# data[].attributes.body
Described as a "circus on the snow", the freestyle skiing competition is an artistic event comprising twists, backflips, and gravity defying leaps as athletes launch themselves from ramps and into halfpipes at breakneck velocity. In order to do these tricks, in relation to economics, requires human capitol, which is the skills and knowledge gained by a worker through education and experience. These skiers have to learn with education and knowledge in order to compete at these winter Olympic games.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Described as a "circus on the snow", the freestyle skiing competition is an artistic event comprising twists, backflips and gravity-defying leaps as athletes launch themselves from ramps and into halfpipes at breakneck velocity.

According to 2017 world champion and US Olympic team member McRae Williams, it's one of the most exciting events at the Olympic Winter Games. "To someone who hasn't seen it before, watching us hit those huge jumps and grinding rails on skis is really cool."

The lowdown

The freestyle skiing competition at the Olympic Winter Games PyeongChang 2018 is made up of five thrilling disciplines: moguls, halfpipe, ski cross, aerials and ski slopestyle, with each one taking place at the Phoenix Snow Park.

Bravery, speed and acrobatic endeavour are key in all five events, and each discipline requires the riders to be both technically adept on their skis and competent when executing large jumps. What sets the events apart are the courses on which they're held. Ski cross is a race set on a track of jumps and wide turns; while ski slopestyle is a judged event on a terrain run of ramps and rails; the halfpipe requires riders to ski along a tube-like slope; moguls is a held on a slope of bumps and jumps; while in aerials, athletes launch themselves from two-to-four-metre jumps to get the biggest air possible.

Key skills & top tips

"Aerials and acrobatics is one of the biggest parts of freestyle skiing because we're out there flipping and spinning around. You need to know where you are in the air and you need to be able to find yourself if you get lost," Williams said.

"Staying on your feet is a big part of it, and when it comes to grinding rails, practice makes perfect. I've been sliding rails ever since I was 10 years old, so I've gotten used to it, as have all the other guys in the field. Balance is the big thing."

Ski slopestyle

A former X Games gold medallist, and a silver medallist from the 2017 X Games, McRae is one of the more experienced heads in the US Olympic freestyle team at the age of 27.

"The judges are looking at degree of difficulty, creativity and style," Williams said. "Holding your grabs is a big thing they're looking at these days because everyone is so good now it's really hard to pick which run is better than the other. Setting yourself apart from the rest of the field goes a long way."

Moguls

While this isn't an event that Williams has competed in, he is aware of the attributes required to be a successful moguls skier.

"Beast knees," he laughed. "I don't know how they survive so much trauma, so good genetics are vital as are aerials and gymnastic skills for when they hit the jumps. They do some straight backflipping and twists, but they'll do some corks too.

"There's more ski skill on moguls and they're using their edges when they bounce down those bumps, controlling their speed and approaching the jumps right. It's pretty crazy stuff."

Halfpipe

One of the showpiece events of any winter sports competition, the halfpipe is a stylistic event in which athletes race through a 'half-pipe' carved into the snow performing jumps and turns as they fly from the top.

"Those guys are insane," said Williams. "Half the time the pipe is sheer ice and you have very little margin for error when you're coming back into it after a jump.

"One foot outside when you're coming back in and you're landing on the deck. Three feet inside and you're landing in the middle of the pipe so you have to be precise. "

Ski cross

The ski cross event is an adrenalised race in which four athletes race down a track featuring jumps, rollers and banks. Thrills and spills are commonplace.

"It's great to watch when there are several people in there," said Williams "It gets pretty aggressive when riders are pushing themselves around trying to fight to the finish.

"I enjoy that more than Alpine racing. Obviously, Alpine racers are going insanely fast, but ski cross has more variables to it, which is fun on the spectator sides of things."

Aerials

A judged discipline, aerials is a spectacular jump event in which riders launch themselves off jumps, propelling themselves into the air before performing a series of spins, flips and twists.

"I have a lot of respect for those guys," Williams said. "They're crazy, going 60 feet in the air, flipping three times. It's hard for me to even grasp where they are.
"This really comes from a gymnastic background. They do a lot of tilt twisting, where they stand perfectly straight coming into the jump and they let the jump do the work."

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Described as a "circus on the snow", the freestyle skiing competition is an artistic event comprising twists, backflips and gravity-defying leaps as athletes launch themselves from ramps and into halfpipes at breakneck velocity. According to 2017 world champion and US Olympic team member McRae Williams, it's one of the most exciting events at the Olympic Winter Games.

# data[].attributes.body
France's Perrine Laffont held her nerve to clinch gold in the Womens Moguls final at Phoenix Snow Park on Sunday 11 February, and in doing so helped France to a first medal at PyeongChang 2018. Laffont was the among the favorites in PyeongChang which in relation to economics, she has had effiency throughout her career to be one of the favorites. She has to be consistent and efficient throughout her runs.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
France's Perrine Laffont held her nerve to clinch gold in the women's moguls final at Phoenix Snow Park on Sunday 11 February, and in doing so helped France to a first medal at PyeongChang 2018.

Laffont was among the favourites in PyeongChang, and she out-performed Canadian Justine Dufour-Lapointe, who claimed silver.

