LIVIGNO, Italy — Park City’s Nick Goepper finished second and Salt Lake City’s Hunter Hess in fifth qualify for the freeski halfpipe final on Friday morning.
Goepper landed his first run to a score of 90, opting not to take a second run. Hess landed his second run to a score of 85, after landing his first run to a score of 82.75.
Goepper and Hess’ U.S. teammates Alex Ferreira and Birk Irving of Colorado also qualified Friday morning, finishing in fourth and sixth place with scores of 85.75 and 84.25, respectively, on their first runs. Ferreira and Irving opted not to take their second runs.
New Zealand’s Ben Harrington, brother of slopestyle bronze medalist Luca Harrington, finished in 12th place with a score of 75.25 on his second run, taking the final spot in the final.
Harrington’s New Zealand teammate and No. 1 ranked halfpipe skier in the world, Finley Melville Ives, 19, crashed on both of his runs, injured himself on the second, and won’t compete in the final.
The final will run from 7:30 to 9:05 p.m. CEST and 11:30 a.m. to 1:05 p.m. MST Friday night at the Livigno Snow Park.