LIVIGNO, Italy — For the past few years, Park City freeskier Nick Goepper had declared his intent to win gold in the Milano Cortina Olympics halfpipe final.
Following a three-Olympic medal career as a slopestyle and big air freeskier, a brief retirement and then an immediate rise into the top of the halfpipe world, the big moment arrived Friday night at the Livigno Snow Park.
With only Canada’s Brendan Mackay to ski after him in the third and final round, Goepper was in third and still in contention for the gold medal that had eluded him during his slopestyle and big air days. But he needed to go big.
He had landed the first four of his third run jumps with relative ease. Then came his fifth and final jump, and he went for a switch double misty trick, which no one has never landed before in an official competition.
The fairy tale came to a crashing end, as Goepper soared into the sky and slammed down on his hip and backside. His skis flew off, he slid down into the middle of the halfpipe, and medical personnel tended to him for several minutes.
As Goepper was helped to his feet and he waited in the finish area to see if his bronze position would hold, he didn’t show pain or disappointment — only a wide smile.
He kept his smile as he watched Canada’s Brendan Mackay take the final run of the competition and bump him out of bronze medal position. Mackay scored a 91 on his third and final run, toppling Goepper’s 89 on his second run.
Goepper’s roommate at the Games, Alex Ferreira, who turned away from Goepper’s fall as he couldn’t bear to watch any more, approached Goepper in the finish line.
Goepper told him, “I regret nothing,” Ferreira said.
“I think he’s in some serious pain,” Ferreira said. “But he’s one tough guy. … It’s unprecedented. He is so impressive.”
But this was Ferreira’s golden night as Mackay knocked Goepper off the podium but didn’t score high enough to topple Ferreira, who remained in first place after his final run score of 93.75. But until his crash, Goepper was right there, true to his words.
“Nick is a ferocious competitor,” Ferreira said. “I really thought he was going to land that run. It was super surprising to me that he didn’t, but he went for it.”
Ferreira said Goepper helped push him over the edge Friday night. The Aspen, Colorado, native won the 2018 PyeongChang Games’ halfpipe silver medal and the 2022 Beijing Games bronze medal.
Ferreira had to land his third run Friday night to best Estonia’s Henry Sildaru, the eventual silver medal winner, who edged out Ferreira’s second run right after Ferreira got to the finish area.
Ferreira could do nothing but wait Friday night as his top competitors in Goepper, Sildaru and Mackay made their way down the halfpipe, his lead and dreams in jeopardy. Sildaru scored 93 on his final run, for the silver.
Once Ferreira realized he had clinched the gold medal, he was in shock, a contrast from his celebration immediately following what turned out to be his winning run as he waved his pole around his wrist like a lasso. Now he put his head to his hands and took a knee to soak in his surroundings. The 31 year old had just completed the gold, silver and bronze medal collection.
“It’s 100 times better than I ever thought it would be,” Ferreira said. “It’s the most beautiful moment I’ve ever experienced in my life. I’m so insanely grateful.”
Ferreira got to celebrate with a frenzy of family and friends, who were roaring for him all night. He thanked his coach, cinematographer and wax tech for helping him achieve his dreams.
“They are equally as shocked as me,” Ferreira said. “They know I can do it, but there’s a tough field out there these days. Everyone’s so good.”
Ferreira said Friday was “the worst day” of his life, before winning gold. He was annoyed that the qualification and final were on the same day, and woke up with a painful headache.
“It just goes to show, you never know what the end of a day can bring,” Ferreira said. “You just have to keep pushing, pushing and pushing.”
“I just kept telling myself, ‘I am greatness, and this is my moment,’” he said. “There’s nothing like gold.”
Birk Irving of Winter Park, Colorado, finished in fifth place, landing his third run to a score of 88. He was thrilled to watch Ferreira win, and said he’s appreciated watching Goepper grow into halfpipe skiing.
“It’s very impressive for sure,” Irving said. “It is such a different world, and it’s been pretty sick to watch him progress and be such a beast at it.”
