ceiling required to compete at the highest level.[1]

French star Perrine Laffont, who secured bronze in Milano-Cortina, remains a top-five threat. After taking a brief seasonal break to recharge following the Olympic cycle, Laffont has reaffirmed her commitment to the World Cup tour, ensuring the women's field remains as deep as ever.

With the Base List now locked in, the strategic focus shifts to the Southern Hemisphere. The FIS Australia New Zealand Cup (ANC), traditionally held at Perisher in August, will offer the first competitive points of the 2026–27 cycle.[3][5]

For athletes sitting just outside the top 30, the Continental Cup circuit is a vital lifeline. Securing early points in Australia or South America can dramatically improve an athlete's seeding before the World Cup tour officially opens in Ruka, Finland, in late November.[3]

The reset highlights a broader technical evolution within freestyle skiing. To maintain a top-10 standing in the modern era, male athletes are now routinely executing cork 1080s, while the women's field is seeing unprecedented progression in aerial difficulty and dual moguls pacing.[2][5]

As the post-Olympic campaign opens, the FIS Moguls standings reflect a sport in peak health. With multiple nations boasting title contenders and a new wave of Olympic medalists eager to claim their first Crystal Globes, the race for the 2026–27 overall championship promises to be one of the most unpredictable in recent history.[4][5]