How to watch snowboard at the Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022

Get ready for to be floored by the impressive skills, huge jumps and wipe outs of an action-packed snowboarding schedule at Beijing 2022.

Snowboard is one of the 15 sports disciplines taking place at the Olympic Winter Games, and competition runs from Saturday 5th February to Tuesday 15 February.

A total of 119 women and 119 men will compete for medals in 11 events.

Snowboarding has a 24-year history at the Olympics, but Beijing 2022 will see the introduction of its first mixed gender event: Mixed team snowboard cross.

Big air all also returns to the snowboard programme after making a successful debut at PyeongChang 2018.

Read on to find out the schedule of events and some top tips on how to enjoy the action.

ALSO: Olympic snowboard at Beijing 2022: Top five things to know

Snowboard disciplines and events at Beijing 2022

Parallel Giant Slalom: Two riders race down a parallel course side-by-side. The first to cross the finish line wins and advances to the next round.

Snowboard Cross: Four riders race on a downhill course (similar to a BMX and motocross track with jumps and rollers) and the first three to cross the finish line advance to the next round.

Slopestyle Slopestyle involves riders individually navigating down a features course, performing a variety of tricks on a series of rails and jumps.

Big Air: Riders compete over one single jump. They have three runs and each time they aim to land the biggest and most difficult trick possible.

Halfpipe: Riders compete in a U-shaped course that has walls which are 22-foot (6.7 metres) high. They need to navigate their way down the halfpipe whilst performing a variety of tricks in and outside the course walls.

Snowboard stars to watch at Beijing 2022

Parallel Giant Slalom:

In the women's competition, Czech snowboarder Ester Ledecka will be looking to defend her Olympic title whilst juggling her skiing commitments as the Super-G Olympic champion. She's sure to see some stiff competition from PyeongChang 2018 bronze medallist Ramona Theresia Hofmeister.

South Korea's Lee Sangho is the men's favourite having won silver at the last Games, but Dmitrii Loginov of ROC and Andreas Prommegger will all be strong contenders.

Snowboard Cross:

Look out for Italy's PyeongChang 2018 gold medallist Michela Moioli in the women's competition. World champion Charlotte Bankes from Great Britain has also been in blistering form this season, while Australia's Belle Brockhoff is another podium threat.

In the men's, Austria's Alessandro Haemmerle has been in fine form winning the last three seasons crystal globes in a row. He will be tough to beat but you should keep an eye on Eliot Grondin of Canada and Jakob Dusek of Austria.

In the new mixed team event, Australia, Italy, Czech Republic and France are front runners to make history winning the inaugural Olympic gold.

Slopestyle/Big Air:

Snowboarders cross over and do both events here, so there's a chance we could see one athlete across two podiums.

In the women's competitions look out for current big air Olympic champion Anna Gasser who's at the forefront of progression in the women's game. Heading to her third Olympics she has her eye on some slopestyle success but she will have some tough competition from two-time slopestyle Olympic champion Jamie Anderson who time and time again proves how well rounded she is, stomping big runs at clinical moments.

The American finished second spot on the slopestyle podium at the FIS world championships in 2021 behind New Zealand's Zoi Sadowski-Synnott.

In Saturday's slopestyle qualifying round, Sadowski-Synnott proved she is still in excellent form by finishing top with a combined score of 86.75. Gasser and Anderson also made it to Sunday's final, finishing fourth and fifth respectively.

Reigning slopestyle world champion and bronze medallist in big air Marcus Kleveland is the men's main gold medal threat. Canada will have a team stacked with talent with heavyweights including current big air champion Sebastien Toutant, two-time slopestyle Olympic bronze medallist Mark McMorris and PyeongChang 2018 slopestyle silver medallist Max Parrot.

Don't forget the US powerhouse squad leading with Olympic champ Red Gerard, followed by Lausanne 2020 Youth Olympic slopestyle champion Dusty Henricksen and Chris Corning who finished just off the podium at PyeongChang 2018, taking fourth in big air.

