Zoe Atkin qualifies top for freeski halfpipe final at Milano Cortina
zoe atkin put down a first run worth 91. 50 to qualify top for the women's freeski halfpipe final, a result that gives the world champion a strong position as she looks to add Olympic gold to her résumé ahead of Saturday's final.
Atkin, 23, produced the score on her opening run and impressed judges with the height of her tricks above the 6. 7m-high pipe. The performance came with her family watching at Livigno Snow Park and followed her World Championship triumph, adding momentum as she bids for a Winter Olympic title.
Zoe Atkin's first run secures top spot
Atkin's best mark of 91. 50 on her first attempt was enough to put her at the head of the field. "It feels so good, " she said, acknowledging the nerves of a big event and the pressure of qualifying when athletes have only two runs to land a score. She said qualifying top gives her confidence going into the best-of-three-run final, where she will drop last.
Born and raised in the United States to a British father and a Malaysian mother, Atkin has represented Great Britain throughout her career and made her Olympic debut four years ago. She is also a two-time X Games champion and the current world champion in the halfpipe. Her older sister, Izzy Atkin, won Great Britain's first Olympic medal on skis with a slopestyle bronze in 2018.
Rivals and incidents in the qualifiers
China's defending champion, Eileen Gu, qualified fifth with a score of 86. 50 after crashing on her first run; she remains a noted rival for the gold. Canada's Cassie Sharpe, the 2018 Olympic champion and 2022 silver medallist, qualified third after her first run but suffered a heavy crash on her second and was taken away on a stretcher.
The field faced testing conditions: heavy snow fell on Livigno throughout the day, forcing the men's halfpipe qualifiers to be postponed. The rescheduled men's event is set for Friday morning, with Gus Kenworthy and Liam Richards among those due to compete.
Family pride and focus ahead of the final
Atkin's father said he hoped his daughter would "focus less and worry less" as she approaches the final, and praised her recent run of strong results. He noted the family's connections to the West Midlands and their support from home, and said the family had kept expectations modest while encouraging Atkin to "just ski well; do try and put down a run you can be proud of. "
Atkin herself said qualifying in first allows her to see what others do and to strategise for the final. She added that the steep pitch of the pipe provides plenty of speed — an aspect that suits her style of going big.
Atkin will drop last into the women's freeski halfpipe final at 18: 30 GMT on Saturday — 1: 30 p. m. ET — with the title decided over three runs. The men's halfpipe qualifiers, postponed by heavy snow, will take place on Friday morning at 09: 30 GMT (4: 30 a. m. ET), featuring competitors including Gus Kenworthy and Liam Richards.
