OLYMPICS: Snowboard-Tricks and speed on show in Livigno as Kim goes for third gold

LIVIGNO, Italy – American snowboarder Chloe Kim will aim for a third consecutive halfpipe gold medal as the Olympic snowboarding competitions kick off on Thursday in Livigno, promising spectacular tricks and thrilling races.

At the Milano Cortina Games, athletes will compete in 11 medal events across freestyle disciplines – halfpipe, slopestyle, and big air – followed by racing events in snowboard cross and parallel giant slalom.

Concerns about snow conditions have eased, with Livigno, perched at over 1,800 meters in the Alps, receiving fresh snow as workers finalized preparations.

"We finally have a lot of snow and overall the venues are looking good," said Uwe Beier, director for snowboard alpine and snowboard cross for the International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS).

Freestyle events will showcase high-flying tricks in the halfpipe and big air. Established stars and rising talents alike are expected to shine on Livigno’s upgraded slopes.

Kim, 25, could become the first snowboarder to win three consecutive gold medals in women’s halfpipe, sliding across the 22-foot U-shaped ramp and performing acrobatic aerial maneuvers. She remains a top favorite despite a recent shoulder injury that disrupted her training.

Other women chasing a third straight gold include Austria’s big air specialist Anna Gasser and dual-discipline Olympic champion Ester Ledecka in the parallel giant slalom. New Zealand’s Zoi Sadowski‑Synnott, the first woman to land a triple cork in slopestyle, will also aim for a second Olympic gold.

On the men’s side, Australian Scotty James and Japan’s 2022 Olympic champion Ayumu Hirano, known for his triple-cork skills, are among the top halfpipe contenders.

In racing events, Canadian snowboard cross standout Eliot Grondin leads the field, with reigning Olympic champion Alessandro Haemmerle of Austria among his main rivals. Thirteen nations have already featured on World Cup podiums this season, highlighting the growing international depth of the sport.

"The biggest thing we've seen this season is the number of nations producing athletes that are in the mix at the top level," said Roby Moresi, FIS Park & Pipe Contest Director.

Host nation Italy has put together a 17-member snowboard team, led by Olympic medalists Michela Moioli and Omar Visintin, aiming to capitalize on the home advantage.

-Reporting by Giulia Segreti and Lisa Richwine; editing by Toby Davis/Reuters