Milan Cortina 2026 Women's Freeski Halfpipe Final Delayed by Snowfall to Sunday Morning

The Women's Freeski Halfpipe final is delayed by one day due to heavy snow, moving from Saturday to Sunday morning in Livigno, Italy.
By Newsroom | Winter Sports, Olympics |

The women's freeski halfpipe final at the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics has been postponed by one day due to heavy snowfall in Livigno, Italy. This delay impacts the final Olympic event for Eileen Gu, who was vying for her third medal of the Games and sixth career Olympic medal. The event was originally scheduled for Saturday evening and is now set to take place on Sunday morning.

Winter Olympics 2026: women’s freeski halfpipe final, plus Canada and USA go for ice hockey gold – live - 1

Persistent Weather Delays Olympic Events

Heavy snowfall in the Italian Alps has caused disruptions at the Livigno venue, which has hosted snowboarding and freestyle skiing events. The women's freeski halfpipe final was initially slated for Saturday, but persistent snow forced its postponement. This is not the first time weather has affected the Games; the men's skicross event was held amidst flurries, with participants reporting a slow and challenging course.

Read More: Eileen Gu Falls in Olympic Qualifiers But Still Makes Finals

Winter Olympics 2026: women’s freeski halfpipe final, plus Canada and USA go for ice hockey gold – live - 2

  • The women's freeski halfpipe final was moved from Saturday evening to Sunday morning.

  • Livigno, Italy, the venue for freeski and snowboarding, experienced heavy snowfall.

  • Participants in the men's skicross event noted difficulties due to snowy conditions.

Eileen Gu's Pursuit of Olympic Medals

Eileen Gu, the defending Olympic champion in the halfpipe, was aiming to secure her third medal of the 2026 Games and her sixth overall Olympic medal. Her path to this final involved progressing from the big air competition, which caused her to miss one of her three allotted training sessions for the halfpipe. Despite this scheduling challenge, Gu had previously expressed her determination to perform.

Winter Olympics 2026: women’s freeski halfpipe final, plus Canada and USA go for ice hockey gold – live - 3

  • Gu is the reigning Olympic halfpipe champion.

  • She sought her sixth career Olympic medal in this event.

  • A scheduling conflict with the big air final resulted in Gu missing a halfpipe training session.

Competitors and Course Conditions

The final was expected to feature Eileen Gu competing against athletes such as Amy Fraser of Canada, the only skier to have defeated Gu in a major contest since the previous Olympics. Other notable competitors include Rachael Karker and Cassie Sharpe from Canada, and Kexin Zhang and Fanghui Li from China. The snowy conditions presented a significant challenge, making the course slower and more demanding for the skiers.

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Winter Olympics 2026: women’s freeski halfpipe final, plus Canada and USA go for ice hockey gold – live - 4

  • Amy Fraser (Canada) was identified as a key challenger to Gu.

  • The field includes strong contenders from Canada and China.

  • Snowfall impacted the speed and difficulty of the course.

Scheduling and Broadcast Information

The women's freeski halfpipe final was rescheduled to Sunday at 10:40 a.m. local time (4:30 a.m. ET). The event is accessible to viewers through various broadcasting and streaming platforms, including Peacock and NBCOlympics.com in the United States, and national broadcasters in other territories.

  • The rescheduled final start time is Sunday, 10:40 a.m. local time.

  • Viewers in the US can watch on Peacock and NBCOlympics.com.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Why was the Women's Freeski Halfpipe final at the Milan Cortina 2026 Olympics postponed?
The final was postponed from Saturday evening to Sunday morning because of heavy snowfall in Livigno, Italy, which made conditions unsafe for the athletes.
Q: Who is affected by the postponement of the Women's Freeski Halfpipe final?
The postponement directly affects Eileen Gu, who was competing for her third medal of the Games, as well as other top competitors like Amy Fraser, Rachael Karker, and Cassie Sharpe.
Q: When will the rescheduled Women's Freeski Halfpipe final take place?
The final is now scheduled to happen on Sunday morning at 10:40 a.m. local time in Livigno, Italy.
Q: Have other events at the Milan Cortina 2026 Olympics been affected by weather?
Yes, the persistent snow in the Italian Alps has caused disruptions. For example, the men's skicross event was held in snowy conditions, which participants found made the course slow and difficult.
Q: Where can I watch the rescheduled Women's Freeski Halfpipe final?
Viewers in the United States can watch the event on Peacock and NBCOlympics.com, and it will also be broadcast by national broadcasters in other countries.