The women’s snowboard big air final at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Livigno, Italy, delivered a spectacle that will be talked about for years. On a crisp February 9th night, Japan’s Kokomo Murase soared to new heights—both literally and figuratively—by winning gold with a performance that redefined what’s possible in the sport. The 21-year-old world champion, already a household name after her bronze in Beijing four years ago, clinched the top spot with a jaw-dropping score of 179.00, executing two triple cork 1440s that left the competition and spectators in awe.
It wasn’t just the medals on the line; this final marked a changing of the guard in women’s snowboarding. Austria’s Anna Gasser, the two-time gold medalist and a legend in the discipline, was aiming for a three-peat in what many believe to be her Olympic swan song. However, Gasser’s campaign faltered early as she failed to complete her first two tricks, eliminating her from medal contention. She later reflected, “I was,” when asked about her reign as the queen of big air, adding, “I gave the crown to the next generation.” Her eighth-place finish was the end of an era, but also the beginning of something new.
Murase’s journey to gold was anything but straightforward. After leading the 12-strong field with an 89.75 on her first run—a backside triple cork 1440 mute grab—she found herself trailing after South Korea’s Yu Seungeun landed a frontside triple cork 1440 Indy grab in the second round. The 18-year-old Yu, who had only made her first World Cup podium a few months prior, stunned the crowd by taking the lead with a combined score of 171.00 after two runs. It looked, for a moment, like the gold was heading to South Korea. But the final round had more drama in store.
New Zealand’s Zoi Sadowski-Synnott, the reigning Olympic slopestyle champion and defending silver medalist, had a rocky start after crashing on her opening jump. She clawed her way back into contention with a switch backside 1260 mute grab, posting an 83.50 to leap into gold medal position with a combined 172.25. The pressure was on, and the tension at Livigno Snow Park was palpable. Sadowski-Synnott, reflecting on her performance, said, “I just had to brush the pressure aside and go for it.”
With one run left, Murase needed something extraordinary. She delivered, landing a frontside triple cork 1440 that scored an 89.25, pushing her total to 179.00 and snatching back the gold. “The bronze medal felt heavy, but gold is different,” Murase told reporters. “It’s not just the weight, it feels like everything I’ve worked for up until now is packed into it. It’s incredibly heavy in that sense.” She added, “It still doesn’t feel real, almost like I’m dreaming. I’m unbelievably happy.”
Yu Seungeun, for her part, attempted one final triple cork in a desperate bid for gold but landed hard, securing the bronze. Her performance, which included both a frontside and a backside triple cork, signaled her arrival as a force to be reckoned with in the sport. At just 18, Yu’s technical prowess and composure under pressure were a revelation. “It’s crazy to see how far the sport has come,” Gasser remarked, marveling at the new generation’s skills.
The final itself was the most technically advanced in the history of women’s big air. Tricks that were unthinkable just one Olympic cycle ago—like the triple cork 1440—became the new standard. Four years earlier, Gasser had clinched gold with a double cork 1260. Now, landing a double cork was barely enough to qualify for finals, let alone win. This rapid progression is pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in women’s snowboarding, and it’s clear that the next generation is already raising the bar.
Murase’s gold wasn’t just a personal triumph; it was a milestone for Japanese snowboarding. Her victory marked the first time a Japanese woman has won Olympic gold in snowboarding, and, combined with Kira Kimura’s win in the men’s event, it completed a Japanese sweep of the big air titles in Livigno. “When I touched a gold medal for the first time, not this one, but earlier, I remember thinking, ‘I really want this.’ That feeling stayed with me,” Murase said, crediting Kimura’s win on Saturday as extra motivation.
The depth of Japanese talent was on display, with Momo Suzuki finishing sixth, Mari Fukada ninth, and Reira Iwabuchi eleventh. Murase herself comes from a family of snowboarders—her younger sister Yura won women’s big air gold at the 2024 Winter Youth Olympics. Murase’s meteoric rise began at just 13, when she became the youngest athlete to win an X Games medal. Since then, she’s been at the forefront of innovation, landing tricks like the 1260 double cork and the backside triple cork 1620, and earning a 96.66 at X Games Aspen for a backside 1620.
This Olympic gold is the latest in a string of accomplishments for Murase, who also won gold and silver at the 2025 World Championships. She’s now poised as a favorite for the upcoming slopestyle competition, set for February 16 (qualifying) and February 17 (finals). But the field is stacked—Sadowski-Synnott is the defending Olympic gold medalist in slopestyle, and Great Britain’s Mia Brookes, who finished fourth in big air, is widely regarded as the best slopestyle rider in the world. The stage is set for another thrilling showdown.
As the floodlights dimmed over Livigno Snow Park, the sense of transition was unmistakable. The old guard, led by Gasser, gracefully passed the torch to a new wave of talent. “If you stop progressing, you’re gone,” Gasser said, summing up the relentless pace of innovation in snowboarding. For Murase, Sadowski-Synnott, Yu, and their peers, the future is bright and the possibilities are endless.
With the big air medals decided and anticipation building for slopestyle, all eyes remain firmly fixed on Livigno. If this final was any indication, women’s snowboarding is only going to get bigger, bolder, and more breathtaking from here.