Ailing (Eileen) Gu in Olympic freeski halfpipe final: Preview, Schedule & stars to watch
Gu already has gold in big air, silver in slopestyle and is poised for another gold in freestyle ski halfpipe. So when is the final? What time? Who and how to watch? Read on for a full preview and more.
Freestyle Skiing
Ailing Eileen Gu topped the freestyle ski halfpipe qualification by some way on Thursday 17 February and is looking good for a third podium at the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games.
Gold in big air, silver in slopestyle and a second gold in halfpipe?
It looks on - she topped Thursday morning's qualification with ease, is reigning halfpipe world champion, and is way ahead on the World Cup standings.
In her first run on Thursday she put down back-to-back 900s with big amplitude for 93.75 points - a score which would have easily qualified her in first place - and went even bigger on Run 2.
The 18-year-old put down two more massive 900s, a signature Buick grab, a 720 tail grab, switch 360 Japan, opposite alley-oop flatspins, and all with huge amplitude for a massive 95.50 second score.
One of the Games' brightest lights, competing for China, a second gold medal for Ailing Eileen Gu would cement her Beijing 2022 debut as one of the greatest in Olympic history.
Qualifying in second place was Rachael Karker who scored 89.50.
Karker, from Canada, is a 2021 World silver medallist and one of the few who can get up there and compete in the same airspace as Gu.
Another clear contender is Estonian skier Kelly Sildaru - she put down a solid run in qualifying that included a switch 540 and a nice 720 tail grab. The birthday girl scored 87.50 on her first run and didn't even need a second, saving herself for the final.
Sildaru already has Olympic bronze from slopestyle and watch out for her to go much bigger in Friday's final.
Women's Big air final preview: Stars to watch
Beyond Gu and the top qualifiers there are plenty of skiers who could see their pipe dreams come true.
Great Britain's 19-year-old rising star Zoe Atkin qualified fourth on 86.75 and is well positioned for a run at the podium,
Zhang Kexin is the hosts' other hope, she made the final in fifth, nailing a 1080 right at the end of her Run 2.
And Cassie Sharpe, who qualified in sixth, just happens to be reigning Olympic champ - she also hit a sweet 1080 in qualifying, expect to see a few more of those on Friday.
Three USA skiers qualified in 8th, 9th and 10th:
PyeongChang 2018 halfpipe bronze medallist Brita Sigourney qualified in 8th place, the 32-year-old Olympic veteran was second at the Aspen Winter X Games.
17-year-old ski sensation Hanna Faulhaber qualified 9th on Thursday, she placed third at the Aspen Winter X Games behind Sigourney just before Beijing 2022.
And Carly Margulies also made the final in 10th, the third American to make it through.
Anyone can throw it down on the day, so don't miss Friday's action when the halfpipe medals will be handed out.
Who qualified for the freeski halfpipe Olympic final at Beijing 2022?
Here are all twelve qualifiers and their top score of two runs:
- Ailing Eileen Gu (CHN) 95.50
- Rachael Karker (CAN) 89.50
- Kelly Sildaru (EST) 87.50
- Zoe Atkin (GBR) 86.75
- Zhang Kexin (CHN) 86.50
- Cassie Sharpe (CAN) 86.25
- Li Fanghui (CHN) 84.75
- Brita Sigourney (USA) 84.50
- Hanna Faulhaber (USA) 84.25
- Carly Margulies (USA) 82.25
- Amy Fraser (CAN) 75.75
- Sabrina Cakmakli 71.50
What is freestyle ski halfpipe?
New to the sport?
Don't worry, we've got you, here's an easy guide:
Skiers drop into a U-shaped course that has walls of compacted snow and ice which are 6.7 metres (22 feet) high, performing aerial acrobatics above the walls of the pipe.
Tricks include spinning and inverting in the air, with points for a variety of grabs and landings and skiers often have signature tricks like Cassie Sharpe's 1260.
Expect to see plenty of 1080s, that 1260 and even bigger as the women go big in the halfpipe final too on Friday.
Schedule: How to watch the women's halfpipe final at Beijing 2022 Olympics?
The freeski halfpipe gold medal will be decided on Friday 18 February, the 12 qualifiers will have three runs in the final.
Freestyle skiing halfpipe gold medal final run times (All times local in China: UTC+8):
Women's Freestyle Ski Halfpipe Run 1: 9:30am
Women's Freestyle Ski Halfpipe Run 2: 9:58am
Women's Freestyle Ski Halfpipe Run 3: 10:25am