The country that has steadily been asserting mastery over the halfpipe took that show to the Winter Olympics big air contest Saturday night, where Kira Kimura and Ryoma Kimata flew and stomped their way to a 1-2 finish to put their country on the top of the sport's highest flying event.

The first medals of the 2026 Winter Olympics were awarded Saturday in men's downhill skiing and women's cross-country Skiathlon.

LIVIGNO, Italy — Justin Reiter is a rarity in snowboarding. He is an American who made his career carving curves into the snow banks at high speeds, instead of launching his board airborne from the halfpipe.