Winter Olympics: Luca Harrington qualifies fifth for 2026 big air final

New Zealand freeskier Luca Harrington competes in run one of the men's big air qualification on day nine of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic games at Livigno Air Park. Photo / Getty Images

Kiwi bronze medallist Luca Harrington has a chance to add to his 2026 Winter Olympics medal haul after advancing to the freeski big air final.

Harrington finished with a best two-score total of 179.75 over his three runs to sit in fifth place after qualifying. The big air world champion produced his best in run two with a switch triple cork 1800, which scored 92.00.

Fellow Kiwis Ben Barclay (139.50) and Lucas Ball (114.75) both missed out on the 12-man final, though Ball impressed with his last run, producing a nosebutter triple with safety grab that earned a score of 90.00. But earlier errors meant the 17-year-old fell short of the finals in 24th, five spots below Barclay.

The final takes place at 7.30am on Wednesday (NZT).

American Mac Forehand led the way in qualifying with a total score of 183.00, helped by an opening run of 93.25. Austria’s Matej Svancer (182.25) and defending champion Birk Ruud (181.00) closed out the top three.

Frenchman Matias Roche produced the best score of the night with a 95.25 on his first attempt but couldn’t back it up again, finishing in sixth.

Harrington is the third New Zealander to book a spot in a final today, after snowboarders Dane Menzies and Zoi Sadowski-Synnott topped their respective qualifying sessions in the slopestyle.

Harrington was disappointed with the score on his opening jump – a double misty pullback.

“This is crazier than some of our biggest finals events that we’ve had in big air, big ups to everyone,” he told Sky Sport.

“It felt really good. Came in with a plan and executed the plan and even got a bonus hit in the end. I’ve been working really hard on that first trick I put down tonight and it didn’t get rewarded the way I wanted it to. It’s been a big process and one of the hardest tricks I’ve ever worked through. That was a bit of a shame to see but it’s hard to compete against all these triple 19s and nosebutters ... all sorts of stuff. It’s just such a pleasure to be part of this event and to be pushing the scores that we are.”