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Spinning into the future: Learning skiers' signature tricks

Spinning into the future: Learning skiers' signature tricks
Posted at 7:46 AM, Feb 07, 2022
and last updated 2022-02-07 08:46:58-05

Ready to send it. Eileen Gu, Alex Hall and other skiers are bringing their biggest tricks to stomp their runs at the 2022 Winter Olympics. Athletes competing in ski slopestyle, big air and halfpipe are scored in five categories: amplitude, difficulty, variety, execution and progression. These are key when it comes to skiers who share tricks with competitors. Points can be earned by performing a variety of different ski grabs, spinning in different directions and landing cleanly. The difference between gold and silver could be decided by something as small as a more technical grab or a different spin.

Check out the trademark tricks from top skiers.

Slopestyle/Big Air

Eileen Gu: Double cork 1440

Gu will be representing China in halfpipe, slopestyle and big air. She’s the first female skier to land a double cork 1440, which further solidified her status as a top medal contender.

SEE MORE: Big Air Steamboat: Gu pulls off double cork 1440 on last run

Alex Hall: Double cork 2160

Hall clinched the gold medal in ski big air at X Games Aspen 2022 after becoming the first skier to stomp a future spin in a contest. A future spin has a degree measurement higher than the current year.

View social media post: https://www.facebook.com/XGames/videos/alex-hall-wins-gold-in-mens-ski-big-air-at-x-games-aspen-2022/1001381783922361/

Mac Forehand: Triple cork 1800

Forehand brings the heat with this trick, which won him a silver medal behind Hall in the men’s ski big air at X Games Aspen 2022.

View social media post: https://www.instagram.com/p/CZI0a-ztDFh/

Andri Ragettli: Quad cork 1980

Swiss Ragettli is the reigning World Champion in men's ski slopestyle. His quad cork 1980 could catapult him to gold at the 2022 Winter Olympics.

View social media post: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pM_6bfQfDnw

Matej Svancer: Triple cork 1980

Austrian Svancer quickly rose through the ranks after his professional debut in 2019 to win the Big Air World Cup in 2021 with this trick.

SEE MORE: Big Air Steamboat: Matej Svancer wins with daring new trick

Mathilde Gremaud: Double cork 1440

The Swiss Olympic defending gold medalist in women's slopestyle is the first woman to stomp the switch double cork 1440.

View social media post: https://www.instagram.com/p/CFJ5Q6lApNk/

Henrik Harlaut: 1800

The Swedish skier is no stranger to going big. Harlaut is a six-time X Games gold medalist in ski big air who landed the switch double bio 1800 in at X Games Aspen 2021.

View social media post: https://www.instagram.com/p/CKtxctdp3rf/?hl=en

Tess Ledeux: 1620

Representing France, Ledeux stomped a 1620 to take gold in ski big air at X Games Aspen 2022.

SEE MORE: Big Air Chur: Ledeux earns win with solid double cork 1260

Halfpipe

Alex Ferreira: Double cork 1620

American Ferreira, defending Olympic silver medalist in men's ski halfpipe, solidified his third Dew Tour title in 2021 after landing this trick followed by a double cork 1440, double cork 900 and double cork 1260.

David Wise: Double cork 1260

Two-time defending gold medalist Wise is the first person to land all four double corks rotating in different directions including two 1260s in one run.

View social media post: https://www.instagram.com/p/Beb3u_8Dehl/

 

Nico Porteous: 1620

The New Zealander’s back-to-back 1620s during his gold medal winning run at X Games Aspen 2022 is heralded as the most difficult ski run in X Games halfpipe history.

Aaron Blunck: 1440

Blunck goes so big with the 1440 that his attempt at a switch double cork version left him with a lacerated kidney, broken ribs, fractured pelvis and bruised heart in October 2020.

SEE MORE: Mammoth GP: Blunck's massive first run yields podium spot

Cassie Sharpe: 1260

The Canadian Olympic defending gold medalist in women’s halfpipe secured gold at X Games Aspen 2021 when she landed her first 1260.

SEE MORE: PyeongChang 2018: Sharpe's dynamic run earns halfpipe gold

SEE MORE: Freestyle Skiing 101: Glossary