How Eileen Gu Won Gold in Big Air With Two Giant Jumps
BEIJING — Eileen Gu won the women’s freeski big air competition on Tuesday after landing her biggest and highest scoring trick in her final run: a left double 1620 with a safety grab. The move, which involves four and a half revolutions in the air, was one she had never tried before in competition.
Gu, who was born in the United States but is competing for China in the Winter Games, won with gravity-defying tricks on two of her three runs, which together lifted her into the lead over the silver medalist, Tess Ledeux of France. The competition combines the best two scores of three jumps for a final total. The highest total wins.
Freestyle Skiing: Women’s Big Air Final
Run 1
Run 3
Run 2
Final
1st
CHN
Eileen Gu
93.75
94.50
88.50
188.25
2nd
FRA
Tess Ledeux
73.50
94.50
93.00
187.50
182.50
93.25
89.25
3rd
SUI
Mathilde Gremaud
26.00
Run 1
Run 3
Final
Run 2
Gu
93.75
88.50
94.50
188.25
1st
Ledeux
94.50
73.50
187.50
93.00
2nd
Gremaud
89.25
93.25
26.00
182.50
3rd
For her first run, Gu performed a right double 1440, which has four rotations.
“It’s a difficult trick because you start with a cork seven and briefly see the landing before going blind again for another cork seven,” said Misra Torniainen, Gu’s coach.
Gu’s 1440 in her first run
In the leadup to the Olympics, Gu and Ledeux had been pushing the progression of women’s freeski big air by trading firsts.
In December, Gu was the first female freeskier to land the double cork 1440 at a big air event in Colorado. A month later, Ledeux responded by landing the first-ever 1620 at the X Games.
Ledeux also landed a 1620 on her opening run, receiving a score of 94.5 and remaining in the top spot until the third run.
Ledeux’s 1620 in her first run
That was when Gu leaped ahead of her with her own 1620. While Gu’s score on the trick was identical to the one posted by Ledeux, Gu’s higher marks on her other run meant victory was hers.
Gu’s gold medal might not be her last: She is the favorite in two more freeski events, slopestyle and halfpipe.