Mac Forehand Dominates Intense Freeski Big Air Qualifying Round
Freeskiers made history on Sunday night during the qualifying round of men’s big air at the 2026 Milan Cortina Olympics. The event showcased an impressive level of talent and progression among competitors from around the world.
Mac Forehand Shines in Big Air Qualifying Round
Leading the pack was Mac Forehand from the United States. He delivered a remarkable performance, executing a switch left triple cork 1980 and a left nose-butter triple cork 1620. His impressive scores of 93.25 and 89.75 earned him a top spot with a total of 183.00 points. Forehand will compete last in Tuesday’s final round.
U.S. Teammates Perform Admirably
Forehand’s U.S. teammates also made their mark. Troy Podmilsak secured the 10th position with 174.00 points, while Konnor Ralph finished in 12th place with 171.75 points. Both athletes put forth impressive combinations, narrowly making it to the 12-skier cut.
Standout Performers from Other Nations
Austrian skier Matej Svancer showcased his skills, achieving the second-best score of 182.25. He was closely followed by Norway’s Birk Ruud, who scored 181.00 to place third. Ruud, the defending champion in big air, opted to skip his final run after last week’s victory in slopestyle.
- 1st: Mac Forehand (USA) – 183.00
- 2nd: Matej Svancer (Austria) – 182.25
- 3rd: Birk Ruud (Norway) – 181.00
- 4th: Tormod Frostad (Norway) – 180.25
- 5th: Luca Harrington (New Zealand) – 179.75
- 6th: Matias Roche (France) – 178.50
- 7th: Timothe Sivignon (France) – 178.00
Anticipation Builds for Final Round
Luca Harrington from New Zealand, the recent Winter X Games winner, came in fifth with a score of 179.75. He noted the breathtaking tricks performed during the qualifiers. French skiers Matias Roche and Timothe Sivignon surprised audiences, finishing 6th and 7th respectively, with Sivignon having previously reached a World Cup podium.
As the excitement builds for the finals, competitors are ready to deliver even bigger tricks. The stage is set for an exhilarating showdown in the men’s big air finals at the Milan Cortina Olympics.
