Excitement is reaching a fever pitch as the world’s top snowboarders prepare to drop into the Men’s Snowboard Slopestyle Final at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan Cortina. Scheduled for Wednesday, February 18, at Livigno Snow Park in Valtellina, Milan, Italy, this event promises to be a showcase of gravity-defying tricks, fierce rivalries, and redemption stories. Fans from across the globe are tuning in, eager to see if favorites like Red Gerard, Mark McMorris, and Su Yiming can carve their names into Olympic history.
Red Gerard, the 25-year-old American sensation who hails from Rocky River, Ohio but now calls Colorado home, is no stranger to the Olympic spotlight. Gerard burst onto the scene in 2018, capturing gold in the slopestyle event at just 17 years old. After narrowly missing the podium with a fourth-place finish in 2022, Gerard has since dominated the Winter X Games, clinching back-to-back golds in 2024 and 2025. Now, after placing 11th in Sunday’s qualification round, Gerard is determined to reclaim Olympic glory. "There’s no reason he can’t do it again," as one report puts it, and his fans are certainly hoping he’ll rise to the occasion.
Gerard isn’t the only American making waves. Jake Canter of Silverthorne and Ollie Martin of Vail also secured their spots in the final, ranking 10th and 6th respectively in the qualifiers. Team USA is sending a formidable trio into the final, each hungry for a medal. The park events—halfpipe, slopestyle, and big air—are the heart of Olympic snowboarding, judged on the complexity and amplitude of tricks. With Gerard’s experience and the youthful energy of Canter and Martin, Team USA is poised for a strong showing.
But the field is stacked with international talent. Mark McMorris of Canada is chasing a historic fourth consecutive Olympic medal in slopestyle. McMorris, known for his resilience and technical prowess, has an astonishing 22 X Games medals to his name, 12 of them gold. Despite his dominance at the X Games, Olympic gold has eluded him, with three consecutive silver medals in this event. This year, McMorris overcame a crash during Big Air training to finish third in slopestyle qualifying, proving he’s as tough as they come. If ever there was a moment for McMorris to finally clinch that elusive gold, it’s now.
New Zealand’s Dane Menzies is another rider to watch. At just 20 years old, Menzies shocked the field by winning the qualification round. His bold riding style and fearless approach have quickly made him a fan favorite. Meanwhile, Norway’s Marcus Kleveland, a two-time world champion, is still seeking his first Olympic medal. Kleveland’s teammate, Cameron Spalding, who won the 2025 Crystal Globe, also qualified strongly, taking fifth place in the preliminaries.
China’s Su Yiming is no stranger to the Olympic podium. The 21-year-old already boasts a gold medal in big air from 2022 and a silver in slopestyle that same year. This season, Su added a big air bronze to his collection, and he’s made it clear he’s aiming higher in slopestyle. Su’s ambitions extend beyond medals; as he told Olympics.com, "I want to bring snowboarding to a bigger stage." With his blend of technical mastery and showmanship, Su is expected to pull out all the stops in the final.
The final is set for three thrilling runs: 12:30, 13:00, and 13:30 Central European Time (CET), corresponding to 5:20 a.m. Eastern Time for American viewers. The action will be broadcast live on USA Network and Peacock, with Todd Harris calling the play-by-play alongside analysts Lindsey Jacobellis, Todd Richards, and Tom Wallisch. Fans in the United States can also catch the event via streaming services like DIRECTV and Sling, while international viewers have a range of options through media rights holders such as CBC (Canada), Eurosport (Europe), and CCTV (China).
For those without cable, streaming platforms are offering a variety of packages. Peacock, for instance, provides comprehensive Olympic coverage for $7.99 per month, while Sling TV offers flexible passes, including a Day Pass for $4.99. DIRECTV is also in the mix, with a free trial and several sports-friendly packages. Viewers should note, however, that due to an ongoing carriage dispute, USA Network and NBC are not available on Fubo, so alternative streaming routes are necessary for Fubo users.
Weather has played a role in the Olympic schedule, with heavy snow and frigid temperatures on Tuesday forcing the postponement of several events, including the women’s snowboard slopestyle final and women’s aerials qualifying. However, the men’s slopestyle final remains set to proceed as planned, with organizers closely monitoring conditions to ensure athlete safety. The Livigno Snow Park is known for its challenging course, featuring metal rails and massive jumps that test the limits of even the most seasoned riders.
The men’s slopestyle competition is more than just a battle for medals—it’s a celebration of snowboarding’s evolution since its Olympic debut in 1998. The sport has grown in both popularity and technical complexity, with riders constantly pushing the boundaries of what’s possible. As fans eagerly await the final, the big question lingers: Will we witness a new trick, a shocking upset, or a long-awaited triumph for one of the sport’s legends?
With a star-studded lineup, dramatic storylines, and the world watching, the Men’s Snowboard Slopestyle Final at Milan Cortina 2026 is shaping up to be an unforgettable event. Whether it’s Gerard’s quest for a second Olympic gold, McMorris’s pursuit of history, or Su’s vision for snowboarding’s future, one thing’s for sure—the stage is set for an epic showdown on the snow.
As the athletes prepare for their runs, anticipation builds. No medals have been awarded yet, and the outcome is still very much up in the air. But with the world’s best riders ready to go big, fans can expect a spectacle that will keep them on the edge of their seats until the very last trick.