Ogiwara headlines quartet seeking Japan’s first Men’s Snowboard Big Air Olympic medal

Hiroto Ogiwara (JPN) will lead a Japanese quartet looking to win its NOC’s first Men’s Snowboard Big Air Olympic medal today.

Ogiwara topped qualification with 178.50 points on Thursday, stomping a switch backside 1980 melon and a backside 1800 Indy in his first two jumps, signaling his intent to grab the first gold handed out at Livigno Snow Park at the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026.

Last season's Big Air Crystal Globe winner and 2023 world champion Taiga Hasegawa (JPN), 2025 world champion Ryoma Kimata (JPN), and Kira Kimura (JPN), who qualified in third with 173.25 points, ensured perfect four-for-four progress for Japanese riders through to the final.

Surging snowboard levels

Defending Olympic gold medalist and 2025/26 Big Air Crystal Globe winner Su Yiming (CHN) had a nervy showing in Thursday's qualification, falling on his first attempt of the best-two-of-three-run qualification before stepping up to land backside 1800 double nose grab and a switch backside 1980 melon in his next two runs.

He is the only competitor in the 12-man final field who has been on the Olympic podium for this event as Beijing 2022 silver medalist Mons Roisland (NOR) finished 16th on Thursday evening to miss out on the final. 

“After making the final, I will actually feel less pressure, because I have already reached the stage to vie for the biggest prize,” added Su, who was fourth with 172.75 points. “I just want to be able to be accountable to myself, and I also want to enjoy the competition. 

“By this point, everyone has reached a certain level. It’s just who can withstand the pressure more on the day. I choose to believe in myself.” 

Home favorite Ian Matteoli (ITA) is also managing expectations after qualifying in second with 174.50 points for his best two runs, including a switch backside 1980 melon of his own that earned a 93.50 for the highest single-trick qualification score.

Italy hopeful of history too

Italy, New Zealand and Australia are also seeking their first medal at this event.

Like Japan, New Zealand also put their full slate of riders through to the final, with Lyon Farrell, Rocco Jamieson and Dane Menzies (NZL) all rising to the occasion.

However, the story of Thursday might have gone to Australia's Valentino Guseli (AUS).

The 20-year-old was a late replacement for the injured Mark McMorris (CAN), who crashed in Wednesday's training but only withdrew from Thursday's qualification some three-and-a-half hours before the start of competition, opening the spot for Guseli. While the rest of the field had three days of training on the Livigno Snow Park Big Air jump, Guseli had but eight runs in the one-hour training block ahead of qualification.

And yet, those eight runs would prove to be enough for the young Australian, who claimed the last final spot with 163.00 points on the strength of a final run, 91.50-scoring switch backside 1980 tail grab, a trick he had never stomped on snow before.

Guseli plans to continue his fairy-tale run.

"No matter how hopeless your life can feel at a certain point, you might be right about to have the most amazing thing ever happen to you,” he said. “So keep going and you never know when the hard work is going to pay off. It might just be at the most important time.”

The Men’s Snowboard Big Air final starts at 19:30 (local time in Livigno).