The women take to the sky at Phoenix Park in hopes of qualifying for the medal round in aerials. Who will make it through qualification in the event?
Aerials are the high-flying variant of freestyle skiing. If it had a Summer Olympics counterpart, it would most likely be the 10-meter platform dive. Skiers launch into the air and perform a number of spins, twists, and flips with skis strapped to their feet.
Just like in diving, scoring is predicated on several factors. One is how cleanly the skier takes off into the air from the ramp. The next is the execution of the tricks while in the air. Finally, scoring also factors in the landing.
When all three factors come together, it can be among the most entertaining parts of the entire Winter Olympiad. Aerials competition begins on Thursday in Pyeongchang with the qualification round for the women.
How does qualifying work in aerials?
The two rounds of qualifying help winnow down the field of aerials specialists from 25 to the final dozen. In the first jump of qualifying, all 25 skiers take a turn. The top six scores advance directly to the final, and the remaining 19 women line up for a second go at the ramp. The top six after that second jump will move on to join the first six in the finals.
Who will probably advance straight through from the first jump?
Xu Mengtao, the Chinese aerials specialist that has spent a decade at the top of the sport, is back for a final go at Olympic gold. Xu won silver in Sochi four years ago, and she has been on the podium of every FIS World Championships since 2009. It would be a major surprise to see her need more than one jump to get through to the final.
Similarly, Lydia Lassilla has looked great over the past World Cup campaign. The bronze medalist four years ago, Lassilla is joined by Australian teammates Laura Peel and Danielle Scott as contenders for the straight path to the final rounds.
The one person who won’t be around this time is Alla Tsuper, the surprise gold medalist from four years ago. After coming out of retirement to win gold in Sochi, Tsuper has returned to the sidelines and at 38 years old is not about to make a comeback.
Next: What’s the difference between Ski Jumping & Freestyle Skiing?
Here’s how you can watch Olympic women’s aerials online.
Date: Thursday, Feb. 15
Time: 6:00 a.m. ET
Location: Pyeongchang, South Korea
Venue: Phoenix Park
Live Stream: NBC Olympics, FuboTV
Keep it tuned in here are we bring you the latest live streams and updated results for each freestyle skiing event over the course of the 2018 Winter Olympics.