Norway’s Birk Ruud moves into freeski big air final as he pursues a 3rd career Olympic gold

Birk Ruud, the two-time Olympian from Norway, has successfully cleared the first hurdle on his journey to repeat as the Olympic big air champion and secure a second gold medal at the upcoming Milan Cortina Games. Ruud, who won big air in Beijing four years ago and recently clinched gold in slopestyle, finished third in the big air qualifying round. This achievement has earned him a spot in the final round alongside 11 other freeskiers.

Reflecting on his performance, Ruud expressed satisfaction with his qualifying runs, stating, “It was a really good qualifying. I landed my two runs and felt real good about it. I expect a tough battle in the final. It is going to be tight and there are going to be big tricks.” The 25-year-old athlete even added a head-over-heels forward flip after landing his first jump, showcasing his skill and flair on the slopes.

Leading the pack in qualifying was American Mac Forehand, scoring an impressive 183 points from his two jumps. Austrian skier Matej Svancer followed closely behind in the rankings. New Zealand’s Luca Harrington, who previously secured a bronze medal in slopestyle at the Games, also performed well and secured the fifth spot in the qualifying round.

Unfortunately, not all competitors were able to advance to the final. American Alex Hall, the silver medalist in slopestyle, failed to make the cut. In the big air qualifying format, skiers must successfully land two out of three jumps, with their top two scores combined to determine their final ranking.

The big air ramp in Livigno, constructed on a scaffolding structure, provided an exhilarating backdrop for the qualifying event. Standing over 40 meters in height, the ramp sent riders soaring down the slope under the glow of floodlights for a nighttime spectacle.

As the competition heats up heading into the final round, fans can expect to witness thrilling performances and jaw-dropping tricks from the world’s top freeskiers. Stay tuned for more updates on the Milan Cortina Games and the exciting events unfolding on the slopes.

For more Olympic coverage, visit AP Olympics at https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics.