Freestyle-Champion Gu falls on first run of slopestyle qualifier race
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Milano Cortina 2026 Olympics - Freestyle Skiing - Women's Freeski Slopestyle Qualification - Livigno Snow Park, Livigno, Italy - February 07, 2026. Ailing Eileen Gu of China in action during her run REUTERS/Hannah Mckay
LIVIGNO, Italy, Feb 7 - China's Eileen Gu, a double Olympic champion in freestyle skiing, fell seconds after starting her first run in the qualifiers for slopestyle at the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympics in the Italian town of Livigno on Saturday.
Gu, 22, said on Thursday she had nothing to prove at the Games after becoming the first person to win three freestyle skiing medals at a single Olympics, in Beijing in 2022.
After fist-bumping her coach and preparing on the side of the slope to start the first of two qualification runs, Gu jumped on the first rail, lost her balance at the end of it and soon fell off.
She quickly got up, adjusted her ski boot and dragon-patterned white ski suit, and after skipping the initial part of the course she completed some jumps further down.
In the last few days of training sessions several skiers said they were impressed with the runs at the Mottolino ski park in the Alpine town, noting, however, that the slopestyle course had longer and closer rails than typical World Cup ones, affecting the way they would piece together their tricks.
Both women's and men's freeski slopestyle qualifiers are taking place in Livigno on Saturday, with only 12 skiers going through to the finals, scheduled on Monday for women and Tuesday for men. REUTERS
