Freestyle Skiing at the Winter Olympics
There are six freestyle skiing events currently held at the Winter Olympics: aerials, moguls, ski cross, ski halfpipe, ski slopestyle and big air. Ski cross was a new event added to the program for the 2010 Games. In 2014, men's and women's ski halfpipe and ski slopestyle were added to the program. In 2022, freestyle skiing big air events were added, as well as a mixed team event in aerials. In 2026, men's and women's dual moguls was added.
Cross-country skiingFreestyle Skiing Events for 2026
- Aerials — participants ski off a ramp that propel them into the air where they perform multiple somersaults and twists before landing. Points are awarded for air, form and landing.
- Moguls — skiers race along a 200m meter plus slope evenly covered with round snow mounds known as moguls.
- Ski Cross — is a relatively new type of skiing competition, based on the Motorbike discipline of Moto Cross. A group of skiers race down a snow course. (it is also known as skiercross or skier-X)
- Ski Halfpipe — participants perform tricks for points on a half pipe structure made of snow.
- Ski Slopestyle — in slopestyle, the aim is to perform the most difficult tricks while getting the highest amplitude off of jumps, with an emphasis on performing different types of tricks instead of doing one great trick repeatedly.
- Big Air — the competitor on skis perform tricks after launching off very large jumps, it is an extreme version of slopestyle.
Timeline
- 1988: Freestyle skiing first appeared at the Winter Olympics in 1988, as a demonstration sport with competitions in Aerials, Moguls and Ski Ballet.
- 1992: Freestyle skiing became an official sport, but medals were only given for the Aerials competition. The Moguls and Ski Ballet were demonstration sports.
- 1994-2006: Aerials was added to become an official medal event and the ski ballet competition was dropped. From 1994 to 2006, there were competitions in just the two disciplines, Aerial and Moguls.
- 2010: ski cross was added to the freestyle skiing program
- 2014: men's and women's ski halfpipe and ski slopestyle were added to the program.
- 2022: freestyle skiing big air events were added, as well as a mixed team event in aerials.
- 2026: men's and women's dual moguls was added.
Trivia
- Ski ballet was another freestyle skiing discipline. It was a demonstration sport in the 1988 and 1992 Winter Olympics, but is no longer a part of competitive freestyle skiing.
Related Pages
- Olympic demonstration sports: ski ballet, aerials, moguls
- Freestyle Skiing Videos
- More Winter Olympics Sports
- More about the sport of Freestyle Skiing
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