The 19-year-old Laffont registered a quick time of 29.36 and tackled the bumps in style. Showing great technique with her knees, she also enjoyed two beautiful jumps to secure gold.

Tight at the top

Reigning champion Dufour-Lapointe enjoyed an excellent run but finished in 29.54, and her total points tally of 78.56 was 0.09 points behind the champion. The 23-year-old is the eighth woman to win more than one Olympic medal in this event. Kazakhstan's Yulia Galysheva snatched bronze, Kazakhstan's first ever medal in freestyle skiing, with a time of 30.14 in the final race to finish on 77.40 points.

Canada's Andi Naude had the chance to claim glory on the final run but slid off the piste and did not finish.

Embracing the moment

"I was just having fun," said Laffont of having to complete her final run immediately after her Canadian rival. "I told myself, 'Perrine, you're at the Olympic Winter Games, in the finals, so just enjoy the moment and do your best'. That's all."

Laffont admits she did not believe she had the energy to compete in the women's moguls final, let alone win it, before delivering her gold medal-winning performance.

"I absolutely don't know how I did it because I was so, so tired," she said. "I was at the top of the course and I was like, 'I can't do this, I can't do this'. I was thinking about my family here at the course and now, here I am, Olympic champion.

Under pressure

Laffont was the youngest competitor at Sochi 2014, aged 15, and the first Frenchwoman to enter the competition. She believes her experience four years ago, where she ranked 14 th, helped her cope better with the demands of competing at the highest level.

"It helped a lot," she explained. "It helped with the pressure and all the things around it, like the media, the publicity and everything."

Laffont now joins compatriot Sandra Laoura, who won bronze at Turin 2006, as one of two French women to have won a medal at an Olympic Winter Games.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Laffont wins women's moguls gold for France

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
France's Perrine Laffont held her nerve to clinch gold in the women's moguls final at Phoenix Snow Park on Sunday 11 February, and in doing so helped France to a first medal at PyeongChang 2018. Laffont was among the favourites in PyeongChang, and she out-performed Canadian Justine Dufour-Lapointe, who claimed silver.

# data[].attributes.body
Canadian Mikael Kingsbury saved his best performace until last to win the gold medal at Phoenix Park at the Pyeonchang2018 freestyle skiing mens moguls on Monday 12 February. Kingsbury finished with a silver medal in the event at Sochi 2014, but finally he won the only title to have eluded him with a huge score of 86.63.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Canadian Mikael Kingsbury saved his best performance until last to win the gold medal at Phoenix Park in the at PyeongChang2018 freestyle skiing men's moguls on Monday 12 February.

Kingsbury, who finished with a silver medal in this event at Sochi 2014, finally won the only title to have eluded him with a huge score of 86.63.

Six-time world champion Kingsbury displayed excellent control with his tricks and turns in the opening and middle sections, and then managed to control his second jump and landing to register an impressive score. The 25-year-old celebrated at the line with a first pump to suggest he believed he had done enough to finish first, with one other skier, Japan's Daichi Hara, still to compete.

Canada's golden streak continues

Kingsbury finished first ahead of Australian Matt Graham, who had earlier landed a cork 10 to register a score of 82.57 with three athletes to go. Graham's score earned him a silver medal, while Daichi Hara claimed the bronze.

Kingsbury's victory extended Canadian dominance of this event, after compatriot Alexandre Bilodeau's gold medals at Vancouver 2010 and Sochi 2014.

Mission accomplished

"I've dreamed about this since I was eight years old," admitted an ecstatic Kingsbury. "I've just realised my dream and it's the best day of my life. I've won so many World Cups in my career but, you know, winning this one... it's one night every four years, and I've been able to win it. For the rest of my life I will be Olympic champion."

The Canadian admitted he felt huge pressure going into the final, and that he was relieved he managed to achieve a polished performance.

"I was super nervous," he said. "There was a lot of pressure on my shoulders and I am so proud of the way I managed it. I have never been nervous like that in my life, but once I clipped on my goggles I was just focused on doing my job. The judges were rewarding some really clean skiing and I feel like I was clean all day. I can't believe it worked out."

Graham 'stoked' for silver

Silver medallist Graham was complimentary of the man that beat him to gold, andextremely proud of his own performance. "He [Kingsbury] put down an amazing run when it counted and credit to him, he's an amazing athlete," said the Australian. "The ability to put down run after run the way he does is second to none. No one can do it like he can.

"This has been a super fun night and what I've dreamt of as a kid," he continued. "I was loose and having fun, and when I'm having fun I'm skiing the best. I'm stoked. Landing that bottom air, I was just able to just stick at it and come across the line. Once I did that I knew I'd done enough to at least get a medal."

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Flawless freestyler Kingsbury wins gold in men's moguls

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Kingsbury, who finished with a silver medal in this event at Sochi 2014, finally won the only title to have eluded him with a huge score of 86.63. Six-time world champion Kingsbury displayed excellent control with his tricks and turns in the opening and middle sections, and then managed to control his second jump and landing to register an impressive score.

