The way the competition set up, with snowboarders being scored on their two best jumps out of three, paved the way for a big dramatic finish and encouraged the riders to try for huge tricks towards the end.
Japan’s Reira Iwabuchi, who was sitting in fourth place, even tried a triple cork on her final run in an attempt to make the podium. Though she didn’t quite land it, the other snowboarders rushed to congratulate her at the bottom of the hill for the audacious attempt.
At that point, the only question was how the top three would finish. After Japan’s Kokomo Murase missed on her third run, the path was cleared for Gasser to make one of the most dazzling runs of her legendary career.
American Hailey Langland, who squeaked into the final by a quarter of a point, was not able to land either of her first two tricks. Eliminated from medal contention, she took the safe route down the jump on her third try and settled for 12th place.
-- Dan Wolken
ZHANGJIAKOU, China – On Monday night the American women qualified three for the finals and two in the superfinals of women’s aerials.
“And that’s a quarter of the field so we all came out here and we put down our best jumps,” said the youngest member of the team, Kaila Kuhn, 18. “We really showed there’s a great future for the U.S. team."
It spoke to the strength of the women’s Team USA and the team in general.
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