Alex Hall opens Olympic title defense as men’s slopestyle begins in Livigno
Alex Hall’s bid to repeat as Olympic freeski slopestyle champion starts Saturday in Livigno, with qualification scheduled for 8:00 a.m. ET at Livigno Snow Park. Hall, who won gold in the event at the 2022 Games, arrives as one of the sport’s most creative all-around riders — and one of the few athletes capable of winning with either a high-difficulty jump package or a rail-heavy, style-first run.
Saturday’s qualifier is the first pressure test on a course that has drawn attention for long, technical rail sections and a layout that can punish even small timing errors. The men’s final is set for Tuesday, Feb. 10.
Who Alex Hall is and why he matters
Hall is the defending Olympic champion in men’s slopestyle and a regular fixture at the top of big-event podiums. His skiing is often described as “complete”: he can spin with the best, but he’s also comfortable earning points through switch takeoffs, unusual grabs, and rail lines that stand out in a crowded field.
He was born in Fairbanks, Alaska, and spent much of his upbringing in Switzerland, a background that has shaped his approach and style. At 27, this is his third Olympic cycle, and his experience is a major asset in a discipline where one missed rail can end a medal run.
Saturday qualification: start time and order
The men’s slopestyle qualification begins at 8:00 a.m. ET (2:00 p.m. local time). Hall is listed with bib No. 2 and a start position in the first third of the field, which can be a mixed blessing: earlier skiers may face a course that’s less “broken in,” but they also get a clearer read on conditions before weather shifts.
The qualification system advances 12 athletes to the final, placing a premium on landing one clean, confident run rather than chasing perfection twice.
The course: rails that can swing the event
Livigno’s slopestyle track is built to reward balance and precision. The extended rails raise the technical ceiling and increase the odds of surprise eliminations, particularly for athletes who rely on pushing speed into the first section.
For Hall, the rails are a natural weapon — but they also introduce risk, because a more ambitious line can create higher variance. In qualification, the smart play is often a slightly “safer” run that still scores well, saving the biggest combinations for the medal round.
Main rivals and the U.S. depth behind him
The men’s slopestyle field is stacked with athletes who can win on any given day. Norway’s Birk Ruud enters as a leading contender across multiple freeski events, while a deep U.S. group adds internal pressure as well as podium potential.
Mac Forehand has been a consistent threat in slopestyle and brings a powerful jump set that can outscore style-based runs when executed cleanly. Jesper Tjäder adds another dimension with technical rails and inventive transitions, and several younger skiers have closed the gap quickly with higher difficulty and cleaner landings.
That depth is important because Olympic slopestyle often comes down to margins: a slightly under-rotated landing, a missed rail connection, or a grab that’s a fraction late can decide who advances — and who leaves early.
Recent form: results that show range
In the past two winters, Hall has continued to show he can contend across formats. He posted strong outcomes at the Aspen action-sports invitational in both 2025 and 2026, including a slopestyle podium and a separate event win that underscored his versatility.
He also stood on the podium at the 2025 world championships in slopestyle, reinforcing that his Olympic gold wasn’t a one-off. The consistent theme: when Hall gets one clean run with his preferred mix of style, switch skiing, and measured difficulty, he’s hard to beat.
What to watch next week
If Hall advances comfortably on Saturday, attention turns to how aggressive he gets in Tuesday’s final. The likely decision point is jump strategy: maximize spin difficulty to match the biggest scorers, or lean into his signature approach — cleaner landings, more distinctive grabs, and rails that separate him from the pack.
A second storyline is the event schedule beyond slopestyle. The same group of athletes is expected to carry many of the headline moments through big air later in the program, making energy management and risk selection critical across multiple medal chances.
For Hall, the path is clear: qualify cleanly, stay healthy, and bring the most complete run of the week on Tuesday morning. In a field this deep, repeating as Olympic champion requires not just one brilliant day — but a mistake-free week.
Sources consulted: International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS); Olympics.com; U.S. Ski & Snowboard; X Games
