PyeongChang Olympic gold medalist Red Gerard of the U.S. clung on to the top-12 rider cutoff Saturday morning for nearly a full set of second-round runs, narrowly qualifying in 11th to make the slopestyle final after missing last week's big air decider at the 2026 Winter Games in Italy.
The three-time Olympian's American teammates Ollie Martin (78.30) and Jake Canter (70.53) also made it through in 6th and 10th, while New Zealander Dane Menzies (86.06), Marcus Kleveland of Norway (81.86) and Canada's Mark McMorris (81.81) tallied the top three scores.
Gerard came off the opening rail early on his first run, recording a 57.43 despite stomping his jump line. Under pressure on his second, the 25-year-old Coloradan via Ohio cleaned up his rail section then landed sketchy on a run-closing frontside 1440, posting a 70.00 to go into 9th place.
With around 18 riders remaining that could improve to 70-plus, Gerard was bumped to 10th, then 11th, before watching as eight riders fell, reverted, celebrated too early or slid underneath in 12th by fractions of a point. As usual, a massive family and friends section cheered on as he competed.
Menzies' leading run featured the highest-scored section of the contest, a near-perfect boardslide 270 off of the opening rail for a 9.80. He also hit the rainbow rail with the switch variation of that trick. The 20-year-old placed 6th in last Saturday's Milan Cortina big air final.
The contest was originally scheduled for Monday, but on Saturday night the decision was made to bump the event up a day to Sunday. "I found out in the sauna when I was doing some stretches," Menzies said. "I was like, ‘Here we go’. I guess we've got to get this done. I was stressed but also stoked to just get it over with."
McMorris, the event's three-time reigning bronze medalist, hit his head in a crash during practice earlier in the Games and had to sit out of the big air contest with a concussion. The legend went big on his first-run jumps: switch backside 1620, backside triple cork 1440 and frontside 1440.
"I had confidence from our team doctor that I’d be done [after] all those tests," he said. "I’d passed everything so I could ride with full intensity. And I did and I was ready today and I rose to the occasion."
Saturday's competition was fierce. The seal was broken just three riders in when Canter threw down a backside 1800. Two riders later, McMorris upped the ante even more by dropping a backside triple cork 1440.
"[I’ll] look at probably the top section of the course, the rails, and look at other people’s runs on what [the judges] liked, and do a little bit more homework," Gerard said. "Slopestyle is [now] where there are 30 riders and all 30 of those riders could win the contest. It’s just such a heavy game, so you’re sitting there nervous."
The final is scheduled for Wednesday, Feb. 18, at 6:30 a.m. ET. You can watch it live on Peacock and NBCOlympics.com.