Norway’s Ruud wins error-strewn Olympic freeski slopestyle

Norway’s Birk Ruud won gold in the Olympic men’s freeski slopestyle on Tuesday after an error-filled event at Livigno Snow Park.

The Beijing 2022 big air champion kept his nerve as his rivals faltered under a heavy blanket of cloud in the Italian Alps, achieving a best score of 86.28 on the first of his three runs.

Defending Olympic champion Alex Hall took silver with a score of 85.75 and New Zealand’s Luca Harrington won bronze with 85.15.

The weather affected visibility, with skiers facing flat light conditions, and several struggled to complete clean runs on the rail sections.

But Ruud set the standard early and held onto his lead throughout.

“It was kind of the last piece to the collection, with big air and slopestyle. It’s a beautiful feeling and a special moment. I’ll try to take it in,” said the two-time world champion.

Ruud said he was thinking about his late father, who died of cancer in 2021, when he was on the podium.

“My dad is watching from somewhere else,” he said. “When we played the national anthem, I was thinking of him and just everything that happens in life, and suddenly now I’m here, which is something I was working hard towards.

“Everybody here has been working towards it, and everybody is dreaming of the gold.

“When you think of all that, it’s a lot and I get emotional, which is beautiful. It’s a good feeling to have both happy and sad tears at the same time. It’s all beautiful.”

A clutch of athletes flopped on their first runs during a nervy start to the event but Ruud, 25, sailed serenely into a big lead.

America’s Hall climbed to second place with his score of 85.75 on his second run — with the best of three runs counting — as many of the competitors continued to make mistakes.

Ruud, skiing last, had the luxury of a victory lap but crashed as the sun came out.

Silver medallist Hall admitted that conditions had been challenging.

“I was so stoked to land that run,” he said. “It was tricky out there for sure, just a little bit flat light, so definitely hard to see on the jumps.”

In slopestyle, athletes navigate a course with a variety of obstacles, including rails and various jumps, and are judged on the breadth, originality, and quality of their stunts.