Halfpipe:

On the women's side, defending Olympic champion Chloe Kim is the favourite amidst another flawless season. She heads to Beijing as the reigning world champion and X Games champion. But US teammate and world championship runner up Maddie Mastro is sure to give her a stern test, while Chinese duo Cai Xuetong (nine-time crystal globe winner) and Pyeongchang 2018 silver medallist Liu Jiayu are also expected to excite on home soil.

There are an abundance of storylines in the men's competition. King of the pipe, three-time Olympic champion Shaun White is back for his fifth Games, but since his heroic final-run at PyeongChang 2018 he was off the competition for three years. In that time the tricks have developed significantly and Japan's team of riders have been leading the way. Get ready to see a fierce battle between two-time Olympic silver medallist Hirano Ayumu, 2021 world champion Totsuka Yuto and Lausanne 2020 Youth Olympic champion Hirano Ruka.

Snowboard competition schedule at Beijing 2022 Olympics

Venues:

• Genting Ski Park
• Big Air Shougang

Dates: Saturday 5 February–Tuesday 15 February

All times below are in China Standard Time (UTC+8). Schedule details are subject to change at short notice.

Saturday 5 February

10:45 - 11:45 Women's Snowboard Slopestyle Qualification Run 1
11:47 - 12:47 Women's Snowboard Slopestyle Qualification Run 2

Sunday 6 February

9:30 - 9:55 Women's Snowboard Slopestyle Final Run 1
9:57 - 10:22 Women's Snowboard Slopestyle Final Run 2
10:24 - 10:49 Women's Snowboard Slopestyle Final Run 3 - medal event
12:30 - 13:30 Men's Snowboard Slopestyle Qualification Run 1
13:32 - 14:32 Men's Snowboard Slopestyle Qualification Run 2

Monday 7 February

12:00 - 12:25 Men's Snowboard Slopestyle Final Run 1
12:27 - 12:52 Men's Snowboard Slopestyle Final Run 2
12:54 - 13:19 Men's Snowboard Slopestyle Final Run 3 - medal event

Tuesday 8 February

10:40 - 11:05 Women's Parallel Giant Slalom Qualification Run
11:07 - 11:32 Men's Parallel Giant Slalom Qualification Run
11:34 - 11:59 Women's Parallel Giant Slalom Elimination Run
12:01 - 12:26 Men's Parallel Giant Slalom Elimination Run
14:30 - 14:48 Women's Parallel Giant Slalom 1/8 Finals
14:48 - 15:06 Men's Parallel Giant Slalom 1/8 Finals
15:06 - 15:15 Women's Parallel Giant Slalom Quarterfinals
15:15 - 15:24 Men's Parallel Giant Slalom Quarterfinals
15:24 - 15:30 Women's Parallel Giant Slalom Semifinals
15:30 - 15:36 Men's Parallel Giant Slalom Semifinals
15:36 Women's Parallel Giant Slalom Small Final - medal event
15:43 Men's Parallel Giant Slalom Small Final - medal event
After Small Final Women's Parallel Giant Slalom Big Final - medal event
After Small Final Men's Parallel Giant Slalom Big Final - medal event

Wednesday 9 February

9:30 - 10:19 Women's Snowboard Halfpipe Qualification Run 1
10:21 - 11:10 Women's Snowboard Halfpipe Qualification Run 2
11:00 - 11:45 Women's Snowboard Cross Seeding Run 1
11:55 - 12:25 Women's Snowboard Cross Seeding Run 2
12:30 - 13:19 Men's Snowboard Halfpipe Qualification Run 1
13:21 - 14:10 Men's Snowboard Halfpipe Qualification Run 2
14:30 - 15:04 Women's Snowboard Cross 1/8 Finals
15:07 - 15:25 Women's Snowboard Cross Quarterfinals
15:28 - 15:38 Women's Snowboard Cross Semifinals
15:45 Women's Snowboard Cross Small Final
After Small Final Women's Snowboard Cross Big Final - medal event

