What are the Moguls and Dual Moguls Disciplines at the Olympic and FIS World Cup Level?
By: Devin Reston
Tomorrow, Tuesday, February 10th, men’s and women’s moguls qualifications begin at Moguls and Aerials venue in Livigno at the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games. Merriam-Webster defines "mogul" as "a bump in a ski run." However, moguls that form on ungroomed slopes at lift served mountain resorts by recreational skiers differ from moguls in competition venues. Moguls in resort areas are formed from skiers and snowboarders displacing snow in their turns. In the Freestyle Manual of the Professional Ski Instructors of America (PSIA), "moguls" are defined as: "The series of mounds (or "bumps") that naturally form on a run when skiers and snowboarders push the snow into piles as the execute short-radius turns. The steeper the slope, the bigger the bumps and the deeper the troughs between them. Also a competition for freestyle skiers."
In an earlier post, we described how the world-famous Champion course at Deer Valley is prepared at Deer Valley Ski Resort. Poor snow conditions and warm temperatures in Utah necessitated the relocation of the 2026 FIS World Cup moguls and aerials events planned at Deer Valley to Waterville Valley Resort on January 15-16th. In Livigno as at Deer Valley, the moguls course construction utilizes the winch-cat technique, where the Snowcat is tethered to a fixed anchor on the top of the run given the steepness of the slope. The snow from recent storms is then sloped with precision and checked by probe for proper depth coverage. Nothing is built randomly, the entire course is measured out to comply with FIS specifications. Everything is laser measured including course width, length, finish corral length, distances from the start line to the first jump and second jump to finish, jump sizes as well as bump width. The moguls are set approximately twelve meters apart laterally and each mogul is tool shaped than ski carved with a team of volunteers.
In addition to placing the snow that will become the competition moguls, the snowcat operators are also critical in building the jump tables, the grades and in grooming the sidelines, as well as the TV camera platforms along the way. The event crew is responsible for installing the safety fence and the protective pads. FIS oversees the course design under the supervision of a FIS course designer and the FIS Chief of Course.
Core Course Layout
At the elite level—World Cup, World Championships, and the Olympic Winter Games—moguls courses are built to the highest specifications, with a total course length typically around 235 meters, within a permitted range of ±35 meters.
World Championships require a minimum of 225 meters
Olympic Winter Games require a minimum of 250 meters
The course width is generally 20 meters ±5 meters, with an average slope angle of 28° ±4°. No section may exceed 37° or fall below 20° for more than 20 meters. The finish outrun is 30–35 meters long with a gentle gradient (~5°) for safe deceleration.
Courses at this level are also built with at least four lanes of moguls. In single moguls, athletes can choose the line that best suits their strengths. In dual moguls, the course is split into a red course and blue course, each offering two line options, providing balance and fairness for head-to-head competition.
Competition Formats
Moguls
In moguls, athletes complete one run down a steep, heavily moguled course featuring two jumps. Judging is based on technical turns, speed, and aerial manoeuvres.
All FIS competitions follow a two-stage format:
Qualification Phase – One or more rounds, beginning with a single run for all competitors
Final Phase – One or more rounds, with athletes starting in reverse order based on their qualification ranking
Scores from qualifications do not carry over into the finals.
World Cup Format
Qualification (Q): 1 round
Final 1 (F1): Top 16
Final 2 (F2): Top 6
World Championships & Olympic Winter Games Format
Qualification 1 (Q1): All athletes compete - Top 10 advance directly to Final 1
Qualification 2 (Q2): Remaining athletes get a second chance to qualify
Final 1 (F1): 20 athletes (10 from Q1 + 10 from Q2)
Final 2 (F2): Top 8
Dual Moguls
In dual moguls, athletes compete head-to-head on parallel courses in a bracket-style format.
The competition begins with a preliminary round if the number of athletes exceeds 16, in order to reduce the field to the final 16 competitors. Once the top 16 are determined, they enter the elimination bracket, which includes:
Round of 16
Quarterfinals
Semifinals
Final and Small Final (to determine 1st and 3rd place)
The bracket is created based on a seeding list, which uses a detailed formula that factors in World Cup rankings and points. This system is designed to fairly place athletes in the bracket, ensuring that the highest-ranked skiers are positioned on opposite sides—minimizing the chance they meet before the later rounds.
Each duel consists of one run, with the winner advancing until final placements are decided.
Moguls and Turns
Each course features a series of uniformly spaced moguls—snow bumps that demand exacting control, rhythm, and technique. Athletes must pass through at least 9 control gates from start to finish, placed approximately 8–12 meters apart, allowing judges to assess turn quality and line selection.
Air Jumps
Two air jumps are integrated into every course to showcase athletes’ aerial skills.
The top air is placed around 15% of the way down the course
The bottom air is set approximately 20% from the finish
Air bump specifications include:
Distance from last mogul to takeoff: 5.0–6.0 meters
Takeoff to end of landing zone:
Top Air: 15.0–18.0 meters
Bottom Air: 15.0–20.0 meters
Jump height: 50–70 cm
Takeoff angle: 26° to 35°
Landing gradient: Minimum 26°
Air bump width: 130–150 cm
Every element is designed with precision to allow for dynamic, high-level performance while maintaining safety and consistency across the course.
Moguls Scoring
Scoring Breakdown
Turns – 60.0 points max (60%)
Air – 20.0 points max (20%)
Speed – 20.0 points max (20%)
Total Score = Turns + Air + Speed
Turns (60%)
Turns are the most heavily weighted component of moguls scoring, accounting for 60% of the total. Five judges evaluate the technical execution of the skier’s line through the moguls. The key criteria include:
Fall line – Staying in a direct line down the hill without deviating.
