To make watching the Milan-Cortina Olympics even more enjoyable, it's important to learn the basics of freestyle skiing and aerials, including the characteristics of the sport, what to look out for, and the rules
■What is Aerial? Its fun
"The ultimate precision competition" where perfection is required in 0.1 seconds
Aerials is a sport in which skiers take a big leap from a specially designed steep jump and perform complex spins and somersaults in the air, competing for the most perfect execution. It became an official Olympic event at the 1994 Lillehammer Games and is known as the sport in freestyle skiing where perfection is the most important
In competitions, the entire flow is evaluated, from the approach run to the takeoff, mid-air movements, and landing. Highly difficult techniques combining vertical and horizontal spins are required in the air, and even the slightest deviation from the axis or a disturbance in posture cannot be overlooked. It is an extremely severe world where success or failure can be decided in an instant
The appeal of aerials lies in its "perfection." Behind the spectacular-looking jumps, extremely precise body movements are taking place. The take-off angle, the start of the rotation, how the eyes are used, the impact absorption of the landing. Only when everything is meticulously calculated can a beautiful landing be achieved. The difficulty lies in the low success rate. The more difficult the technique, the lower the chance of success. But to still improve your score, you must attempt more difficult movements. Stability or gamble? It is a sport where you are constantly forced to make that choice
The key to watching a competition is to pay attention to the "quietness" of the aerial posture. Jumps in which there is little shaking during rotation and the body rotates on a single axis are highly perfected. Another important point to watch is whether the aerial jump stops perfectly without any major drifting upon landing. Aerials can be said to be the most tense competition
Check out the video to see it in action!
Points of interest unique to the Milan-Cortina Olympics
At the Milan Olympics, the aerials event will be held in Livigno, a high mountainous area, so the event will be susceptible to the effects of wind and other weather conditions. The feel of the takeoff, depending on the snow quality and temperature, may have an impact on the results. The weather was also bad during the official practice, as shown in the photo below
■Aerial competition format and judging method
In the "Individual" category, the competition will proceed as follows from the preliminaries to the finals
<Qualifying Round 1> All contestants jump once, and the top 6 advance to Final Round 1.
<Qualifying Round 2> Contestants ranked 7th or lower in Qualifying Round 1 jump once each, and the top 6 advance to Final Round 1.
At this time, the higher score from Qualifying Round 1 or Qualifying Round 2 will be used.
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<Final Round 1> & <Final Round 2> The 12 contestants who passed the qualifying rounds jump once each in Final Round 1 and Final Round 2, and the top 6 advance to Final Round 3.
At this time, the higher score from Final Round 1 or Final Round 2 will be used
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<Final Round 3> The 6 winners jump once each to determine the final ranking.
The format of the "mixed team" match is as follows:
<Final 1> Each team (mixed gender, 3 members) jumps once, and the team's total score determines the ranking. The top 4 teams advance to <Final 2>
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<Final 2> Each team member jumps once, and the total score determines the final ranking.
*The match format and ranking format may change depending on the weather on the day
Aerials is also a sport of strategy. To aim for a medal, you need to perform at least four jumps, and strategy here is crucial. Currently, the most difficult trick for men is the triple five twists. However, even if a skater has mastered this, it doesn't mean they can land it every time. This is because rules require a different trick to be performed each time. In other words, it is often saved for the final three, the final showdown. For this reason, skaters who can perform multiple versions of the triple four twists, which are the second most difficult jump after the triple five twists, are strong. However, depending on the situation, it is possible that a triple five twist will be performed in the final two
*The match format and ranking format may change depending on the weather on the day
Milan-Cortina Olympics Aerial Competition Schedule
| Date and time | Event | Broadcast schedule |
|---|---|---|
| 2/17 (Tue) | ●Women's Aerials Qualifying Round [Japan Time] 2/17 (Tue) 18:45 | February 17th (Tue) 18:40~ Tver https://tver.jp/olympic/milanocortina2026/ |
| ●Men's Aerials Qualifying [Japan Time] 2/17 (Tue) 21:30 | February 17th (Tue) 21:25~ Tver https://tver.jp/olympic/milanocortina2026/ | |
| 2/18 (Wed) | ●Women's Aerials Final [Japan Time] 2/18 (Wed) 19:30 | February 18th (Wed) 19:25~ Tver https://tver.jp/olympic/milanocortina2026/ |
| 2/19 (Thu) | ●Men's Aerials Final [Japan Time] February 19th (Thu) 19:30 | February 19th (Thu) 19:25~ Tver https://tver.jp/olympic/milanocortina2026/ |
■ Japanese athletes scheduled to compete in the aerial events at the Milan-Cortina Olympics
[Boys & Women]
| name | date of birth | Birthplace | Affiliation | A track record that meets SAJ's Olympic recommendation standards |
| Haruto Igarashi | December 13, 2002 | Hokkaido | Nippon Sport Science University | '24 FIS Continental Cup (COC) China Tournament AE Winner '24/25 FIS W-CUP AE (Debut Season) Finalist (TOP 6) '25 World Championships Representative Selection Tournament AE Top Finisher (Eligible for Dispatch Criteria) |
| Luna Igarashi | October 1, 2004 | Hokkaido | Nippon Sport Science University | 2024 FIS Continental Cup (COC) Kazakhstan: 2nd place in AE category; 2024/25 FIS COC Overall: Top AE ranking; 2025 FIS World Cup AE: Participated and qualified. |
Haruto and Runa Igarashi, who have decided to compete, are siblings. Both are considered key figures in the next generation of Japanese aerial acrobatics.
In aerial competition, it's all about "difficulty x execution." Haruto Igarashi's greatest strength is his high success rate in landing high-rotation tricks. Runa Igarashi is praised for the "beauty of her lines," "aerial posture," and "clean landings" that are highly valued in women's aerial acrobatics. We look forward to seeing their performance as these siblings challenge for the top spot in the air.