Australian Britteny Cox yet again came out on top in Ruka ©Getty Images

Last season's moguls and freestyle overall crystal globe winners, Canadian Mikael Kingsbury and Australian Britteny Cox, came out on top as the International Ski Federation (FIS) Freestyle Skiing World Cup got underway in Ruka.

Cox took the first win of her career in Ruka last December, before going on to claim six more victories and the single moguls gold medal at the Sierra Nevada 2017 FIS Freestyle Ski and Snowboard World Championships in what was a remarkable breakout season. 

She was in little mood to relinquish her crown.

Cox scored 80.32 points to earn the victory ahead of Canadian Audrey Robichaud who scored 77.73 p;oints and Russian freestyler Marika Pertakhiya's 74.59.

Mikael Kingsbury is in inspired form with eight straight victories as the new World Cup season got underway in Finland ©Getty Images
Mikael Kingsbury is in inspired form with eight straight victories as the new World Cup season got underway in Finland ©Getty Images

Canada's Andi Naude was fourth with 73.04 points, American Jaelin Kauf, fifth with 70.71, and France's 19-year-old Perrine Laufont was sixth with 65.39.

Kingsbury recorded a record-breaking eighth-straight victory, with a winning streak dating back to early February of last season. 

Kingsbury already owned the existing record of seven-straight wins, having set the mark twice in his career, and setting a new benchmark in Ruka is another career highlight for one of the greatest freestyle skiers of all time.

His mark of 87.45 points put him clear of Kazakhstan's Dmitriy Reiherd, who scored 85.11 points and Pavel Kolmakov, again of Kazakhstan with 84.44.

Sho Endo, of Japan, was fourth with 82.24 points, with Canada's Marc-Antoine Gagnon in fifth with 80.45 points.