# data[].attributes.body
Sarah hoedfflin from Switzerland won the Women's ski slopestyle at Pyeongchang 2018, while former winter youth olympic games competitor Mathilde Gremaud, also from Switzerland took siler at Phoenix snow park. Isabel Atkin from Great Britain calimed bronze. Hoefflin was the second oldest athlete in the event, but not as much experience as her other competitors.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Sarah Hoefflin from Switzerland won the women's ski slopestyle at PyeongChang 2018, while former Winter Youth Olympic Games competitor Mathilde Gremaud, also from Switzerland took silver at Phoenix Snow Park. Isabel Atkin from Great Britain claimed bronze.

Isabel Atkin, Sarah Hoefflin, Mathilde Gremaud (Getty Images)

Hoefflin was the second-oldest athlete in the event but does not have as much experience as most of her competitors. She took up freestyle skiing only after she didn't get into medical school. The 27-year-old's only other major medal in the sport came in 2018, at the Aspen Winter X Games. Her winning score at PyeongChang 2018 was 91.20, which came on her third and final run.

Budding silver medallist

Gremaud, who is just 18, competed at the Winter Youth Olympic Games Lillehammer 2016. She claimed silver at PyeongChang 2018 with a score of 88.00, and became the youngest medallist in freestyle skiing in Olympic Winter Games history, breaking the record of Yelizaveta Kozhevnikova (EUN) who was 18 years and 48 days old when she won silver in the women's moguls in Albertville 1992.

Atkin, 19, has also competed in world championship snowboard slopestyle, and was was second behind Hoefflin in ski slopestyle in the Aspen X Games. She produced a clean final run in PyeongChang to score 84.60 and claim bronze ahead of Maggie Voisin (USA) (81.20).

Swiss pride
It was Switzerland's first one-two finish in an event at a Winter Games since Turin 2006, when Philipp Schoch and Simon Schoch crossed the line in first and second in the men's snowboard parallel slalom. Hoefflin was ecstatic to share the podium with her compatriot at PyeongChang 2018.

"I wasn't really expecting too much, but I think the best thing about today is I managed to step on the podium with my teammate [Gremaud]. That was a dream," said Hoefflin. "We saw each other (between the runs) and I was congratulating her the whole time, because she has come back from an injury [Gremaud recovered from concussion following an accident in training days earlier] and she has had a really tough start to the year. She was the one who totally inspired me to do the switch double nine.

"I really wanted to land [that trick]," continued Hoefflin of her final run. "That's all I cared about. I just had that trick in mind before my third run. It worked and I'm happy. I don't have many words right now, I'm just so happy it went well."

New generation
Young medallists Gremaud and Atkin were both delighted with their respective podium finishes. "It's incredible," said Gremaud. "When I was a kid I was always watching the Winter Olympics and it was a dream. Now it's reality. I was really excited. I was thinking maybe I'll get a high score and get a good position. I was just hoping to get something high."

"I'm just speechless, added Atkins who produced her best-ever performance, and became only the second Brit to win a medal in a snow event at an Olympic Winter Games, after Jenny Jones who won bronze in the snowboard slopestyle in Sochi four years ago. "I really just wanted to put down a run that I was proud of, and I can't believe it. I skied one of the best runs that I've ever done."

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Hoefflin wins ski slopestyle ahead of teenage YOG star

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Sarah Hoefflin from Switzerland won the women's ski slopestyle at PyeongChang 2018, while former Winter Youth Olympic Games competitor Mathilde Gremaud, also from Switzerland took silver at Phoenix Snow Park. Isabel Atkin from Great Britain claimed bronze.

# data[].attributes.body
Oleksandr Abramenko secured Ukraine's first gold medal of pyeongchang 2018 as he soared to freestyle skiing glory in the Men's Aerials at phoenix park on sunday 18 february. Completing the podium were Jia Zongyang of China in second and olympic athlete from Russia Ilia Burov in third. The 29 year old Abramenko sealed gold with a back full double full that earned him 128.51 points

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Oleksandr Abramenko secured Ukraine's first gold medal of PyeongChang 2018 as he soared to freestyle skiing glory in the men's aerials at Phoenix Park on Sunday 18 February. Completing the podium were Jia Zongyang of China in second and Olympic Athlete from Russia (OAR) Ilia Burov in third.

The 2016 FIS Aerials World Cup winner, the 29-year-old Abramenko sealed gold with aBack Full-Full-Double Full that earned him 128.51 points. Performing the same jump and the last of the competition, Jia scored just 0.46 points fewer to add a silver to the bronze he won at Sochi 2014. That outcome will have come as something of a disappointment to the Chinese freestyler, who topped the standings in Final 2 and had his sights set on winning a first aerials gold for his country since Han Xiaopeng at Turin 2006.
Getty Images
World champion Jonathon Lillis of the USA missed the cut for the six-man final, having top-scored in the previous day's qualifying with 127.44 points, while Sochi 2014 silver medallist David Morris of Australia went out in Final 1. Competing in his fourth Olympics, 33-year-old defending Olympic champion Anton Kushnir of Belarus failed to qualify for the finals altogether.

The first Ukrainian male athlete to collect an Olympic Winter Games gold medal, Abramenko said he had tried his winning jump only 15 times previously, adding: "It was one of the best jumps of my life."

