Troy Podmilsak is headed to his first Olympics and Konnor Ralph has entered the qualification picture, as the U.S. secured a 1-2 finish in men’s freeski big air at the World Cup stop in Steamboat Springs, Colorado.

Saturday’s event was the third of four World Cup events this season in freeski big air. It was also a designated selection event for the U.S. Olympic team.

Podmilsak put down the two highest-scoring tricks of the day with a switch right triple cork 1980 safety on Run 1 and a right triple cork 1800 mute on Run 2. His combined score was enough to edge out his teammate for the victory.

With a win at each of the first two selection events, Podmilsak has mathematically locked up his spot on the U.S. Olympic slopestyle and big air team for the upcoming Milan Cortina Games.

As for Ralph, he’s now in the conversation for Milan Cortina with this 2nd-place finish. The 22-year-old landed a switch left triple cork 1800 Japan on Run 1 and a left triple cork 1800 mute on Run 2, earning a pair of scores that were both higher than what any other skier besides Podmilsak received for a single run.

Because a slopestyle contest earlier this season got cancelled, this was only the second of four selection events for the U.S. men’s team. The first event, also won by Podmilsak, was a big air competition in China.

Reigning Olympic slopestyle champion, Alex Hall, entered the season pre-qualified, which left three spots available. Two skiers will automatically be named to the men’s team based on their single best podium result from one of the selection events. After that, U.S. Ski & Snowboard has the option of making a discretionary selection; otherwise, it would default to the next-best finish at a selection event among remaining skiers.

With Podmilsak’s spot clinched, only one automatic berth remains and Ralph’s 2nd-place finish is the new bar to match. Notably, the two remaining selection events are both for slopestyle, which tends to favor different skiers than big air. Colby Stevenson and Mac Forehand are among the U.S. skiers still seeking Olympic spots.

It looked as though Rell Harwood might also secure a coveted podium result in the women’s event after her double cork 1260 landed her in 2nd place after Run 1. But the three-time X Games medalist crashed hard on her attempted trick for Run 2 and withdrew from the contest without taking her final run. With only one good score on the board, Harwood finished 8th among the eight skiers in the field.

The top result among U.S. women instead belonged to 17-year-old rookie Avery Krumme, who finished 4th. Krumme was born in Canada but officially switched her nationality over the summer to represent the United States.

While that result was just short of the podium finish needed for the first wave of automatic selection, it sets Krumme up well in her Olympic bid. Her 4th-place finish is the best of any U.S. women at any of the selection events thus far and could come into play as the process unfolds.

Topping the women’s podium was Canada’s Naomi Urness, who continues to have a breakout season in her first full year on the World Cup circuit. She landed a right double cork 1080 safety and switch right 1080 mute with her first two runs to take the win ahead of Ukraine’s Kateryna Kotsar and China’s Yang Ruyi.

Urness has finished on the podium at all three World Cup big air events this season and will enter the final event with a large lead in the race for the Crystal Globe.

In the men’s standings, Podmilsak is now tied for the lead with New Zealand’s Luca Harrington, who recorded a 3rd-place finish at Steamboat. 

Men’s Freeski Big AIr

1. Troy Podmilsak (USA), 182.50
2. Konnor Ralph (USA), 179.50
3. Luca Harrington (NZL), 172.75
4. Tormod Frostad (NOR), 172.00
5. Keagan Supple (USA), 156.25
6. Miro Tabanelli (ITA), 135.50
7. Kaditane Gomis (FRA), 128.75
8. Hannes Rudigier (AUT), 100.75
9. Matias Roche (FRA), 92.50
10. Vebjoern Graaberg (NOR), 20.25

Women’s Freeski Big Air

1. Naomi Urness (CAN), 156.25
2. Kateryna Kotsar (UKR), 152.50
3. Yang Ruyi (CHN), 148.50
4. Avery Krumme (USA), 142.00
5. Han Linshan (CHN), 137.25
6. Giulia Tanno (SUI), 122.75
7. Kim Dumont Zanella (FRA), 97.50
8. Rell Harwood (USA), 95.00