Top qualifier Forehand will drop last, but anybody could finish first in stacked Big Air Olympic final

Mac Forehand (USA) showed that he could be Big Air’s golden boy at the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games on Tuesday evening, topping a heavy-hitting qualification field with a two-run total of 183.00 points.

Lausanne 2020 Winter Youth Olympic Games champion Matej Svancer (AUT) was second with 182.25 points while defending Olympic Big Air gold medalist Birk Ruud (NOR) finished third with 181.00 points under the lights of Livigno Snow Park on Sunday.

On a night when triple cork 1800s failed to secure a top-12 spot and 11 of 29 competitors received at least one individual jump score that was 90 points or more, Forehand eked out his spot at the top of an explosive Olympic Big Air field with a special blend of amplitude, technicality, and precision.

The Engadin 2025 World Championships Slopestyle silver medalist unleashed a switch left triple cork 1980 mute on his first run for 93.25 points and followed that up with a 89.75-scoring left nose-butter triple cork 1620 safety with his second effort.

Forehand revealed that he just learned the nose-butter triple cork 1620 a few days ago and has another new trick up his sleeve — a nose-butter triple cork 1980 that he plans to pull off in the final.

Tormod Frostad (NOR) had the highest single-run score of 96.25 on the strength of his right nose butter double bio 1440 and qualified fourth (180.25). Reigning World Champion Luca Harrington (NZL) followed in fifth with a 179.75-point total.

Harrington and Ruud were on the Milano Cortina 2026 Slopestyle podium on 10 February, winning bronze and gold respectively.

"I needed today's qualifier pressure to be able to reset,” Ruud said. “It’s always good with some contest pressure. Whenever it's a contest, I'll be nervous and I'll be ready for it.”

The Big Air final starting at 19:30 CET tomorrow offers the same set of athletes who competed in Slopestyle a week ago a shot at a second medal at these Games.

But first, the Livigno Aerials & Moguls Park will take centre stage, with Women’s Aerials qualification beginning at 10:45, followed by Men’s Aerials qualifications at 13:30.