Anderson, Marino, Langland On To Slopestyle Finals
Jamie Anderson, Julia Marino, and Hailey Langland put it down when it counted to advance into Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022 slopestyle finals on Sunday, Feb. 6.
The first snowboard qualifiers of these Olympic Games were an exciting and tense affair as the best-of-two-run format left little run for error. Beyond the sub-zero temps and building winds, the conditions in the sculpted Genting Snowpark allowed the women to seize the opportunity to showcase the meteoric progression in women’s slopestyle riding. The course, described as “challenging,” “technical,” and also “unique,” which was no doubt a nod to the guardhouse feature and the second “twisted sister” jump, a style not seen since Sochi 2018.
On her first run, two-time slopestyle gold medalist Anderson put down the top score for the U.S. women, earning a 74.35 and fifth place. Marino followed in sixth place with a 71.78, and Langland finished ninth with a 68.71.
Anderson said, “Today was one of the better days we’ve had, so that was a plus. The course is super challenging, as you can see. There weren’t a lot of technical runs, but I feel grateful I was able to put one down.”
Anderson attempted to improve her score on her second run, putting down a compelling run, only to wash out on her Cab double cork 900 on the final jump, “I felt pretty pissed I couldn’t land my last run, but such is life. Highs and lows. I’m excited to send it tomorrow!”
Marino and Langland had the pressure on, needing to up their scores on their second runs just as the wind started picking up. They both rose to the occasion.
Marino said, “I had so many nerves on that second run. Now the pressure’s off because I just wanted to make it into the finals—that was my main goal. Now I feel a little more relief that I made it through.”
Marino was unfazed by the wind, “I had tunnel vision; I just wanted to make it to the end of the course. I did not look at the flags at all. I was just like, ‘I’m going to go for my run no matter what, I don’t care about the wind. I’m going to throw down what I think is my best.’”
Langland has a different strategy of waiting for a lull in the wind. “The wind gusts are no longer coming straight downhill, they’re now starting to swirl in between the jumps and in the rails and starting to come uphill, and that can cause some really bad consequences.” Shared Langland after finishing her second run. “The conditions are pretty gnarly, so I’m happy to be walking away in one piece.”
Courtney Rummel, the 18-year-old out of West Bend, Wisconsin, finished in 17th with a score of 48.30, missing the cutoff to advance into finals but putting on a great show at her first Olympic Games.
The top qualifiers of the day were Zoi Sadowski-Synnott (NZL), followed by Kokomo Murase (JPN) and Enni Rukajarvi (FIN).
Sunday’s finals will consist of twelve women competing in a best of three run final to determine who will take home an Olympic medal. Fans in North America can tune in to watch Saturday, Feb. 5. at 8:30 p.m. EST on USA Network.
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Saturday, Feb. 5, 2022
8:30 p.m. Snowboarding – Women's Slopestyle Finals (Live), Secret Garden, Zhangjiakou, CHN, USA Network
11:00 p.m. Snowboarding – Men's Slopestyle Qualifying, Secret Garden, Zhangjiakou, CHN, USA Network, NBCOlympics.com, Streaming Peacock
Sunday, Feb. 6, 2022
12:00 a.m. Primetime Plus – Snowboarding Slopestyle Finals & More, NBC Broadcast
11:00 p.m. Snowboarding – Men's Slopestyle Final, Secret Garden, Zhangjiakou, CHN, NBCOlympics.com, Streaming Peacock
Sport-specific broadcast and streaming schedules are available below:
Broadcast and streaming schedules are updated on a daily basis throughout the season.
