Alex Ferreira Clinches Halfpipe Gold After Snowstorm Delays at Milan Olympics
Updated (9 articles)
Gold Medal Victory Sealed with 93.75 Score Alex Ferreira won the men’s freestyle ski halfpipe on Feb 20, 2026 in Livigno, scoring 93.75 points to edge Estonia’s Henry Sildaru (93.00) and Canada’s Brendan Mackay (91.00) for gold [1][2][3]. The win completed Ferreira’s Olympic medal set, adding a gold to his prior silver and bronze from the 2018 and 2022 Games [1]. The podium ceremony featured the American flag and a celebratory moment that Ferreira described as “the best moment of my life.”
Final Run Upgrade Propelled Ferreira to Lead In the final round Ferreira upgraded a 720 to a 1080 on his third jump, pushing his total to the winning 93.75 [2][3]. Nick Goepper, who entered the final, fell on his last jump and received a “Did Not Improve” (DNI) designation, dropping him out of medal contention [2][3]. Birk Irving placed fourth with 88.0 points, while Hunter Hess finished ninth at 58.75 [2][3].
Heavy Snow Forced Qualification Postponement storm dumped more than six inches of fresh snow in Livigno on Feb 19, prompting organizers to postpone the men’s halfpipe qualifiers and the men’s aerials to Feb 20 [4][5][6]. The delay gave U.S. halfpipe athletes—Ferreira, Goepper, Hess, and Irving—an extra day to prepare before the rescheduled qualification round [4][5][6]. Women’s halfpipe qualification proceeded as scheduled, highlighting the uneven impact of the weather across events [4][5][6].
Ferreira’s Dominance Extends Beyond the Olympics Prior to the Games Ferreira maintained a perfect 7‑for‑7 record in 2024 World Cup events and runs a popular “Hotdog Hans” YouTube channel featuring six episodes [1]. After his victory he announced plans to celebrate with copious amounts of beer, a comment echoed by his mother praising his drive [1]. Veteran U.S. skiers David Wise and Nick Goepper attended the event, underscoring the depth of the American freestyle team [1].
Sources
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1.
AP: Alex Ferreira Wins Halfpipe Gold, Completes Olympic Medal Set – Details Ferreira’s gold performance, his score, podium teammates, personal celebration remarks, and his YouTube channel, emphasizing his completed medal collection .
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WBNS: Alex Ferreira Captures Gold in Men’s Freestyle Skiing Halfpipe – Focuses on the four U.S. competitors, qualification trimming, Ferreira’s decisive 1080 upgrade, and Goepper’s DNI, providing run‑by‑run scores .
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King5: Alex Ferreira Wins Gold in Men’s Freestyle Skiing Halfpipe at Milan Olympics – Mirrors WBNS coverage with emphasis on the weather‑induced delay, final run upgrade, and Goepper’s fall, adding historical context of the event’s Olympic debut .
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WBNS: Heavy Snow Forces Postponement of Men’s Ski Halfpipe and Aerials at Milan‑Cortina Olympics – Reports the storm’s impact, postponement details, and the extra preparation day for U.S. aerialists and halfpipe skiers .
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King5: Winter Games Ski Events Delayed by Heavy Snow in Livigno – Highlights the same snowstorm, rescheduling of halfpipe and aerials, and the broader pattern of weather disruptions affecting multiple events .
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AP: Snowstorm Delays Men’s Halfpipe Qualifying and Aerials in Livigno – Provides storm measurements, confirms Ferreira and Goepper as top medal prospects, and notes women’s halfpipe proceeding as planned .
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CNN: Day 11 Winter Olympics Highlights: Figure Skating, Freeski, and Weather Delays – Places the halfpipe delay within a broader day‑by‑day Olympic recap, noting additional weather‑related postponements across snow sports .
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Timeline
1998 – Snowboarding halfpipe debuts at the Nagano Winter Games, establishing the high‑profile pipe discipline that later expands to freestyle skiing[6].
2014 – Freestyle‑skiing halfpipe is added to the Olympic program at Sochi, creating the event in which today’s athletes compete for medals[6].
Jan 15, 2026 – Shaun White officially retires from competition and assumes leadership of the new Snow League tour, which introduces an elimination‑bracket format for halfpipe events, secures roughly $15 million in funding, and plans for White to attend Milan‑Cortina as a VIP while urging the league to “inspire the next generation” of riders[5].
Feb 5, 2026 – Ayumu Hirano announces his intent to defend his Olympic halfpipe title at Milan‑Cortina despite a broken nose and pelvis suffered in a Swiss contest the month before; he says, “I just have to trust what I’ve built up… ride the way I’m capable of riding,” and targets a fourth consecutive Olympic medal[4].
Feb 18, 2026 – Day 11 of the Games sees Japan’s Ami Nakai and Kaori Sakamoto sweep the women’s figure‑skating short program, Norway’s Tormod Frostad wins men’s freeski big‑air, Jens Luraas Oftebro secures Norway’s second gold in Nordic combined, Sweden beats Latvia 5‑1 in men’s ice hockey to set a quarter‑final against the United States on Wednesday, and France upsets Norway to claim the men’s biathlon relay[1].
Feb 19, 2026 – A heavy snowstorm dumps more than a half‑foot (over six inches) of fresh snow on the Livigno venue, forcing the postponement of the men’s freestyle‑ski halfpipe qualification and men’s aerials to Friday, while women’s halfpipe qualification stays on schedule; officials forecast clearing conditions for the final competition days on Friday and Saturday[7][3].
Feb 20, 2026 – After the weather‑induced delay, Alex Ferreira captures gold in the men’s freestyle‑ski halfpipe with a 93.75‑point run that includes a 1080 upgrade, completing his Olympic medal set; he celebrates, saying, “I’m going to drink copious amounts of beer,” and calls the victory “the best moment of my life,” a sentiment echoed by his mother[2][6][8].
Feb 20, 2026 – The United States men’s ice hockey team prepares for its quarter‑final clash with Sweden the following day, a matchup set by Sweden’s Day 11 victory and scheduled for Wednesday, marking the tournament’s knockout‑stage progression[1].
2026‑27 season (future) – Snow League’s elimination‑bracket halfpipe format, backed by $15 million in investment, is slated to roll out, aiming to reshape Olympic‑style competition and provide new pathways for athletes such as Hirano and Gu who headline the league’s inaugural events[5].
All related articles (9 articles)
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AP: Alex Ferreira Wins Halfpipe Gold, Completes Olympic Medal Set
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WBNS (Columbus, OH): Alex Ferreira Captures Gold in Men’s Freestyle Skiing Halfpipe
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King5 (Seattle, WA): Alex Ferreira Wins Gold in Men’s Freestyle Skiing Halfpipe at Milan Olympics
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WBNS (Columbus, OH): Heavy Snow Forces Postponement of Men’s Ski Halfpipe and Aerials at Milan‑Cortina Olympics
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King5 (Seattle, WA): Winter Games Ski Events Delayed by Heavy Snow in Livigno
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AP: Snowstorm Delays Men’s Halfpipe Qualifying and Aerials in Livigno
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CNN: Day 11 Winter Olympics Highlights: Figure Skating, Freeski, and Weather Delays
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AP: Ayumu Hirano Targets Milan Cortina Halfpipe Title After Swiss Injury
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AP: Shaun White shifts from competition to shaping snowboarding with Snow League ahead of Milan-Cortina Olympics