While halfpipe has been part of the snowboarding program since 1998, its freeskiing counterpart didn't debut at the Winter Olympics until 2014. Since then, skiers like David Wise, Alex Ferreira and Eileen Gu constantly have progressed the sport with new tricks and incredible amplitude. And once again, freeski halfpipe will be a must-see event at Milan Cortina 2026.

Read on to learn nearly everything there is to know about freeski halfpipe, including the competition format, judging criteria, and top tricks that might be seen at Livigno Snow Park.

What to know about other disciplines: Slopestyle | Big Air | Moguls/Dual Moguls | Aerials | Ski Cross

What is the schedule for freeski halfpipe at the 2026 Winter Olympics?

Freeski halfpipe competition will take place on the following days at the Milan Cortina Games:

• Thursday, Feb. 19 (Day 13): Men’s and women’s qualifying
• Friday, Feb. 20 (Day 14): Men’s final
• Saturday, Feb. 21 (Day 15): Women’s final

What are the quota limits for men’s and women’s freeski halfpipe at the Olympics?

For Olympic qualification, there are 25 quota spots each for men and women. However, the field size could reach a maximum of 30 in both events if any athletes who qualify for slopestyle/big air also meet the eligibility criteria for halfpipe.

What are the rules for freeski halfpipe at the Olympics?

Each competitor takes a full run through the halfpipe, executing tricks on each wall as they make their way down the pipe. A panel of judges assess the tricks that are performed during the run and then score the run as a whole.

How big is the halfpipe in Olympic freeskiing?

The halfpipe can vary in length, but the height must be 22 feet. Skiers typically can land five or six tricks in a single run.

What is the competition format for freeski halfpipe at the Olympics?

There are two rounds of competition at the 2026 Milan Cortina Games: the qualifying round and the final.

How many runs does each skier get in the qualifying round, and how many advance to the final?

The qualifying round consists of two runs, with each competitor’s best single run counting. The top 12 skiers advance to the final.

If the organizers choose to divide the qualification field into separate heats, then a certain number of skiers from each heat  advance to the final, but the total number of skiers advancing to the final still would be 12.

Scores from the qualifying round do not carry over to the final.

How many runs does each skier get in the freeski halfpipe final?

The final consists of three runs. Once again, only each competitor's best score counts toward the final results.

How is the start order determined for the freeski halfpipe final?

The start order for all three runs is the inverse of the results from the qualification round, so the athlete with the lowest score in qualifying goes first and the athlete with the best score goes last.

How many judges score each halfpipe run at the Olympics?

Each halfpipe run is scored by a team of at least six judges. After dropping the highest and lowest scores, the remaining scores are averaged together for each run.

How does Olympic freeski halfpipe scoring and judging work?

All judges score the runs based on overall impression, with each judge giving a score ranging from 0-100. In giving their marks, judges consider several different criteria, including:

• Amplitude: This is basically another word for "height." Skiers can add a lot of energy to their runs by boosting big airs out of the superpipe. Judges will reward athletes who not only can go big on their first hit, but also can maintain good amplitude throughout their entire run.
• Difficulty: The technical difficulty of tricks is assessed. Generally speaking, tricks with more rotations and/or more inverts are considered more technically difficult and will be rewarded as such. But there are other ways skiers can increase the difficulty of a particular trick. For example, an athlete may decide to take off switch (backward) or spin uphill (known as an "alley-oop" spin) when executing a trick, or they may decide to do a more challenging grab to differentiate themselves from other skiers in the field.
• Variety: Skiers are expected to showcase a diverse mix of tricks. One of the most important ways a skier can show variety is in the way they spin when executing tricks. There are four possible directions in which a skier can spin: left, right, switch left and switch right. (In other words, athletes can either spin to their left or to their right, and they can do this while skiing either forward or switch.) When mapping out a run, athletes often will plan it in such a way that allows them to perform as many of those spins as possible. Another way skiers can show variety is in their grabs. Rather than doing the same grab on every single trick, athletes frequently will mix it up.
• Execution: This refers to the stability, fluidity and control of the tricks performed. Were the grabs held properly and for a long enough period of time? How smooth were the landings? Did the skier drag their hand across the ground at any point? How much "style" was evident in the run? These all are among the considerations of the judges.
• Progression: Skiers are rewarded for introducing new tricks or for linking together tricks in a way that never has been done before. Creativity and innovation also can be factored.

There is no true universal consensus on "deductions" or how to determine an exact score. More than anything, scores are a means to an end — a way for judges to accurately position athletes on the leaderboard. Scoring is based on how athletes stack up against each other on that particular day, rather than being based on a strict mathematical formula or even past history.

For example, the very first athlete to compete might sometimes receive what's deemed to be a "low" score, relatively speaking. This simply is because judges, who have to evaluate the run they just witnessed against theoretical runs they think might occur later on, need to leave themselves cushioning to account for other competitors — in other words, a skier never will score a perfect 100 unless they are the final athlete to take a run. Because of this, scores from two different contests, whether it's between two different rounds or two different Olympics, truly never will be comparable.

What deductions can occur during a freeski halfpipe run?

Where a skier often will lose points is in the execution of their tricks. A run could be packed with huge amplitude and difficult tricks, but if any single one of those tricks isn’t executed well, then the overall score is going to suffer.

So, what are some of the reasons a skier might be docked for poor execution?

• Athletes are expected to grab their skis during every trick. Missing the grab or letting go of the grab early will be penalized.
• Skiers are expected to maintain control throughout each trick. Flailing the arms while in the air will be penalized.
• At the end of each trick, judges are looking for clean landings. Hand drags are penalized even if the skier lands the trick without falling. Similarly, landing in the flat part of the halfpipe results in a deduction.
• If a skier over-rotates a trick to such an extent that their direction changes (from forward to switch, or vice versa) after the landing, that’s called a “revert” and is penalized

As mentioned previously, there’s no standard decreeing that certain errors result in a specific number of points being deducted. That’s because the scores in freeskiing are used as a means to an end for ranking the skiers.

How does trick difficulty affect a skier’s halfpipe score?

Simply put, trick difficulty plays an extremely important role in determining each skier’s score. Of course it’s not the only criteria, though. Skiers need to execute their tricks cleanly and pack their runs with big tricks from top to bottom.

Landing a double cork 1620 doesn't guarantee that skier a high score if the trick was executed poorly (for example, if the skier missed the grab) or the rest of the run was full of easier setup tricks.

Where the trick happens during a run also can factor into the score. Skiers often are rewarded for doing their most difficult trick(s) at the beginning or in the middle of a run, rather than at the very end.

What are the most difficult tricks in freeski halfpipe?

Generally speaking, tricks with more inverts and/or more rotations are more difficult, but there are other ways to increase the difficulty of tricks, such as:

• Starting the trick by spinning “alley-oop” in the uphill direction
• Doing a more difficult grab or tweaking a grab

It ultimately is up to the judges to decide how to weigh the difficulty of two tricks against each other.

The biggest trick being done consistently in men’s freeski halfpipe contests right now is arguably the double cork 1620. Nico Porteous’ winning run from the 2022 Winter Olympics included back-to-back versions of that trick. Progression could be on the horizon, though, as Alex Ferreira already has attempted a double cork 1800 in a contest.

For an example of a difficult trick with less rotation, see Nick Goepper’s bone air, a switch trick that has become a signature of his. Goepper already is the only skier landing bone air 900s and potentially could increase the rotation even more next season.

Learn about the other events on the freestyle skiing program for the 2026 Winter Olympics.