Check out this year’s Burton U.S. Open, where many Pyeongchang Olympic medalists will compete. You don’t want to miss these incredible athletes that you can watch in person in Vail, March 5-10 for free. Yes, viewing the Burton US Open is free. The world’s best snowboarders will take on the halfpipe and slopestyle during the day, then there will be tons of fun free events at night — including a great concert lineup. For more info and the event schedule, click here
Women’s Halfpipe
Chloe Kim
Country: USA
Pyeongchang Medal: Gold
What to expect: In the 2016 Snowboarding Grand Prix, Kim scored a perfect score of 100 points after landing back-to-back 1080s. Last year she won the Burton Open and this year took the gold in Pyeongchang after again landing her signature back-to-back 1080s.
Liu Jiayu
Country: China
Pyeongchang Medal: Silver
What to expect: Apart from her silver in Pyeongchang as the first Chinese snowboarder to medal at the Olympics, Liu won halfpipe at the Dew Tour in 2015. Second place at the Olympics was exciting for her after fourth at the 2010 Olympics and ninth at the 2014 Olympics. She suffered many shoulder injuries which set her back, but this year she proved herself with big air and precise, elegant style.
Arielle Gold
Country: USA
Pyeongchang Medal: Bronze
What to expect: In 2014, Gold made it to Sochi, but dislocated her shoulder before the qualifiers and was unable to compete. She went through a rough patch during her 2016-2017 season. Then, she started throwing big 1080s and getting back into the swing of things. Despite falling on almost every run during practice, Gold won silver at the Aspen X Games this year. Her technical skills help her scores, and Gold’s final score at Pyeongchang was 85.75, just four points behind Liu.
Men’s Halfpipe
Ayumu Hirano
Country: Japan
Pyeongchang Medal: Silver
What to expect: Hirano won the silver medal at the 2013 X Games at the age of 14, making him one of the youngest medalists in the Winter X Games history. At this year’s X Games, however, Hirano landed back-to-back 1440s and won gold. His technique is precise and he has good timing, allowing him to get maximum amplitude. At just 19, he won the silver in Pyeongchang.
Scotty James
Country: Australia
Pyeongchang Medal: Bronze
What to expect: James won the gold medal for superpipe at the 2017 X Games. James spent this season perfecting a switch backside double cork 1260, which is advanced because of the fact that the boarder is already spinning when they start the trick. He came in second in three contests from this season, and noted that he didn’t believe his runs were getting the scores they deserved. He and Hirano were 3.25 points apart in this year’s Olympics.
Women’s Slopestyle
Jamie Anderson
Country: USA
Pyeongchang Medal: Gold in Slopestyle
What to expect: Her gold in Pyeongchang’s slopestyle competition was her second Olympic gold medal, her first in Sochi in 2014. This year, she won by almost seven points. She landed a backside 540 and a frontside 720, but struggled on a cab double cork 900. She is known for her style and strength.
Laurie Blouin
Country: Canada
Pyeongchang Medal: Silver in Slopestyle
What to expect: Blouin won gold in the 2017 World Championships for slopestyle. At the Olympics this year, she scored a 92.25 in qualifiers after landing a cab double underflip. Then, she had a hard crash and had to be taken out on a stretcher. Despite the fall, she went out and competed, but crashed on her first run. On her second run, she did a single cap instead of a double cap to play it safe, which landed her silver.
Anna Gasser
Country: USA
Pyeongchang Medal: Gold in Big Air
What to expect: Gasser began competing in the 2010-2011 season. She won gold in big air at the Olympics and at the 2017 World Championships. She won silver in the 2015 World Championships for slopestyle. Gasser was the first woman to land the cab double cork 900, and performs better on bigger jumps. She was also the first woman to land a backside double cork 1080, which is two flips and three spins all done at the same time.
Zoi Sadowski-Synnott
Country: New Zealand
Pyeongchang Medal: Bronze in Big Air
What to expect: Sadowski-Synnott got 13th in slopestyle in Pyeongchang, however, she got third in big air. She encountered errors in the slopestyle competition. At 16, she became just the second athlete from New Zealand to ever earn a Winter Olympic medal.
Men’s Slopestyle
Red Gerard
Country: USA
Pyeongchang Medal: Gold in Slopestyle
What to expect: The 17-year-old Colorado native won the slopestyle in Pyeongchang with an awesome run in which he took a chance by hitting an extra rail, then nailing a backside triple cork 1440. Gerard’s creativity within his snowboarding scores him big points with the judges. He was also the first American to win Gold at this year’s Winter Olympics, which prompted his hometown of Silverthorne to temporarily change its name to “Goldthorne.”
Max Parrot
Country: Canada
Pyeongchang Medal: Silver in Slopestyle
What to expect: Parrot dominated the 2017 and 2018 X Games for big air, taking gold in both. Parrot has many claims to fame as a snowboarder, being the first athlete to ever land the first Cab quad flip.
Mark McNorris
Country: Canada
Pyeongchang Medal: Bronze in Slopestyle
What to expect: McNorris was a close second to Parrot at the Olympics, less than a point behind. He got a bronze medal at the Sochi Olympics, despite fracturing a rib right before at the 2014 X Games. When he was 18, he won gold in both slopestyle and big air at the X Games and landed the first triple in X Games history.
Sébastien Toutant
Country: Canada
Pyeongchang Medal: Gold in Big Air
What to expect: This Canadian snowboarder participated in few competitions leading up to the Olympics but won gold in Pyeongchang for big air. He spent much of his season training in the gym rather than on the slopes due to an injury. He doesn’t play it safe with his snowboarding, and also doesn’t do small tricks just because it will ensure him a spot on the podium.
Kyle Mack
Country: USA
Pyeongchang Medal: Silver in Big Air
What to expect: He won bronze at the 2015 World Championships, then won gold at the 2016 U.S. Burton Open. Though he barely missed the Sochi Olympics, he won silver in Pyeongchang. He landed a front 1440 Bloody Dracula, a trick in which the boarder must clench the tail of the snowboard in midair. Though he fell every time trying to do this trick in practice, he went for it during his Olympic run, and his fearlessness scored him big points with the judges.