Eileen Gu Begins World Cup Season at Site of Olympic Triumph
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Olympic champion Eileen Gu of China will launch her 2025-26 FIS Freestyle Skiing World Cup campaign on Friday, December 12th at Secret Garden, the venue where she won gold at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics [https://olympics.com/en/news/eileen-gu-world-cup-secret-garden-beijing-2022]. Gu returns to Secret Garden as a strong favorite, having won competitions there in both 2023 and 2024. she currently holds 14 World Cup halfpipe victories.
Recent Performance and Injury Recovery
Last season, Gu secured wins at three World Cup events before being sidelined for the latter part of the season and the World Championships due to injuries. However, she has demonstrated promising early-season form, winning a recent event at Shaun White’s Snow League in the Secret Garden halfpipe against a field of eight competitors [https://www.shaunwhite.com/snow-league].
Competition at the World Cup Opener
The World Cup opener at Secret Garden is expected to feature a highly competitive field. Notable athletes include Great Britain’s Zoe Atkin and Li Fanghui of China, who shared the Crystal Globe title last season [https://www.fis-ski.com/en/freestyle-skiing/news-releases/news/2024/03/16/atkin-and-li-share-halfpipe-crystal-globe]. Canada’s Cassie Sharpe,the 2018 PyeongChang Olympic champion,also enters in strong form after winning gold in the halfpipe at the 2025 X Games [https://www.xgames.com/]. Sharpe finished second to Gu at Secret Garden last season and is considered a major contender.
Expanding Beyond Halfpipe
Gu’s enterprising season will extend beyond halfpipe competitions to include slopestyle and big air events. She previously earned Olympic silver in slopestyle and gold in big air at the Beijing 2022 Games, completing a historic three-medal performance. She will be aiming for further success at the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics in February [https://olympics.com/en/olympic-winter-games/milano-cortina-2026].
Understanding the FIS Freestyle Skiing World Cup
The FIS Freestyle Skiing World Cup is a prestigious international circuit organized by the International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS). It features competitions in various freestyle skiing disciplines, including halfpipe, slopestyle, big air, moguls, aerials, and ski cross [https://www.fis-ski.com/en/freestyle-skiing]. The Crystal globe is awarded to the overall winners in each discipline at the end of the season, signifying the top performer.
Gu’s return to competition at Secret Garden marks the beginning of a demanding season, and her performance will be closely watched by fans and competitors alike. Her continued success will undoubtedly inspire a new generation of freestyle skiers.
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