New Zealand topped both the men’s and women’s qualifying in snowboard slopestyle with Dane Menzies and Zoi Sadowski-Synnott a strong chance to double the medal count at the 2026 Winter Olympics.
With the men’s qualifying session brought a few days forward because of weather, Menzies made the most of it, putting down a score of 86.06 on his first run which was enough to be first at the end of the two runs.
Sadowski-Synnott, meanwhile, laid down the marker as the defending champion in women’s qualifying, with a best score of 88.08 in the second run as she chases a fifth medal on Wednesday.
New Zealanders Lyon Farrell and Rocco Jamieson both missed out on the men’s final on Thursday. Farrell was consistent with scores of 68.81 and 65.80 but couldn’t crack the top 12, finishing in 15th. Jamieson was 18th with scores of 56.56 and 42.28.
Norway’s Marcus Kleveland (81.86) and Mark McMorris of Canada (81.81) were some way back from Menzies. McMorris, who has three medals in the event, was cleared to compete in the slopestyle after a heavy crash in the big air last week. Fellow Canadian Cameron Spalding is the favourite for the slopestyle after winning the Crystal Globe last season but could only manage fifth place in qualifying with a best score of 78.76.
Beijing 2022 silver medallist Su Yiming was also below his best but still made the final in eighth spot. US youngster Oliver Martin will be another to watch for in the final. backing up his maiden World Cup win this season by qualifying in sixth.
Big Air gold medallist Kira Kumara missed out on the final, finishing 14th.
Sadowski-Synnott, who won the world championships last year, opened with a 81.73 which left her in second behind Japan’s Murase Kokomo, who won the big air event last week.
But the Kiwi improved on her second run to take top spot. Big air bronze medallist Seumegeun Yu was third with a best of 76.80. New Zealand’s Lucia Georgalli failed to make the final with a best run of 50.60 ranking her 20th.
The women’s final takes place 1am on Wednesday, while the men’s is scheduled for 12.30am Thursday.
At the Tofane Alpine Skiing Centre, Alice Robinson was considered a medal chance in the giant slalom but couldn’t find the form that won her two World Cup events earlier in the season.
Robinson was sitting 10th after run one but when she completed her second run, couldn’t put any pressure on the remaining skiers behind her, was sitting in fourth before eventually ending in eighth, 0.80 seconds off gold.
Local hope and Super G champion Federica Brignone completed the double after setting the best time in run one to claim gold in 2m 13.50s.
Defending champion Sarah Hector, of Sweden, and Norway’s Thea St Jernesund shared the silver medal after amazingly they completed the same time in both runs.
American Mikaela Shiffrin, the 2018 champion, finished 11th.
Robinson sat 10th after run one with a time of 1m 4.25s, 1.09s off the lead held by Brignone. The Kiwi had the advantage of having coach Nils Coberger setting the course for the first run. Germany’s Lena Duerr was second with Italian Sofia Goggia in third after run one but both missed out on the medals.
Piera Hudson, from Hawke’s Bay, racing for UAE, set the 42nd fastest time in run one of 1m 8.01s. The top 30 raced for the medals in run two.
Cameron McMillan has been a sports journalist since 2003 and is NZME’s Deputy Head of Sport.