"It's really unbelievable," he continued. "I'd hoped to take a medal today, but I won gold. I'm really happy about it. It's Ukraine's first medal in freestyle skiing and I'm just so happy. I can't believe it. I've dreamed about this moment since I was young, when I started doing freestyle skiing, and now it's come true."

Reflecting on his wait for Jia's final jump, Abramenko said: "I was so nervous. When I saw the last score by Jia, I realised I had won the gold medal and it was crazy."

"I'm a bit disappointed, but I did my best and I have to be satisfied with the result," said Jia. "The other competitors were very strong too."

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Ukraine's Abramenko flies to freestyle ski aerials gold

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Oleksandr Abramenko secured Ukraine's first gold medal of PyeongChang 2018 as he soared to freestyle skiing glory in the men's aerials at Phoenix Park on Sunday 18 February. Completing the podium were Jia Zongyang of China in second and Olympic Athlete from Russia (OAR) Ilia Burov in third.

# data[].attributes.body
Australian Aerial's skier Lydia Lassila took a huge break, looked down at her coach and then went for it, unsure if this would be the final jump of an illustrious career spanning five editions of the Olympic winter games. It turned out that it was. It wasn't a fairy tale ending, the 36 year old missed out on the Pyeongchang 2018 final after wiping out in the qualification round on 15 February. She finished 14th place.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Australian aerial's skier Lydia Lassila took a huge breath, looked down at her coach and then went for it, unsure if this would be the final jump of an illustrious career spanning five editions of the Olympic Winter Games. It turned out that it was.

There was to be no fairy-tale finish, as the 36-year-old missed out on the PyeongChang 2018 final after wiping out in the qualification round on 15 February. Eventually she finished in 14 th place.

"It's the nature of the beast," said the Australian philosophically. "There are elements that we can't control. It's tough, we know that. My story is over and that's OK. I'm ready for it."

It meant the end of a glorious Olympic career that began way back in Salt Lake City back in 2002. Having bounced back from injury at Turin 2006, she went on to win gold at Vancouver 2010.

Her bronze-medal-winning performance four years later in Sochi included one of the highlight moments of the Games - a stunning quadruple twisting triple somersault that clinched her place on the podium, in spite of landing on her back.

Loving every minute

After her final jump at Bokwang Phoenix Snow Park, Lassila was quick to thwart any talk of a sixth appearance at the Games. "I am going to retire, which I'm kind of looking forward to as well," she said.

"I have loved every minute and whilst it's horrible now and I'll probably go home and cry for a few hours in disappointment, I'm grateful for my health, the opportunity, for what this sport taught me."

Core values

Lassila added that aerials had given her so much in her life, and that for this she would always be thankful.

"It's stripped me down to my core," she said. "I know who I am, and I'm really grateful for that opportunity."

Lassila has combined competing at the top level with raising two young sons and managing a busy work life, and says she hopes she has shown what can be achieved.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Aerials star Lassila brings curtain down on 16-year Olympic odyssey

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Australian aerial’s skier Lydia Lassila took a huge breath, looked down at her coach and then went for it, unsure if this would be the final jump of an illustrious career spanning five editions of the Olympic Winter Games. It turned out that it was.

# data[].attributes.body
More than six decades after Asle Sjastad competed in the olympic winter games, Tiril Sjastad Christiansen this week achieved her dream of becoming the second olympian in her family when she represented Norway in Pyeongchang. The Olympic winter games have always had a special place in Tiril Sjastad Christiansen's family. Her grandfather also represented Norway.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
More than six decades after Asle Sjåstad competed in the Olympic Winter Games, Tiril Sjåstad Christiansen this week achieved her dream of becoming the second Olympian in her family when she represented Norway in PyeongChang.

The Olympic Winter Games have always been special to Tiril Sjåstad Christiansen's family. Her grandfather, Asle Sjåstad, represented Norway in Alpine skiing at t he Olympic Winter Games Cortina d'Ampezzo 1956, and Tiril has dreamed of following in his footsteps since she was a young girl.

Asle passed away in 2009, meaning he never got the chance to watch his granddaughter win halfpipe silver at the Winter Youth Olympic Games (YOG) Innsbruck 2012 - the first step on her journey to become her family's second Olympian.

Tiril came close to realising her childhood dream at the Olympic Winter Games Sochi 2014, but injury cruelly forced her to withdraw before the event started. On 17 February, however, she finally achieved her goal as she took to the snow at Phoenix Park to compete in ski slopestyle at the Olympic Winter Games PyeongChang 2018. Here, the 22-year-old tells olympic.org about her #YOGjourney...

How does it feel to finally realise your Olympic dream, six years after winning silver at the Winter YOG Innsbruck 2012?

"I'm so pleased and relieved. It's been a long and bumpy road [since Innsbruck]. I was almost sick with nerves before my first run here and I didn't even know what I was doing; it felt like I almost blacked out! There wasn't any flow at all. But then I put it together in my second run and I was so happy to make the final. I had to go home after only one training run in Sochi but the day after that I was already saying, 'My road to PyeongChang starts here'. So to finally be here now feels kind of crazy."

