After two falls

Two falls: Gasser heads home without a medal

Anna Gasser fell in the second and third runs, missing out on a medal.(Bild: AP/Rebecca Blackwell)

Anna Gasser finished her last Olympic competition in tenth place. The double Olympic champion in freestyle snowboarding failed to complete a flawless run in the slopestyle event, missing out on her dream medal by a wide margin. 

Gold in a decision influenced by wind and a slow slope in the snow park in Livigno was won by 19-year-old Mari Fukada from Japan, narrowly ahead of Zoi Sadowski-Synnott from New Zealand and big air winner Kokomo Murase from Japan.

Mari Fukada and Zoi Sadowski-Synnott(Bild: GEPA)

This could have been Gasser's last appearance on a major competition stage. The 34-year-old Olympic champion in 2018 and 2022 in Big Air has left her career open, but she will compete in the upcoming World Cup in Flachau, Austria. Winning an Olympic slopestyle medal has always been a major goal for the Carinthian. Sixth place in 2022 remains her best result in four slopestyle appearances at the Olympics. Nine days ago, she finished eighth in the Big Air in Italy.

"I'm glad I stayed healthy and enjoyed the Olympics. I have the two medals at home, I've fulfilled my dream. I said it's now an encore. But it hurts a little that I couldn't show the run I had planned," Gasser said on ORF. "Of course, I would have liked to finish with a nice run. But for me, this course was very difficult to ride. I congratulate those who made it, but I'm just glad I don't have to ride there anymore."

(Bild: APA/EXPA)

Speed problems
The slopestyle decision had been postponed by one day due to snowfall and wind. "I'm praying for downhill wind and that I'll have enough speed in the final," Gasser had said beforehand. Favorable wind and fast slope conditions had always been a prerequisite for the former gymnast to achieve a good result in this discipline.

  Her hopes were not fulfilled. Many athletes struggled to pick up speed on the way to the three kickers. Gasser also pulled out all the aerodynamic stops with her bib number attached, no jacket, and tape around her knees – but to no avail. "It was really at the limit of speed. I think the level would have been completely different if the course had been built a little differently," said Gasser. "We all had the same conditions. Of course, those who are a little smaller and heavier have an advantage. But the others mastered it, so it was still fair."

"A lot would have been possible"
With 46.95 points in the first run (5th), she was far from able to show her wide range of tricks. In the second run, she failed to complete the rotation on the second kicker during a backside 540. Gasser went into her final Olympic run in seventh place, took a risk and failed again on the second jump with a backside double 1080. "When I came down too early on the second rail, I already knew it was going to be very difficult. I still wanted to try the technical tricks on the kickers and then unfortunately fell short on the second one," said Gasser, describing her last attempt. "A lot would have been possible today, but I didn't manage it."

At the top, Gasser's good friend Sadowski-Synnott was the last to knock the surprise German Annika Morgan off the podium. The New Zealander had to settle for fifth place, just 0.35 points behind Japan's Fukada (87.83), who won her fifth Olympic medal. Sadowski-Synnott had already won silver in the big air behind Murase (85.80), who took bronze, and won the slopestyle in 2022.