With bated breath, Italy welcomed the sports world to the Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina. As with the Santagiulia ice hockey arena in Milan, there were delays and setbacks in the construction of the ski and snowboard park in the Alpine town of Livigno.
One consequence of this was that several of the sports to be decided there were not tested on the facilities before the Olympics, as is usual.
Next to the ski cross trackwhich needs to be converted to be faster, everything is now in its place in the Snowpark Livigno. The skiers who ski slopestyle – the discipline that involves doing tricks on a course with rails, obstacles and jumps – will be the first Swedes to compete at the facility on Saturday morning. They followed the work with great interest. But also found out that it doesn’t look like the drawings that have been out for a while.
– The rails are very demanding. In one feature in particular, it is very tight between the first rail and the second. So you have to land perfectly to get the momentum to the next one, says Martin Nordqvist.
The 22-year-old talent is taking part in the Olympic Games for the first time and has the goal and dream of making it to the finals in both slopestyle and big air.
He compared them in detail with the experienced skiers Henrik Harlaut and Jesper Tjäder, who won bronze in big air and slopestyle in Beijing 2022. Both have recently returned from long periods of injury and both were selected under the so-called exceptional criterion, in which athletes who have failed to live up to themselves but have previously shown they have medal potential can be awarded an Olympic place.
– It wasn’t easy to get here, but it’s super fun to be here. “I’m really grateful,” says Henrik Harlaut.
The 34-year-old admits that he felt a bit lost on the track during the first training sessions in Livigno. But after a meeting in which the drivers and the Swedish leaders discussed all the parts imperfectly, he has now found the ride he wants to do.
– The routine from competing in three previous Olympics means I know it will be a sickly high level because it is the Olympics. But also that there are a lot of people who are going away, especially because it’s the Olympics and they really want to do such super rides. That’s why I want to land my ride perfectly myself. And then we’ll see what the jury wants to rate.
Also 31-year-old Jesper Tjäder had to change “pretty much everything” except for the last three jumps he had planned.
– It’s a little more Basic functions than is otherwise the case at the Olympic Games. In China we had the Great Wall of China built and such unique details. This one feels more like a World Cup course. But there are some great ways to ride long distances and it’s fun.
Read more:
Olympic Games in Milan Cortina – daily schedule
Freeskiing back to its roots – can benefit the Swedes: “Was worried”
