Hintertux set to kick off European moguls competition season

The European moguls competition season gets underway this week at Hintertux Glacier (AUT), with three days of Moguls and Dual Moguls competitions scheduled from 5–7 November.

A regular fixture on the early-season calendar, Hintertux has become an important meeting point for the international moguls community, offering athletes a chance to return to competition following weeks of preseason training.

This year's event has attracted more than 100 registered athletes representing 12 national affiliations, ranging from young skiers taking their first steps in international competition to established World Cup competitors and World Championships medalists.

Among the most recognizable names on the entry list are Kazakhstan's Anastassiya Gorodko, Pavel Kolmakov and Yuliya Galysheva, alongside Japan's Rino Yanagimoto, Kosuke Sugimoto and Shota Hirayama.

Galysheva's name is particularly interesting. The former world champion and Olympic bronze medalist officially announced her retirement from international competition following the 2025/26 season, making her appearance on the Hintertux registration list something of a surprise. Whether this signals a return to competition or perhaps even another World Cup season remains to be seen.

The Kazakh team enjoyed considerable success at Hintertux last year, with Galysheva and Kolmakov claiming the Moguls victories, while Gorodko and Fyodor Bugakov took the Dual Moguls titles.

Japan will also have a strong presence this year, with its registered athletes including experienced World Cup competitors Rino Yanagimoto, Kosuke Sugimoto and Shota Hirayama. The Japanese delegation also features younger athletes such as Ikkei Fujimura, who will have an opportunity to test his preseason progress in competition.

The three-day program begins on Thursday, 5 November, with the Junior Regional Cup Moguls competitions, giving younger athletes an opportunity to gain experience in an international setting.

The action continues on Friday, 6 November, with women's and men's Moguls FIS Open competitions, before Saturday's Dual Moguls events bring the program to a close.

The entry list reflects the range of athletes attending Hintertux, including Czech World Cup competitors, national-team athletes from Kazakhstan and Japan, and a large group of young skiers from U.S. clubs.

Several of the youngest registered athletes were born in 2015 and 2016, highlighting the event's role in providing competition opportunities across different age groups.

The competitions also form part of a busy autumn training period at the glacier. The Austria Mogul Camps program, running from 9 October to 15 November, has once again brought international teams to Hintertux for several weeks of on-snow preparation.

Among them is Japan, which confirmed two training delegations at the Austrian glacier from 23 October to 10 November. The Japanese Ski Association's training selections include established World Cup competitors and younger athletes, with the coaching staff featuring former Olympic champion Janne Lahtela.

With national-team athletes and younger competitors sharing the same venue, Hintertux provides an early opportunity to put preseason training into practice and get the competition season underway.

The early-season competition calendar continues later in November, with traditional FIS Open competitions scheduled in Idre (SWE), while Levi (FIN) will also host FIS-level events, offering athletes further opportunities to compete as the winter season approaches.