You finished ninth in the final after qualifying in second place. Were you disappointed not to perform at your best?
"I actually feel really good. I'm really happy. Of course, I love winning and standing on the podium, but it's not always easy. You have to put a good run down and unfortunately that last jump just got the better of me. I'm still happy. It was a great day, a great competition and I'm super pumped to see all the girls do so well; it's cool to see the progression in our sport and to be a part of that."

How would you sum up your Olympic experience?
"It's amazing. The road here has been so long and so bumpy, with a lot of ups and downs, so just being here is like winning a gold medal for me. I've been enjoying everything about this experience; it's been super fun. I'm glad I made it here. We've been running around in the Olympic Village, collecting pins, eating ice cream every day! We've been having a lot of fun. I'm sad that it's coming to an end because it's been great to see so many other athletes and all live together. It's been really cool and I'm going to miss that."
Did competing at the Winter YOG help prepare you for what the Olympic Winter Games would be like?
"Yes, it was pretty similar to what it's like here, just a little smaller. It was the same vibe though and it was a good experience. It was one of the first big international contests that I competed in and it was cool to travel with other athletes and hang out in the Olympic Village, just like we've done here."

You're now the second Olympian in your family, after following in your grandfather's footsteps. How does that feel?

"It's crazy. I always think about him and want to show him how good I am. I also really wanted to do better than he did in the Games! I wish I had a medal, but I finished ninth, which was higher than he finished [in 1956] so now I'm officially the best Olympian in my family! I doubt he would have ever understood what slopestyle skiing is all about, but I think he would have been really proud."

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
#YOGjourney: Tiril Sjåstad Christiansen follows in grandfather's Olympic footsteps in PyeongChang

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
More than six decades after Asle Sjåstad competed in the Olympic Winter Games, Tiril Sjåstad Christiansen this week achieved her dream of becoming the second Olympian in her family when she represented Norway in PyeongChang. The Olympic Winter Games have always been special to Tiril Sjåstad Christiansen's family.

# data[].attributes.body
Canadian Kelsey Serwa stepped up from the silver medal won at Sochi in 2014 to take the gold in the Women's Ski Cross final at phoenix snow park on Friday 23, February. Serwa is only one of two canadians to contest the four woman final at PyeongChang 2018. "I had a plan and executed it, and was so fired up," Serwa said.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Canadian Kelsey Serwa stepped up from the silver medal she won at Sochi 2014 to take the gold in the women's ski cross final at Phoenix Snow Park on Friday 23 February.

Serwa, one of two Canadians to contest the four-woman final at PyeongChang 2018, asserted herself after a vigorous start in which all four skiers jostled over the early jumps.

As Sandra Naeslund (SWE) and Fanny Smith (SUI) continued to ski shoulder-to-shoulder, Brittany Phelan (CAN) swooped past the pair in a bend and held on to make it a Canadian 1-2. Smith edged in front of Naeslund to take the bronze medal.

"I had a plan and executed it, and was so fired up," Serwa said. "And to be there with my teammate and best friend Britt, too. It is very cool. It is very surreal to be the best in the world at something you put your heart into."

'Our skis were rockets today'

"I have an amazing support team around me who, from my head to my body, made sure everything was good. Our skis were rockets today."

Serwa said she concentrated throughout her run on getting the fundamentals right. "Then it was just like, 'OK, I've done everything I can, get through this finish stretch' and that was it. I looked back and I saw Britt there and it was the best moment of my life."

Phelan said a silver medal was "absolutely amazing". "It couldn't have worked out any better: to finish second behind my best friend, it's like a dream come true," she said.

"This is what I've been working for my whole life, since I was six years old I wanted an Olympic medal. For it to happen, it's unreal. It hasn't really sunk in yet."

Earlier, Sochi 2014 gold medallist Marielle Thompson (CAN) was a shock omission when she failed to progress from her heat.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Serwa steps up to win gold in women's ski cross final

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Serwa, one of two Candians to contest the four-woman final at PyeongChang 2018, asserted herself after a vigorous start in which all four skiers jostled over the early jumps. As Sandra Naeslund (SWE) and Fanny Smith (SUI) continued to ski shoulder-to-shoulder, Brittany Phelan (CAN) swooped past the pair in a bend and held on to make it a Candian 1-2.

# data[].attributes.body
Cassie Sharp of Canada needed just two runs int eh Freestyle Skiing Halfpipe. Sharp as current world number one began her third and final run having already secured gold at phoenix Snow Park. She crashed after back to back 900's. Her second run slightly better than her first, at 95.80, as she proved her maxim, "Fear is not real.". She performed a beautiful 1080, that is only performed by a handful of women skiers.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Cassie Sharpe (CAN) needed just two runs in the freestyle skiing halfpipe, landing in the gold-medal spot after each. French veteran Marie Martinod took silver at PyeongChang 2018 on 20 February. Brita Sigourney led the US trio of finalists with her bronze medal.

Current world number one Sharpe began her third and final run having already secured gold at Phoenix Snow Park. She crashed out after back-to-back 900s, but put in another trick for fun as she coasted down to the bottom of the halfpipe to wrap the Canadian flag round her shoulders.

Sharpe's second run slightly bettered her first, at 95.80, as she proved her maxim, "Fear is not real." After back-to-back 900s and a big truck driver, she finished with a glorious 1080, a trick being performed by only a handful of female freestyle skiers.

