Takeaways From A Sensational Freeski Big Air Final

With snow pounding down in the floodlit Big Air arena, conditions were looking likely to play a big role in the outcome of the finals. In run one, several athletes misjudged their speed and landings, resulting in falls from almost half the field. Visibility was so poor that you could barely spot exactly what tricks were being performed, and skiers were clearly struggling to spot their landings through the blur of heavily falling snow.

Despite the conditions, the USA’s Mac Forehand and Norway’s Tormod Frostad produced the goods with massive scores of 95+ apiece, setting the stage for an epic battle in runs two and three.

By the second runs, conditions eased slightly and volunteers armed with snow-blowers entered the arena to clear the stage of fresh snow, setting the scene for an incredible showcase of elite freeskiing. The cream truly rose to the top and, while the pre-event favourite Birk Ruud failed to fulfil his potential, we saw an incredible nine scores in the 90s, including an astonishing nose butter triple-cork 2160; an unbelievable six full rotations complete with three inversions – incredible stuff.

Tormod Frostad, however, proved inevitable, delivering three runs scoring 95 or greater, every landing so clean and controlled. He put on a clinic in precise, expressive freeskiing that was a cut above the rest, securing yet more Norwegian gold.

But while the talent on display was a real highlight of the Games so far, what really stood out was the camaraderie of these athletes, even under the greatest pressure, on the greatest stage in all of sport.

As skiers completed their third and final runs, every stomped landing was swiftly met with fist bumps, screams of excitement and genuine joy at the utter brilliance on show – and not just from families and friends, but from the competitors themselves. It was truly heartwarming to see the best freeskiers in the world celebrating each other’s successes as well as their own.