Norway’s Birk Ruud has won the Olympic slopestyle gold medal in Italy, marking a remarkable achievement in ski sports. This victory follows his big air title from the previous Olympic Games held in China.
Competition Overview
The event took place at Livigno Snow Park, where Ruud faced challenging visibility conditions on a cloudy day. Despite this, he delivered an impressive performance, achieving one of the few flawless runs of the competition.
Highlights of Ruud’s Performance
- Ruud’s best run was executed on his first descent.
- Eight of the previous eleven competitors fell during their runs.
- His final run became a celebratory performance, ending with a significant flip off the final kicker.
Medal Results
The silver medal was claimed by the defending champion, Alex Hall of the United States. Hall’s successful run contributed to the U.S. team’s first medal in this event after a challenging week of competition.
Final Standings
- Gold: Birk Ruud (Norway)
- Silver: Alex Hall (USA)
- Bronze: Luca Harrington (New Zealand)
Historical Context
This slopestyle event, making its Olympic debut at the Sochi Games twelve years ago, has seen the U.S. team achieving notable success. In fact, American skiers captured six of the first nine medals in slopestyle history.
Other Notable Performances
In addition to Ruud’s victory, other U.S. competitors faced challenges. Skiers Mac Forehand and Konnor Ralph struggled during their runs. McForehand fell on all attempts, while Ralph attempted a difficult triple-cork 1800-degree jump but was unable to medal.
Looking Forward
As Ruud prepares for potential additional titles, he aims to defend his big air championship later this week. His achievements also include being a two-time slopestyle world champion and holding three X Games titles.