Second silver for Martinod

Martinod, 33, competed in her last Olympics, looking for a medal to add to her silver at Sochi 2014. Her second-run score of 92.60 clinched silver, as she landed superb back-to-back 540s, and a huge 1080 to rival Sharpe's. She scooped up her daughter in her arms after the run, having said she is giving up the competitive skiing to have more children.

Sigourney won bronze with her third-run score of 91.60. She landed a massive, stylish 900, and big back-to-back 540s. She had a tense wait at the bottom with team-mate Annalisa Drew, who had briefly been in third place, before Sigourney won back her podium spot, and the pair gave each other a huge hug.

Kexin Zhang (CHN), aged just 15, finished 9 th, with a top score of 73.00, after an excellent technical run. Sochi 2014 gold medallist Maddie Bowman didn't land any of her runs and finished 11 th, while qualifier Anais Caradeux (CAN) did not start the final.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Sharpe from the start in women's skiing halfpipe

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Cassie Sharpe (CAN) needed just two runs in the freestyle skiing halfpipe, landing in the gold-medal spot after each. French veteran Marie Martinod took silver at PyeongChang 2018 on 20 February. Brita Sigourney led the US trio of finalists with her bronze medal.

# data[].attributes.body
Born in Chinju, Lee Meehyun was adopted by an American couple at the age of one and grew up in Philadelphia. Relocated to Republic of Korea after she finished High School to work at Freestyle Skiing school in PyeongChang. Lee jumped at the chance to ski at a home winter games to use her raised profile to help track down her birth parents. She missed out on qualification for the Women's slopestyle finals by .20 points.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
The Olympic Winter Games PyeongChang 2018 have proved a very welcome homecoming for Republic of Korea freestyle skier Lee Meehyun, as the 23-year-old seeks to find out more about her past.

Born in Chinju, Lee was adopted by an American couple at the age of one and grew up in Philadelphia where she experienced a strong desire to find out more about her home country and to meet her birth parents.

An avid skier since the age of three, 'Jackie', as she is known, relocated to Republic of Korea after she finished high school to work at a freestyle skiing school in PyeongChang, and it was here that she attracted the attention of the Korean ski association. In 2015, Lee was asked to consider competing for the country of her birth.

Lee jumped at the chance to ski at a home Winter Games and to use her raised profile to help track down her birth parents. "I have been curious about it since I was younger and then I visited one of the adoption agencies in Seoul," said Lee. "I was not actively looking because I was focusing fully on my performance at PyeongChang. Now that my event has finished, I am going to take further steps in looking for my birth parents."

'An honour'

Lee, who missed out on qualification for the women's slopestyle finals by 0.20 points, said competing at the Winter Games for Republic of Korea had been an honour. "I don't have words for it. Apparently, the crowd was chanting my name," Lee said. "I have been trying to use this world stage event to get my story out and to inspire other adoptees as well, to try to look for their birth parents or are curious."

Lee knows that finding her parents will not be easy. "It is important to me because it is an opportunity to find them," Lee said. "Later on, I wouldn't want any regrets, if I hadn't tried. It takes two people to tango, so I am willing to meet them. If they are willing, then awesome. If they are not willing to meet then I completely, 100 percent, respect their decision because it is an emotional rollercoaster for both sides."

Proud of heritage

Whatever the outcome, Lee can hold her head up high knowing she gave it her all on the slopes and in trying to find out about her past. She will continue to live in Seoul, where she has been based for two years, meeting other adoptees and learning about Korean culture.

Lee will not forget her American heritage and admits that she remains Western-oriented, but she believes it is possible to be both 'Jackie' the American and Meehyun the Korean. "I am becoming more Korean, especially with holding my name and competing under my birth name. It was one of my only ties to being Korean," she said. "Some people still call me 'Jackie' and some have converted to call me Meehyun, which is amazing because I consider both of them true to me."

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
PyeongChang 2018 favourite Jackie on Korean voyage of discovery

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Born in Chinju, Lee was adopted by an American couple at the age of one and grew up in Philadelphia where she experienced a strong desire to find out more about her home country and to meet her birth parents.

# data[].attributes.body
Elizabeth Swaney, a 33-year-old from California, is technically from America. But She's able to compete for Hungary because her grandparents are from there. She originally represented Venezuela when she first started entering World Cup events in 2013, but she started competing for Hungary in 2015. Swaney met the requirements for the International Ski Federation and that meaning she got her Olympic debut.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Elizabeth Swaney made it to the Olympics and, for one night, captivated - and also confused - a worldwide audience.

You won't be seeing her in today's halfpipe final, and you certainly won't be seeing her at X Games next year.

But the fact remains, Elizabeth Swaney made it to the Olympics and, for one night, captivated - and also confused - a worldwide audience.

First, a little explanation about Olympic qualifying: This year, there were 24 quota spots available for the PyeongChang Winter Olympics in women's ski halfpipe. But those spots don't automatically go to the best 24 skiers in the world. The maximum number of skiers that each nation can send to the Olympics for women's halfpipe is four, so a country like the U.S. - which had six skiers ranked inside the top 20 of the Olympic qualification standings - could only send their top four skiers, even though they had more than four athletes who earned quota spots.

