Men's Olympic halfpipe final at Beijing 2022: Preview, schedule & stars to watch
The three Hiranos, Scotty James and Shaun White all qualified for an Olympic snowboard halfpipe final that's going to be epic: Here's who qualified, a preview, schedule, who, how, and where to watch.
Snowboard
Talk about setting the tone: Hirano Ayumu dropped in first on men's snowboard halfpipe qualifying and got so much air that the cameraman nearly lost him in the sky at the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games.
Hirano hit a frontside 1440 and a cab 1440 with outrageous amplitude and made it look like a lark in the Genting Snow Park.
His second run was even better, scoring 93.25 to top qualifying ahead of Friday's final.
A big question coming into the Beijing Games was if three-time consecutive reigning champ Shaun White was going to be able to compete with the next-gen young guns like Hirano.
And the golden one answered that question emphatically in Wednesday's qualifying.
Never failing to bring the drama, the 35-year-old fell on his first run, but comebacks are his currency and on Run 2 he absolutely nailed it with back-to-back double corks, double tens and double 12s to qualify in fourth place.
"Relieved" was the word he used afterwards.
Punching the air when he saw his score, he's pumped and ready for the final, White has already confirmed that Beijing is his final competition and he wants to go out on a high.
But making it a fairytale fourth gold medal in a row will not be easy with the riders he's up against.
Men's snowboard halfpipe final preview: Amped
Scotty James says that Shaun White set the example for him, and the Aussie rider finished above his hero stomping into the final in second place in qualifying.
James at 27 is still the same thrill-seeking medal threat he was four years ago at PyeongChang 2018 where he scooped a bronze medal.
Anyone who thought he doesn't have what it takes anymore was quietened a couple of weeks ago at the X Games with a big win and word is that he has three triple cork variations to unleash in the final.
Japan's Hirano's Ayumu and Ruka, and Totsuka Yuto proved they're out to do some serious damage by finishing first, third and sixth in the qualies.
And the Japanese are a quadruple threat as Ayumu's bro Kaishu qualified in ninth, keeping the Hirano brothers' dream of sharing an Olympic podium alive.
But watch out for Australian teen sensation Valentino Guseli who qualified in fifth ahead of Totsuka and just behind Shaun White.
The 16-year-old might just steal the show and step up on the podium.
Don't be surprised by a big surprise in the final either. There is Team USA's Taylor Gold (7th), tech-genius Jan Scherrer (8th) from Switzerland and Germany's Andre Hoefflich (10th).
Who qualified for the men's snowboard halfpipe Olympic final Beijing 2022?
Here are the 12 qualifiers for the men's halfpipe final and their best score of two runs, in the final they'll have three.
- Hirano Ayumu (JPN) 93.25
- Scotty James (AUS) 91.25
- Hirano Ruka (JPN) 87.00
- Shaun White (USA) 86.25
- Valentino Guseli (AUS) 85.75
- Totsuka Yuto (JPN) 84.50
- Taylor Gold (USA) 83.50
- Jan Scherrer (SUI) 79.25
- Hirano Kaishu (JPN) 77.25
- Andre Hoeflich (GER) 75.00
- Patrick Burgener (SUI) 73.00
- Chase Josey (USA) 69.50
Snowboard men's halfpipe final schedule at Beijing 2022
The men's final takes place on Friday 11 February at:
- Men's Snowboard Halfpipe final Run 1: 9:30 local time
- Men's Snowboard Halfpipe final Run 2: 9:58 local time
- Men's Snowboard Halfpipe final Run 3: 10:25 local time
Where and how to watch snowboarding action at Beijing 2022?
From the Opening Ceremony to athlete action, here's where and how you can watch the Winter Games in your region via the Official Olympic Broadcast Partners.
Keep up with all the action in our Live Blog updates throughout Beijing 2022, here.