Thursday 10 February

9:30 - 9:55 Women's Snowboard Halfpipe Final Run 1
9:57 - 10:22 Women's Snowboard Halfpipe Final Run 2
10:24 - 10:49 Women's Snowboard Halfpipe Final Run 3 - medal event
11:15 - 12:00 Men's Snowboard Cross Seeding Run 1
12:10 - 12:40 Men's Snowboard Cross Seeding Run 2
14:00 - 14:34 Men's Snowboard Cross 1/8 Finals
14:37 - 14:55 Men's Snowboard Cross Quarterfinals
14:58 - 15:08 Men's Snowboard Cross Semifinals
15:15 Men's Snowboard Cross Small Final
After Small Final Men's Snowboard Cross Big Final - medal event

Friday 11 February

9:30 - 9:55 Men's Snowboard Halfpipe Final Run 1
9:57 - 10:22 Men's Snowboard Halfpipe Final Run 2
10:24 - 10:49 Men's Snowboard Halfpipe Final Run 3 - medal event

Saturday 12 February

10:00 - 10:24 Mixed Team Snowboard Cross Quarterfinals
10:30 - 10:42 Mixed Team Snowboard Cross Semifinals
10:50 Mixed Team Snowboard Cross Small Final
After Small Final Mixed Team Snowboard Cross Big Final - medal event

Monday 14 February

9:30 - 10:14 Women's Snowboard Big Air Qualification Run 1
10:15 - 10:59 Women's Snowboard Big Air Qualification Run 2
11:00 - 11:45 Women's Snowboard Big Air Qualification Run 3 13:30 - 14:14 Men's Snowboard Big Air Qualification Run 1
14:15 - 14:59 Men's Snowboard Big Air Qualification Run 2
15:00 - 15:45 Men's Snowboard Big Air Qualification Run 3

Tuesday 15 February

9:30 - 9:50 Women's Snowboard Big Air Final Run 1
9:52 - 10:12 Women's Snowboard Big Air Final Run 2
10:15 - 10:35 Women's Snowboard Big Air Final Run 3 - medal event
13:00 - 13:20 Men's Snowboard Big Air Final Run 1
13:22 - 13:42 Men's Snowboard Big Air Final Run 2
13:45 - 14:05 Men's Snowboard Big Air Final Run 3 - medal event

How to watch snowboard at Beijing 2022

Snowboarding requires a multitude of different skills and when judges are involved, there are a few key components to look out for.

Halfpipe and slopestyle riders are given scores based on their amplitude, difficulty, variety, execution and progression. In slopestyle the overall score is made up of 60% trick and 40% on overall impression.

For big air, riders are judged off a criteria called D-E-A-L: difficulty, execution, amplitude and landing. You'll notice riders who complete the trick in the air and land with full control will earn higher scores than those who land with their hand dragging on the ground for balance. A wobbly landing means points will be deducted.

Salt Lake 2002 halfpipe gold medallist Kelly Clark has high expectations of the halfpipe snowboarding at Beijing 2022. In past Olympics, stars like Shaun White have stomped a huge trick in their final run to claim victory, but she can't see that happening this time around.

Women's snowboarding has evolved since the last Olympics and Clark is anticipating a thrilling event: "We're going to see multiple double corks in the women's top three." Double corks are when a rider tilts upside down twice during a spin, which usually requires more airtime.

The two time Olympic bronze medallist is excited to see more switch riding from the women too. This is where a competitor is riding in their unnatural stance and their back foot is leading. The rider is given a higher score for completing tricks while holding the more difficult stance.

For the men's competition she says, "It's going to be a progression game." The frontside triple cork 1440 is a trick fans should become familiar with as it will be often in commentary. It entails three head-over-heels flips with a twist, while also grabbing the board airborne above the halfpipe wall

Ayumu Hirano made history in December after landing the first-ever triple cork in competition, so there are high hopes of seeing it done at the Olympics for the first time in Beijing.