So with countries like the U.S. having to forego their extra quota spots, some countries not using all their quota spots, and other athletes pulling out due to injury, the invite list made it all the way down to athlete No. 34 in the rankings: Elizabeth Swaney of Hungary.

Swaney, a 33-year-old from California, is technically American. But she's able to compete for Hungary because her grandparents are from there. (She originally represented Venezuela when she first started entering World Cup events in 2013, but she began competing for Hungary in 2015.)

The International Ski Federation (FIS), which governs the sport, has minimum requirements for athletes to be eligible for the Olympics. They include finishing in the top 30 at a World Cup event and scoring a minimum number of FIS points.

Swaney met those requirements. The field for women's halfpipe is not very deep, so many World Cup events had fewer than 30 athletes competing. So as long as she showed up and dropped in for a run, Swaney was guaranteed a top-30 finish and at least a few FIS points.

And that's exactly what Swaney did. She was able to use very basic runs to get herself into position to qualify for the Olympics. She wouldn't necessarily attempt any tricks, but she wouldn't crash either.

"She would compete in [World Cup events] consistently over the last couple years and sometimes girls would crash so she would not end up dead last," FIS freeski judge Steele Spence explained to the Denver Post.

Which brings us to Swaney's performance in PyeongChang:

She didn't clear the lip of the halfpipe. She didn't grab her tricks. She didn't spin anything beyond a 180. But she didn't fall.

Her first run "featured" five straight airs, an alley-oop 180 and then another straight air - the sort of run that you might see from a weekend warrior at your local ski resort's halfpipe. It scored a 30.0 and placed her 22nd out of 24 skiers.

Swaney cleaned things up enough on her second run to bump her score up to a 31.4, but by then she was firmly in last place.

"I didn't qualify for the finals, so I'm really disappointed with that," Swaney said afterward, according to Reuters. "But I worked really hard for several years to achieve this."

Swaney - whose other notable exploits have included a run for governor of California as a 19-year-old and an attempt to become an Olympic skeleton athlete for Venezuela - insists her motivations are pure and says that she hopes her trip to the Olympics can be an inspiration.

"I want to inspire others in Hungary and the world to become involved in freestyle skiing," she said, according to the Denver Post. "Maybe perhaps I'm the bridge to those who want to get started in the life of freestyle skiing and I want to show people that, yeah, it's possible to get involved in freestyle skiing through a variety of backgrounds."

As for what the other athletes thought of her performance, it's hard to say. The Denver Post noted that no athletes were willing to go on the record for their story about Swaney, but Cassie Sharpe - the gold medal favorite in women's halfpipe - told other media outlets that she didn't have a problem with it.

"If you are going to put in the time and effort to be here," she said, according to Reuters, "then you deserve to be here as much as I do."

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
How freeskier Elizabeth Swaney made it to the Olympics with a very simple halfpipe run

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Elizabeth Swaney made it to the Olympics and, for one night, captivated - and also confused - a worldwide audience. You won't be seeing her in today's halfpipe final, and you certainly won't be seeing her at X Games next year.

# data[].attributes.body
Kelsey serwa pulled away from compatriot Brittany Phelan to claim ski cross gold on Friday as Canada secured a one-two finish ahead of Switzerland's Fanny Smith, who edged out Swede Sandra Naesland in a bustling battle for bronze. Serwa's comfortable victory enabled Canada to continue their domination of the event.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Freestyle skiing: Serwa leads Canadian one-two in ski cross

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Kelsey Serwa pulled away from compatriot Brittany Phelan to claim ski cross gold on Friday as Canada secured a one-two finish ahead of Switzerland's Fanny Smith, who edged out Swede Sandra Naesland in a tense battle for third.

# data[].attributes.body
The snowboard and freestyle skiing have picked up the medals for the U.S. team. These competitors have accounted for 10 of the country's 19 medals. Freestyle skier David Wise successfully defended his gold medal on Thursday, breaking through on his final run. He wiped out on his first 2 runs but then pulled out an astonishing score of 97.20.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
PYEONGCHANG, South Korea -- At least the Americans have the Phoenix Snow Park halfpipe.

Freestyle skier David Wise successfully defended his gold medal on Thursday, breaking through on his final run to give the U.S. its third gold medal in the halfpipe at the Pyeongchang Olympics.

Wise wiped out on each of his first two runs when his skis popped off his feet. After swapping out his skis and cranking up the bindings for his final try, he sneaked past countryman Alex Ferreira with a score of 97.20.

It was a dream run for Wise, who landed double corks in all four directions -- front left, front right, switch (backward) left and switch right.

"Putting all four of them into a run is certainly the most challenging thing I've ever done," he said.

It's the seventh gold medal for the United States in Pyeongchang, five of which have come at Phoenix Snow Park, including those from snowboarders Chloe Kim, Shaun White, Red Gerard and Jamie Anderson.

The snowboard and freestyle skiing crews have picked up the slack for the U.S. team in these Olympics. Those competitors have accounted for 10 of the country's 19 medals, many of them at the snow park located an hour away from the Gangneung Olympic Plaza.

