Svea Irving Advances to Olympic Halfpipe Final After Eighth-Place Qualifier as Livigno Snow Shuffles Schedule
Svea Irving finished eighth in the Women’s Freeski Halfpipe Olympic qualifiers and will advance to the finals on Saturday, Feb. 21, at 11: 30 a. m. ET. Her two qualifying runs produced scores of 77. 75 and 80. 75, with only each competitor’s highest score used to set the standings.
Svea Irving secures final berth with an 80. 75 top run
Irving, 23, posted a first-run score of 77. 75 and improved to an 80. 75 on her second run, leaving her eighth among the field and guaranteed a slot in the medal-deciding round. The qualifiers were led by athletes from Great Britain, China and Canada, with the top three qualifying scores at 91. 50, 90. 00 and 88. 25 respectively. One high-profile competitor who had taken an early top score did not finish a second run and was escorted off the halfpipe on a medical sled.
With the qualifying format using only the highest score from two attempts, Irving’s 80. 75 was sufficient to move her into the final session. The Winter Park community is lining up viewing options for the final: an official watch party is planned at Sundog Restaurant on Saturday, Feb. 21, at 11: 30 a. m. ET, where attendees will see a live screening of the finals and have a chance to win IKON Pass merchandise.
Family presence and Livigno weather add layers to the Olympic run
The on-course story for Irving is matched by an off-course narrative about family and logistics. Her grandfather, John Irving, will not travel to the competition because of health and travel constraints and will instead be in Vancouver for other commitments. He has been following the siblings’ Olympic campaigns closely and will rely on an assistant named Finlay to keep him connected to the action with live streams. The family exchanges—notes and messages—have been part of the siblings’ Olympic experience as they juggle competition and connection from afar.
Meanwhile, schedule planners in Livigno are managing another variable: continuing snowfall has required adjustments to the competition timetable, with event organizers juggling halfpipe and aerials schedules. That developing weather situation casts an extra wrinkle over final preparations and viewing plans, underscoring how conditions off the scoreboard can shape the path to a podium.
What to watch in the final
Irving’s path to the podium will go through the Saturday final at 11: 30 a. m. ET, where the two-run qualifying format gives way to a medal-deciding session. For Irving and other finalists, the focus will be on producing a single standout run when it counts. The broader storyline includes sibling dynamics within the team, attention from family members who will be following from different locations, and the practical impact of Livigno’s wintry weather on event timing and logistics.
As the finals approach, the combination of Irving’s qualifying performance, family support from afar, and the evolving schedule in Livigno will shape both how fans watch and how athletes prepare. Svea Irving will enter the final having shown the score buffer she needs to stay in contention; now she and the field will contend with a compressed, weather-tinged calendar as they chase Olympic medals.
