Heavy snowfall disrupted the Winter Olympics program in Livigno, Italy, on Tuesday, prompting organizers to delay both the women’s snowboard slopestyle medal competition and the start of the freestyle aerials event.
Due to persistent snowfall, officials determined it was too hazardous to proceed with the qualifying round for women’s aerials. The snow could hinder visibility and affect speed on the steep jump at the Livigno Aerials and Moguls Park. Staff diligently cleared snow from the course using shovels. Temperatures remained at a frigid -21 degrees Celsius.
Participants in the women’s aerials qualifying had just finished their practice runs before organizers postponed the event. The lineup includes China’s defending champion Xu Mengtao and the current silver medalist Hanna Huskova, a Belarusian competing as a neutral athlete. After several hours of weather observation, hoping for a later start, organizers ultimately canceled the event for the day.
Officials have not yet announced a revised schedule for the women’s aerials qualifiers or the men’s event, which was also slated for Tuesday afternoon.
Elsewhere in town, the women’s slopestyle final, originally scheduled for Tuesday afternoon at the Livigno Snow Park, was also postponed by organizers and will be rescheduled for a different day. Slopestyle involves snowboarders navigating various metal rails and other obstacles.
New Zealand’s Zoi Sadowski-Synnott, the current Olympic gold medalist and world champion, is the top contender for the slopestyle final after leading the qualifiers. Japan’s Murase Kokomo is anticipated to be one of her main rivals.