Yuto Totsuka edges Scotty James in a razor-thin men’s snowboard halfpipe final on Day 7
Japan’s Yuto Totsuka soared to Olympic gold on Friday, outdueling Australia’s Scotty James in a high-wire men’s snowboard halfpipe showdown that delivered the deepest scoring of these Games so far. The title bout capped a busy Day 7 that earlier saw cross-country star Johannes Høsflot Klæbo reach historic territory with his eighth Olympic gold and a flurry of podiums across biathlon, speedskating and snowboard cross.
Mens halfpipe snowboard final lives up to the billing
Under the Livigno lights—midafternoon back in the U. S. with the final window running about 1: 30–3: 00 p. m. ET—Totsuka posted a 95. 00 that held through the last drops, sealing gold by the slimmest of margins. James answered with a spectacular second run for 93. 50, but a last-ditch attempt unravelled when he went down on the second of two 1440s he needed to overhaul the lead. The duel headlined what riders and coaches had anticipated all week: a final where the winning score might be measured in tenths and the difference made by one grab, one landing, one decision at the lip.
Four riders broke 90, underscoring the standard set in a pipe primed for amplitude and variety. James had set the tone in qualifying with a 94. 00 and unveiled a switch backside double cork 1440 Japan that turned heads, while Totsuka’s top run blended high-difficulty spins with signature cleanliness. Defending champion Ayumu Hirano was part of a deep Japanese unit that kept the pressure high from the first drop to the last.
How Totsuka sealed it — and how James nearly stole it back
Totsuka’s gold came from precision as much as power. His winning pass stitched together heavy rotations with immaculate landings, leaving judges little room to deduct. James, who has long sought the one title missing from his glittering résumé, came agonizingly close. His second run had the flow, variety, and execution to pull within reach; the final run demanded perfection, and a single mistake made the difference. In a final this close, small details—grab security, axis control, and exit speed—separated the medals.
Even in silver, James left the strongest message of his Olympic career: the tricks are there, and the difficulty ceiling continues to rise. With the season’s biggest stage now behind them, the sport pivots to a post-Games stretch where this elevated baseline is likely to redefine what it takes to win.
Day 7 snapshot: Klæbo’s eighth gold rewrites the record chase
Earlier Friday, Klæbo added another line to his legacy with victory in the men’s 10km cross-country race, becoming the fourth athlete to reach eight Winter Games golds. The Norwegian standout has combined championship poise with sprint-closing menace throughout these Games, and his latest win nudges him alongside the all-time greats of the sport.
The ripple effect of his triumph was immediate across the Nordic venue: rivals now face a calculus that assumes Klæbo’s late-race surge and technical polish are the baseline, not the outlier, for medal contention.
Podiums popping across biathlon, snowboard cross, and speedskating
Friday’s medal rush also crowned champions across multiple venues. Australia celebrated earlier in the day when Josie Baff captured gold in women’s snowboard cross, a wide-open event that delivered a fresh champion in the bracket final. In biathlon, France’s Quentin Fillon Maillet claimed the men’s 10km sprint title with a clinical balance of pace and shooting, while Czech speed skater Metoděj Jílek took the men’s 10, 000m in a test of control and closing lap strength.
The track-and-range drama mirrored the energy on the pipe: slim margins, surging form, and moments where tactical choices proved decisive.
What’s next: figure skating spotlight and a busy hockey slate
Attention turns to figure skating with Ilia Malinin headlining the men’s single free skate in prime U. S. viewing windows later this evening ET. On the ice, the women’s hockey bracket tightens with the United States meeting Italy in the quarterfinals. Curling served up rivalry spice earlier: Canada topped the U. S. in the men’s draw in the morning before the American women answered with a 9–8 victory in the afternoon.
Skeleton also rolled into action after Klæbo’s gold, opening a sliding track program that will continue to gather speed across the weekend. With a packed slate still ahead, Day 7’s takeaway is clear: the margins are thin, the stakes are high, and the headline acts are delivering.
