LIVIGNO, Italy — Mac Forehand’s first two jumps were so good that he could take it easy on his third and still win the evening.
Two other Americans – Troy Podmilsak and Konnor Ralph – scored well enough to advance, too, and all three are promising to come out swinging with bigger and better tricks in the final at the 2026 Winter Olympics.
Yeah, Feb. 15 was a good night for Team USA in the men’s freestyle skiing big air qualifying.
“I don’t want to jinx them,” said teammate Alex Hall, “but I think we are going to get at least one or two medals in the big air. They are riding so good. It’s so fun to watch.”
One quarter of freeski big air’s 12-man Olympic final on Feb. 17 will be comprised of Americans who’d already competed in these Games in slopestyle.
Same goes for the men’s slopestyle snowboarding qualifying final on Feb. 18. Three USA riders qualified – also on Feb. 15 – for that final. Ollie Martin, Jake Canter and Red Gerard were in the big air previously in snowboarding.
So what does slopestyle have to do with big air? That seems a popular question.
Qualifying Olympians in snowboarding and freestyle skiing are automatically added – or forced, you might also say – to compete in both slopestyle and big air. There is a systematic connection between these two events despite clear differences. Slopestyle is contested on a longer course with rails and various jumps. Big air is just one jump off an enormous ramp. It’s kind of like traditional ski jumping, except athletes perform acrobatic tricks before landing.
It is entertaining. It’s more dangerous, too.
As such, it’s generally viewed as better to have slopestyle scheduled first in an Olympics, because you aren’t risking injury as much in slopestyle, whereas an injury in big air – if it’s up first – could impact both events.
Freestyle skiing got the benefit of having slopestyle first in these Olympics, while snowboarding did not.
Hall, who won silver in freeski slopestyle earlier in these Olympics, was the lone American not to make it out of the Feb. 15 big air qualifying.
“I just love slopestyle way more, honestly,” Hall said. “… Not that one is more impressive than the other, but this is like going to war. You’ve just got to survive and do the craziest trick you can ever think of, where slopestyle is a lot about finesse and figuring out a run.”
Gerard, a former gold-medalist in snowboarding slopestyle, was critical earlier this Olympics of a format that makes him compete in both events when “I’m not a fan of big air at all,” he said. “… If I wasn’t forced to do (big air), I wouldn’t do it.”
While others haven’t voiced it as strongly, many seem to agree with Gerard and Hall. They’d lean toward a preference for slopestyle, even if they’ve performed well in big air.
“I definitely like slopestyle more,” said snowboarder Martin, who nearly medaled in big air earlier in these Olympics. “It just feels safer. You’re able to have a run going. It’s more creative.”
Canadian snowboarder Mark McMorris, a three-time bronze medalist in slopestyle, was injured during big-air training leading up to these Olympics, causing him to miss that event. He was fortunate to be able to return for slopestyle, and he has qualified for that final.
“The last two Olympics since (big air) has been added,” McMorris said, “it’s been slopestyle into big air (for snowboarding). Big air is pretty dangerous. So I definitely preferred the other way around. …
“Big air can take names. Including myself.”
With the slopestyle already out of the way in freestyle skiing, an American like Forehand said he took advantage of a bit more freedom for risks in big air.
By scoring 93.25 in his first jump and 89.75 in his second, Forehand placed first in qualifying with a 183.00 total. He is a strong contender for a medal in the big air final, and he’s not alone among Team USA.
“I’d prefer, I think, big air second, honestly,” Forehand said. “We did big air first in Beijing. I feel like you can go into big air kind of in a gung-ho attitude, like do whatever you want. You don’t have to worry about getting hurt for slopestyle.”