The two-day World Cup in Lake Placid features men’s and women’s individual competitions on Jan. 11 from 8:45 a.m. to 4 p.m., followed by a mixed team event on Jan. 12 from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. There will also be practice sessions on the mornings of Jan. 9 and 10.

In freestyle aerials, athletes drop in from a steep slope before launching high into the air off single, double or triple kicker jumps to execute twists, turns and flips before landing in an outrun area lined with cheering fans. Points are awarded for height, level of difficulty, technique and landing. The field will narrow throughout the day, leaving a final group of six athletes to battle for podium spots and coveted points in the overall World Cup standings.

It’s the second year in a row that the Aerials World Cup is returning to the village, following a five-year hiatus. However, this time around, this event will serve as the finals before the athletes head to the 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Milano-Cortina, Italy. The finals were originally scheduled to take place at Deer Valley Resort, but warm weather out west moved the finale to Lake Placid.

The 2025-26 FIS Freestyle World Cup season opened in Ruka, Finland, as aerialists traveled through Europe and Asia en route to North America. So far this season, the United States has posted some solid results as the team has earned three medals across its men’s and women’s teams.

Just last weekend, Winter Vinecki, a 2022 Olympian from Gaylord, Michigan, returned atop the women’s podium to earn gold at the Lac-Beauport, Canada aerials World Cup on Jan. 6.

“It’s so special, and it’s so exciting having all of these kids here cheering us on,” Vinecki said in a press release about last weekend’s gold medal. “It’s such an amazing feeling being back on top of the podium, especially coming off of an injury last season. I’m just really excited.”

However with this weekend being the finale, Team USA’s women are hoping to finish inside the top-three of the overall standings with a few aerialists just outside the overall podium. Currently, China’s Mengtao Xu leads with 200 points, followed by her teammate Meiting Chen in second with 185. In third place is Canada’s Marion Thenault with 160 points.

Vinecki leads the way for the U.S. women in fifth place overall with 137 points. Tasia Tanner of Park City, Utah, is seventh and Kalia Kuhn of Boyne City, Michigan, is ninth. Dani Loeb of Pintlala, Alabama, is just outside the top-10 in 11th place.

On the men’s side, Ukraine’s Dmytro Kotovskyi leads the men with 186 points, followed by China’s Li Tianma in second with 161 and Team USA’s Quinn Dehlinger of Cincinnati, Ohio, in third with 155. Dehlinger is also coming off a third-place finish at the Lac-Beauport, Canada, aerials World Cup.

“I was really happy to finally execute the way I wanted to in the super finals,” Dehlinger said in a press release about last weekend’s results. “In Ruka and in China, I got to the super finals and didn’t put down the jumps that I wanted and sadly ended up in fourth and fifth, but today I put down the jump that I wanted to and ended up in third place, so happy to get on the podium.”

Also for Team USA, Connor Curran, of Cincinnati, Ohio, and Rochester native Christopher Lillis are in the top-10 standings in eighth and ninth, respectively. Ashton Salwan of Chagrin Falls, Ohio, is just outside the top-10 in 11th place.

Those interested in seeing the World Cup action at the Olympic Jumping Complex can purchase tickets at tinyurl.com/3upf597j.

–

Sunday, Jan. 11:

7:45 to 8:55 a.m. — Women’s Aerial Warm Up (3 jumps)

9 to 9:50 a.m. — Women’s Qualifications (Q1)(30)

10:05 to 11:40 a.m. — Men’s Aerial Warm Up (3 jumps)

11:45 a.m. to 12:50 p.m. — Men’s Qualifications (Q1)(35)

1:15 to 1:45 p.m. — Women’s and Men’s Aerial Finalist Warm Up

2 to 2:21 p.m.– Women’s Aerial Finals (F1)(12)

2:21 to 2:42 p.m. — Men’s Aerial Finals (F1)(12)

2:44 to 2:54 p.m. — Women’s Aerial Finals (F2)(6)

2:56 to 3:06 p.m. — Men’s Aerial Finals (F2)(6)

3:10 to 3:14 p.m. — Women’s Aerial Awards

3:14 to 3:18 p.m. — Men’s Aerial Awards

3:18 to 3:20 p.m. — Women’s and Men’s Yellow Bib

–

Monday, Jan. 12:

7:45 to 8:55 a.m. — Women’s Aerial Warm Up (3 jumps)

9 to 9:50 a.m. — Women’s Qualifications (Q1)(30)

10:05 to 11:40 a.m. — Men’s Aerial Warm Up (3 jumps)

11:45 a.m. to 12:50 p.m. — Men’s Qualifications (Q1)(35)

1:15 to 1:45 p.m. — Women’s and Men’s Aerial Finalist Warm Up

2 to 2:21 p.m. — Women’s Aerial Finals (F1)(12)

2:21 to 2:42 p.m. — Men’s Aerial Finals (F1)(12)

2:44 to 2:54 p.m. — Women’s Aerial Finals (F2)(6)

2:56 to 3:06 p.m. — Men’s Aerial Finals (F2)(6)

3:10 to 3:14 p.m. — Women’s Aerial Awards

3:14 to 3:18 p.m. — Men’s Aerial Awards

3:18 to 3:20 p.m. — HERoic Cup Awards

3:20 to 3:24 p.m. — Women’s World Cup Globe (Top 3)

3:24 to 3:28 p.m. — Men’s World Cup Globe (Top 3)

3:28 to 3:31 p.m. — Rookie of the Year, Woman and Man (2)

3:31 to 3:34 p.m. — Nations Cup Aerials