Milano Cortina 2026: Men’s Big Air Final Set for High-Flying Olympic Showdown

Milano Cortina

The men’s freestyle skiing Big Air final at the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics is set to deliver one of the most electrifying moments of the Games. The final takes place February 17 at Livigno Snow Park, following intense qualification rounds held on February 15–16. 

🔥 Qualification Highlights

The qualification rounds showcased jaw-dropping tricks and razor-thin margins:

  • Mac Forehand (USA) led the field with 183.00 points, showcasing championship-level consistency.
  • Matej Svancer (Austria) followed closely with 182.25, aiming for his first senior Olympic medal.
  • Birk Ruud (Norway), the reigning Olympic Big Air champion, secured third without even needing his final run.

Other qualifiers include:

  • Luca Harrington (New Zealand) – Current world champion
  • Tormod Frostad (Norway) – Highest single-run score
  • Timothe Sivignon (France)
  • Matias Roche (France)

Notable non-qualifiers:

  • Alex Hall (USA) – Crashed on an over-rotation attempt
  • Andri Ragettli (Switzerland) – Two costly falls

🥇 Top Medal Contenders

Birk Ruud enters as the favorite, chasing a potential double gold after slopestyle success.

Mac Forehand poses the strongest challenge with clean landings and high-difficulty tricks.

Luca Harrington brings momentum from recent podium finishes.

Matej Svancer remains a dark horse capable of upsetting the podium with technical precision.

📋 Event Format Explained

Each athlete performs three jumps off a massive ramp.

Judges score based on:

  • Difficulty
  • Amplitude
  • Execution
  • Landing

The two best scores are combined to determine final standings.

🏂 Women’s Final Recap

The women’s final on February 16 raised the bar dramatically:

  • Gold: Megan Oldham (Canada) – 180.75
  • Silver: Eileen Gu (China) – 179.00
  • Bronze: Flora Tabanelli (Italy) – 178.25

Massive tricks including switch triple corks and 1980-degree rotations set the tone for the men’s showdown.

⚡ What to Expect in the Final

Expect explosive amplitude, technical mastery, and record-breaking scores under the lights at Livigno Snow Park.

Norway and the USA enter as favorites, but in Big Air, one perfect jump can rewrite history.

Stay tuned for updates immediately after the final.

 

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