Freeski Big Air has finally been adopted as an official event from this tournament. The game is how to express advanced techniques and style on a parabolic line from a huge kicker. The stage of the Beijing Olympics is a gorgeous special venue in downtown Beijing. Here, let me tell you the main points of freeski big air, which is said to be the star event.
Free Ski Big Air | Free Ski Big Air
The new event stage is a
marvelous aerial showtime in
■Beijing Olympics Freeski Big Air Competition Schedule
A new event, Freeski Big Air, is scheduled early in the competition. It is held on weekdays and during the day. The men's and women's preliminary rounds are on the same schedule, but the finals, which consist of three skates each, are separate. It tends to be easily affected by the wind, and depending on the weather on the day, it may be canceled or the schedule may be changed. (Schedule may change due to weather conditions, etc.)
| Date and time | venue | Broadcast schedule | |
| February 7 (Mon) 9:30-11:44 (Japan time 10:30-12:44) | Women's Freestyle Big Air Qualifying Runs 1-3 | big air neck steel | February 7 (Monday) 13:30- Internet live distribution (NHK) gorin.jp is here |
| February 7 (Mon) 13:30-15:44 (Japan time 14:30-16:44) | Men's Freestyle Big Air Qualifying Runs 1-3 | big air neck steel | February 7 (Monday) 14:20- Internet live distribution (NHK) gorin.jp is here |
| February 8 (Tue) 10:00-11:05 (Japan time 11:00-12:05) | Women's Freestyle Big Air Finals 1-3 | big air neck steel | February 8 (Tue) 13:50- Recording (NHK General) gorin.jp is here |
| February 9 (Sat) 11:00-12:05 (Japan time 12:00-13:05) | Men's Freestyle Big Air Finals 1-3 | big air neck steel | February 9th (Sat) 11:50- Live broadcast (NHK BS1) gorin.jp is here |
Highlights of the Beijing Olympics Free Ski Big Air
Freeski big air is a new event that has been adopted from this year's competition, along with aerial mixed team and snowboard cross mixed team. Currently, there are no big air specialists in the Olympic phase, and freeski slopestyle athletes are eligible to compete. This is similar to the relationship between Snowboard Slopestyle and Snowboard Big Air.
From a long approach, you fly forward with a giant kicker and perform tricks in the air. There are many points to judge, such as the approach (forward or backward) to enter the kicker, the direction and axis of the spin, the number of rotations, the grab and style in the air, the size of the air itself, the landing, the novelty of the technique, and the originality.
And one of the highlights of this tournament is that a special venue was set up in the city. The stage is a special venue "Big Air Shougang" newly established in Beijing. As you can see, it is gorgeous and powerful.
If they win, they will be given the special title of “the first gold medalist,” so the motivation of the players is high. However, in snowboarding, slopestyle is followed by big air, while skiing is the opposite, which could have some impact on medal contention. In other words, if there is a player who thinks “Slopestyle is his favorite”, only he knows how he perceives big air.
There are only two World Cups this season, so the results are difficult to judge, but 17-year-old Matty Svensser (Austria) has become an important mark with two wins from two games. . In addition, Alex Hall (USA), who won the Big Air of the Winter X-Games, which is said to be a prelude to the Olympics, Mack Forehand and Burke Ruud (Norway), who finished second, and Oliver Magnuson (2021 World Champion) Sweden) and Andri Ragettli (Switzerland), who is recovering from injury, are expected to compete for medals.
Currently, double and triple cork, which was considered the most difficult until a while ago, is a matter of course, and the overall level is steadily increasing. In that case, not only the number of rotations, but also the axis of rotation, grabs and style will be an important part for the judges to focus on.
The women's favorite is Irene Gu (China), who is aiming for triple crowns in freeski halfpipe and freeski slopestyle. Raised in America but coming from her mother's home country of China, she boasts of her extraordinary athleticism. She is the first woman to master the double cork 1440, and if it hits perfectly on the big stage, she's all but certain to win gold. If the host country wins the championship, the whole country will be in an uproar.
▼ Freeski Big Air video from 2022 WinterX Games
There is no footage of the Pyeongchang Olympics because freeski big air is a new event that was adopted from Beijing this time. The competition stage is different, but here is his latest Big Air footage from the Winter X Gmaes, which is famously a prelude to the Beijing Olympics. Many of the X Games athletes have been selected to represent the Olympics, mainly in North American countries. Check it out to predict the future of the Beijing Olympics!
■ Beijing Olympics free ski big air match format
From the preliminaries to the finals, it will be contested in this way.
skates
3 times each, and the highest score of each skater is used to determine the order, and the top 8 move on to the final . The highest score will be used to determine the final standings
Freeski Big Air is a simple system. There are three chances to fly in the qualifying and the final, and the ranking is determined by the highest score among the three. In other words, even if the other two are unsuccessful, it is enough to get a high score once. Preliminary scores do not count toward final scores. The order of skiing in the qualifying is decided by lottery, and the final is a system in which the skiers skate in order from the bottom of the qualifying ranking.
*The match format and ranking format may change depending on the weather on the day.
■Beijing Olympic Free Ski Big Air Venue
big air neck steel
■ Beijing Olympics Free Ski Big Air Japan national team 
[Women]
| name | Date of birth | where one is from | Affiliation | Number of Olympic appearances | |
| Kokone Kondo | @cocone_kondo | February 19, 2003 | Kitaazumi-gun, Nagano Prefecture | oriental bio | first appearance |
The Freeski Big Air is open to freeski slopestyle representatives, so 18-year-old Kokone Kondo, the only representative of the same event from Japan, will be competing. Kondo has won big air competitions in Japan, but so far has not had a remarkable record in international competitions. However, she is in the process of rapid growth now, and it is possible that she will see the light if she hits it with her challenger spirit.
Text/Daisuke Mizorogi
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