Zoe Atkin Qualifies Top for Freeski Halfpipe Final, Puts Down 91.50 Opening Run

Zoe Atkin qualified top for the freeski halfpipe final with a best score of 91. 50 on her first run, positioning the reigning world champion and two-time X Games winner as a leading Gold medal contender and raising British hopes heading into the final.

Zoe Atkin’s commanding qualifying run

The 23-year-old delivered an assured opening run that was enough to secure top spot in qualifying. Judges rewarded the height and amplitude of her tricks above the 6. 7m-high pipe, giving Atkin a clear lead after her first attempt. By qualifying top, she will drop last into the best-of-three runs final, which is scheduled for Saturday at 18: 30 GMT.

Atkin's performance carries added weight because she enters the Olympic final as a reigning world champion, a two-time X Games champion and a joint Crystal Globe holder. Those credentials underline how much she has progressed since her Olympic debut four years ago.

What the qualifying order means and key rivals

Qualifying first gives Atkin the strategic advantage of watching every finalist before taking the final run. That positioning can help with last-minute adjustments and strategy, a point she highlighted after qualifying.

China's defending champion qualified in fifth place with a score of 86. 50 after a crash on her first run but a strong recovery on her second. Canada’s Cassie Sharpe qualified third on her first run but suffered a heavy crash on her second attempt and was taken away on a stretcher. Those developments have shaken up the expected pecking order and leave the final wide open.

British expectations and personal context

Atkin carries considerable expectation from home. She has competed for Great Britain throughout her career and made her Olympic debut four years ago. Her family, including her older sister Izzy Atkin — who won Great Britain’s first Olympic skiing medal in slopestyle in 2018 — watched her qualifying performance at Livigno Snow Park.

Born and raised in the United States to a British father and a Malaysian mother, Atkin has developed into one of the event’s most consistent performers. Her strong qualifying score and international honours make her one of the athletes to beat in the final.

Immediate context and what’s next

Heavy snow affected the schedule earlier in the competition, causing the postponement of the men's halfpipe qualifiers. Those were rescheduled to take place the following morning, with other athletes preparing under altered conditions. The women's final remains set as a best-of-three runs contest, with Atkin slated to go last after topping qualifying.

The field that Atkin will face in the final includes established champions and athletes who have already shown resilience under pressure in qualifying. With a strong opening score and the psychological boost of leading the qualifiers, Atkin arrives at the final in a favourable position. Details may evolve as the final unfolds, but her qualifying performance has set a clear marker for the podium battle ahead.

Qualifying snapshot

• Zoe Atkin — best qualifying score: 91. 50 (first run)
• China’s defending champion — qualifying score: 86. 50 (fifth place; crashed on first run)
• Cassie Sharpe (Canada) — qualified third on first run; crashed on second and was taken off on a stretcher

Saturday’s final at 18: 30 GMT will determine whether Atkin can convert qualifying dominance into Olympic gold. Recent developments have shifted the dynamics of the contest, and the final promises to be fiercely contested.