Red Gerard aims for redemption in 2026 winter olympics men's snowboarding slopestyle
Red Gerard, the 2018 slopestyle gold medalist who famously overslept the morning of his first Olympic final, arrives in Italy this month chasing a rare repeat. The 25-year-old American — still known for his easygoing demeanor — endured a disappointing result in the big air qualifier but remains focused on the event that defined his career: men’s slopestyle.
From an oversized jacket to Olympic history
Gerard’s first Olympic gold came as a stunning upset. A 17-year-old who had barely expected to make the final, he spent the night before the event watching television and overslept the next morning, borrowing a friend’s jacket that hung down to his thighs. He vaulted from 11th to first on his final run and took gold by more than a point, becoming the youngest Winter Olympic champion since 1928.
The glow of that victory was fleeting. At the next Games, expectations clashed with judging controversies and personal disappointment. He described the Beijing result as “heartbreaking, ” and the experience left him frustrated with the sport’s subjective elements. Those highs and lows have framed Gerard’s approach as he competes in Italy, where a repeat would make him the first snowboarder to win two Olympic slopestyle gold medals.
Quiet start in Italy, but slopestyle is the focus
Gerard’s time in Italy began with a 20th-place finish in big air qualifying, an event he has said he does not enjoy and was competing in only because athletes are required to enter both disciplines. The result was a muted start for an athlete who prefers slopestyle’s varied terrain and creative trick lines.
“Honestly, I don’t understand why we’re forced to do this, ” Gerard said about competing in both events. “I don’t like to do this. It’s not what I enjoy. ” Still, the early exit from big air means he’ll arrive at slopestyle with a clearer slate and perhaps less pressure than some rivals.
Coaches and teammates stress that Gerard’s slopestyle pedigree is the driving story. He grew up in Colorado chasing jumps and rails with his brothers, built a profile on the Dew Tour and X Games circuit, and parlayed that background into Olympic gold. Now 25, he is squarely focused on the course he knows best and on the opportunity to rewrite the record books.
What to watch in the slopestyle final
Key elements for Gerard will be consistency, amplitude and trick selection. Slopestyle rewards riders who balance technical difficulty with clean execution, and Gerard’s calm, improvisational style can be an advantage on a day when conditions or judging tilt the margins.
Judging remains a flashpoint for athletes in the judged disciplines. Gerard has previously voiced frustration with perceived inconsistencies, and those concerns will be part of the narrative regardless of the final podium. For fans and rivals alike, the story in Italy is whether Gerard can channel the composure that carried him to gold as a teenager and translate it into championship-level runs against a deep field.
Whatever the outcome, Gerard’s presence in the 2026 men’s slopestyle final adds a layer of history and drama. A victory would not only be personal redemption after past disappointments but also a milestone for the sport: two Olympic slopestyle golds for a single rider. For now, he remains the laid-back competitor who once joked about fleeting fame and then walked, briefly, as an Olympic champion through a very different life.
