It didn’t take long for Kiwi freeskiers to learn that Big Air Skiing has been added to the programme for the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games.
“I’m thrilled to hear the news,” said Olympian Jossi Wells.
“It’s great progress for the sport of freeskiing and we’re in a good position here in NZ with major Big Air events in our backyard like the Winter Games NZ and the Jossi Wells Invitational.”
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has announced that Freeski Big Air (men and women) will be one of seven new disciplines added to the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games programme.
The news has been welcomed by New Zealand freeskiers who will look to contest the discipline at the next edition of the Winter Olympic Games.
Above: Beau-James Wells competing in Freeski Big Air
Slopestyle and halfpipe specialists often also compete in big air and New Zealand athletes have a history of success in the discipline, with Jossi and Jackson Wells both claiming X-Games medals in Big Air.
The addition of Freeski Big Air to the Olympic programme is regarded as an exciting opportunity to up New Zealand’s medal count.
Finn Bilous competed in slopestyle at PyeongChang 2018 and is looking forward to the challenge presented by the new Olympic discipline.
“Winter Games next month will be a good chance to gain experience in this discipline, to perform the tricks I’ve currently got in the bag and see what other competitors are doing before we head in to the northern hemisphere season and start a busy competition schedule,” said Bilous.
Snowboard Big Air featured at the Olympic Winter Games for the first time this year with New Zealand’s Zoi Sadowski-Synnott claiming a bronze medal in the discipline in PyeongChang.