Ferreira took silver, and 16-year-old Nico Porteous from New Zealand got bronze. It was the second medal of the day for the Kiwis after 16-year-old snowboarder Zoi Sadowski-Synnott won bronze in big air snowboarding to end New Zealand's 26-year Winter Games drought.

Porteous was so nervous before the competition that he vomited three times, and yet on his second run, he pushed past Ferreira for the top spot, shocking even himself by landing five double corks and getting a score of 94.80. His jaw dropped and he pumped his arms when it was announced.

Porteous didn't even bother trying on the third run, cruising through the halfpipe without a trick and waiting at the bottom for the other competitors.

"I had nothing left," Porteous said. "That was me. That was all I had left in the bag. I hope people didn't see that as me being cocky because I really had nothing left. That was the best run I've ever done in my life."

Ferreira stormed past Porteous on his second run. The 23-year-old American spun his right ski pole over his head at the bottom of the halfpipe, then threw up his hands when the judges gave him a 96.00.

Wise put down his double-cork dream run a few minutes later, and Ferreira could only counter with a 96.40.

It was a clutch show for Wise, who was on track to knock out all four double corks in each of his first two runs before binding issues left him sprawled in the snow.

"For Run 3, we cranked my bindings up as high as they go," he said. "We're like, 'You know what, my leg's coming off before the ski does.'"

The skis stayed put through all of Wise's flips and spins, making him a two-time winner in an Olympic sport that was introduced at the Sochi Games four years ago.

Wise had a big cheering section of family and friends at the bottom of the halfpipe, and most of them had "David Wise" written on their faces. Wise's sister, Christy, is an Air Force rescue pilot who lost a leg in a paddleboarding accident in 2015, and Wise is giving 10 percent of his earnings this season to a foundation he and his sisters created: One Leg Up On Life.

The Americans had eyed a podium sweep in the halfpipe, with Torin Yater-Wallace and Aaron Blunck also among the favorites. Yater-Wallace failed to complete a clean run, including a gnarly crash midway through his third try, and finished ninth. Blunck's best effort was an 84.80 on his final run, good for seventh.

The U.S. last swept a Winter Games podium in Sochi, when Joss Christensen, Gus Kenworthy and Nick Goepper won the men's skiing slopestyle. The U.S. also swept the 2002 men's snowboard halfpipe and the 1956 men's figure skating.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Wise enough to win: U.S. skier defends gold

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
PYEONGCHANG, South Korea -- At least the Americans have the Phoenix Snow Park halfpipe. Freestyle skier David Wise successfully defended his gold medal on Thursday, breaking through on his final run to give the U.S. its third gold medal in the halfpipe at the Pyeongchang Olympics.

# data[].attributes.body
This article is describing the placings of the latest women freestyle skiing standings. Hanna Huskova of Belarus placed 1st with a gold medal with the score of 96.14. Barely beating China's Zhang Xin with a score of 95.52. Relating to econ with competition between each other. Competing against each other to get first is like in the business world where firms compete against others to get the most sales.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
LOIC VENANCE/Getty Images
Hanna Huskova of Belarus took gold in the women's freestyle skiing aerials at the 2018 Winter Olympics on Friday, recording a score of 96.14 in Pyeongchang, South Korea.

She narrowly topped the podium ahead of China's Zhang Xin, who scored 95.52. Her compatriot, Kong Fanyu, as the only other competitor to land her final jump, claimed bronze.

Here are their final scores:

Here is the updated medals table:

Huskova topped Final 1 with a score of 94.15, while defending champion and compatriot Alla Tsuper benefited from a higher degree of difficulty than her opponents, despite a less-than-perfect technical execution of her back lay-full-full jump, per FISfreestyle:

FISfreestyle @FISfreestyle
F1 is in the books and we're down to only 9 ladies. F2 is now underway #pyeongchang2018 https://t.co/YYNLTpGV1m
2018-2-16 11:53:54

The USA's Kiley McKinnon, Russian Kristina Spiridonova and Australia's Danielle Scott did not make the grade, with the latter two having failed to make their landing.

Kong landed the best jump in Final 2 as she scored 97.29, the highest of the day, with Zhang and Huskova joining her for the third jump along with Tsuper, Laura Peel and Madison Olsen.

In a bid to retain her Olympic title, Tsuper went for broke in Final 3 with the most difficult jump, a back full-full-full with a degree of 4.050. The gamble did not pay off, though, as she, along with Peel and Olsen, failed to land it.

Meanwhile, Kong's landing wasn't particularly clean, either, but it was strong enough to keep her clear of them and secure third place.

Fox Sports' Brenton Speed took issue with Huskova's landing, too:

Brenton Speed @BrentonSpeed
Surely you can't drag your hand through the snow on landing and win gold? #aerials
2018-2-16 12:11:52

Huskova's landing was penalised, awarded 5.7 compared with Zhang's 8.2, but her superior form, air and higher degree of difficult clinched it for her after her back lay-full-full jump.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Women's Freestyle Skiing Results Olympics 2018: Aerials Medal Winners

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Hanna Huskova of Belarus took gold in the women's freestyle skiing aerials at the 2018 Winter Olympics on Friday, recording a score of 96.14 in Pyeongchang, South Korea. She narrowly topped the podium ahead of China's Zhang Xin, who scored 95...