Carving – Efficient, clean edge use with minimal skidding.
Absorption and extension – Active use of the legs to control motion through moguls.
Upper body position – Stable and square, with hands in a natural position.
Each judge provides:
A positive score for the quality of the turns (max 20.0 points)
Deductions for technical errors or interruptions
After scoring, the highest and lowest turn scores and the highest and lowest deductions are removed. The remaining scores are added together for a maximum of 60.0 points.
Air (20%)
Two jumps are performed during the run, each evaluated on:
Form – Execution of the jump
Height and distance – Overall amplitude
Fluidity – How seamlessly the jump fits into the run
Each of the two judges assigns a score out of 10.0 based on these criteria. The scores are then averaged and multiplied by the degree of difficulty (DD) of the maneuver.
The two jump scores are then added together. To receive full credit, skiers must perform two different maneuvers. The combined total of both jumps gives the final air score (max 20.0 points).
Speed (20%)
The skier’s run is timed from the start gate to the finish line. This raw time is compared to a pre-determined pace time, which is calculated based on course length and FIS benchmarks.
Speed is scored proportionally:
A skier matching the pace time receives the standard score (up to 20.0)
Faster skiers receive more points
Slower skiers receive fewer
Precise in-run speed is critical for scoring and balance with technical control.
Dual Moguls Scoring
While dual moguls retains the same three core criteria—turns, air, and speed—it uses a head-to-head comparison system rather than absolute scores. The skier with the most combined points in a dual advances to the next round.
Adjusted Scoring Weight
Turns – 50%
Air – 25%
Speed – 25%
Seven judges are used in dual moguls:
4 judges for turns
2 judges for air
1 judge for speed
Each judge awards points by comparison, not fixed values. For example, a turn judge with 5 points may award:
3 points to Skier A and 2 to Skier B
or 4 points to one and 1 to the other, based on relative performance
The skier with the majority of total points wins the round.
Moguls might look chaotic to the casual television viewer or event specatators, but for the athletes navigating them at speed, it’s all about structure, timing, and precision. Every line choice, jump, and pole plant is the result of deliberate technique and hours of focused training as athletes develop at the club, NORAM (or one of the five other Continental Cups; Europe, Australian, New Zealand, South America, Far East), and finally at the World Cup.
Much of that training happens year-round, not just on snow. While glacier camps and early/late season venues are key for time on the course, moguls skiers also make use of water ramps, trampolines, and foam pits to train aerial maneuvers in a safe environment. The water ramps allow athletes to refine tricks and landings without the risk of injury on hard snow, making them an essential tool for developing and maintaining air skills and air awareness.
Off-snow, trampoline sessions help hone spatial awareness and body positioning. Strength training, balance work, and high-repetition agility drills all contribute to a skier’s ability to stay reactive and composed over an intense 25–30 second run.
Moguls equipment is specialized for the demands of rapid, high-impact skiing. Skis are typically 160–175 cm long, relatively narrow (about 60–66 mm underfoot), and built for stability and precision. These skis differ from those used by recreational skiers. They feature a small sidecut and stiff flex to allow quick edge-to-edge transitions without instability. The design minimizes chatter while maintaining enough control for carving in steep, bumpy terrain.
Bindings are standard alpine freestyle bindings—there are no moguls-specific models. Athletes choose setups based on reliability and personal comfort.
Boots are alpine-style as well, with some athletes preferring more flexible freestyle models, and others opting for stiffer race boots to maximize control and responsiveness through the moguls.
One noticeable difference in moguls is the use of shorter ski poles—significantly shorter than those in alpine skiing. This allows for faster hand movement and prevents interference with the terrain during quick, rhythmic turns.
Clothing in moguls is typically loose fitting, in contrast to the tighter aerodynamic suits used in aerials. This style allows for full range of motion and includes colored knee patches on the pants, helping judges better observe leg position and absorption technique.
While turning is at the core of moguls skiing, aerial elements are also critical. Athletes must perform two different jumps per run, with an emphasis on execution, variety, and difficulty. Common aerial maneuvers include:
Back tuck – A single backflip in a tucked position
Back lay – A backflip in a laid-out, straight-body position
Back with position – A flip performed with an iron cross, where skis are crossed mid-air
Back full – A backflip with one full twist
Back double full – A backflip with two full twists
Cork 720 – An off-axis spin with two full rotations (720 degrees)
Cork 1080 – An advanced off-axis spin with three full rotations (1080 degrees)
For the full Mogul Basic Degree of Difficulty and Common Combinations, see the FIS Guide, HERE.
Athletes may also perform grabs, where they reach for and hold the skis mid-air to increase difficulty. Grabs require excellent control and timing and have become a growing trend in the sport, especially in recent years, with more athletes adding them into their competition runs.
At its core, moguls skiing is a test of total ski control. It rewards athletes who can navigate steep, unpredictable terrain with clean technique, confident airs, and consistent rhythm—proving not just how fast you are, but how complete a skier you can be. With the fundamentals in place, attention now turns to what awaits at Milano Cortina 2026. The competitions in Livigno will showcase the highest level of moguls skiing, with perfectly prepared courses, increased technical difficulty, and extremely small margins separating the top athletes. The Olympic debut of Dual Moguls adds another layer of intensity, and with the depth of the field stronger than ever, each round will demand precision, consistency, and composure. Equipped with this understanding, viewers can fully appreciate the performances when the world’s best moguls skiers take to the course on the Olympic stage. In later posts we will focus on the individual athletes with special focus on the US Freestyle Team that compete in the moguls and dual moguls disciplines and on how the the competitions play out in Livigno at the 2026 Winter Olympics.
Sources: International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS), Professional Ski Instructors of America (PSIA)
