Skier Graham hungry for more moguls medals in Georgia
Clinching two world championship medals on the same course, Matt Graham is hoping that history repeats at the moguls World Cup in Bakuriani, Georgia.
The 30-year-old skier will line up in round three this weekend, looking for his first podium of the season.
He's had success before in Bakuriani, winning silver in the singles and bronze in the dual event at the last freestyle world titles, held at the Georgian resort in 2023.
The course is longer than many on the circuit, which Graham said suited his style of skiing.
"The longer the middle section is, the more time there is to make mistakes," the NSW Central Coast skier told AAP.
"This middle section isn't super steep so you've got to land that top air and really just charge through the middle.
"It definitely gives you confidence having done well in the past."
The Pyeongchang Olympics silver medallist has shown glimpses of his best form - qualifying in third and fifth in the opening two events in Finland and Sweden.
But moving through competition, he's been unable to crack the top-six skier Super Final at both events, leaving him out of medal contention.
"Qualifying has been good, and then in the two events, I just made a mistake on the top air landing, and that just blows out the run," he said.
"I still managed to scrap through with a 10th and 11th, but all the pieces are there, it's just a case of putting it together.
"I know I can be competitive as long as I execute my run."
The three-time Olympian is a new dad but had to leave three-month-old daughter Ava and his fiancee Jess back in Australia while he traversed Europe.
Long-time rival as well good friend, Canadian great Mikael Kingsbury, who has won the opening two events, had a son Henrik just 10 days before Graham's daughter arrived.
Graham has been able to get a baby fix with Kingsbury's son in Finland.
"It made me a little jealous but it's just so far from Australia for Jess and Ava to come along," Graham said.
"When I get home in a week, she's going to be much bigger and much more alert than she was when I left.
"It was definitely the hardest goodbye, when I went over to start a season but it was part of the bargain with what I do and wanting to have a family."
The Australian contingent are missing Olympic champion Jakara Anthony, who flew home to Melbourne this week after undergoing surgery on a broken collarbone following a training fall.
Anthony finished second in Finland and won the last event in Indre Fjall, Sweden, but has no set date for her return.
"It was a shame, to this point, she's had pretty much a clean slate, an injury-free career so this is just a new challenge for her," said Graham, whose Beijing Olympics was wrecked by a serious collarbone injury.
"She's back home now, so I think she's in much better spirits and staying pretty stoic about it."
Cooper Woods and Oliver Logan will line up in the men's events alongside Graham, while Charlotte Wilson will fly the flag in the women's.