Japan’s Yuto Totsuka wins Mens Halfpipe gold at the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026
Japan’s Yuto Totsuka soared to gold in the men’s snowboard halfpipe at the 2026 Winter Olympics, putting down an immaculate second run to win one of the most progressive competitions in the sport’s history at Livigno Snow Park. Totsuka’s winning run of 95.00 featured complex tricks, including two triple-cork 1440s, a switch backside-double 1080, and a backside-double 1260.
Australia’s Scotty James took silver, falling just short of the elusive gold medal with a best score of 93.50. Despite a dominant qualifying session, James could not overcome a fall on his final run while attempting a 1620, following his silver in 2022 and bronze in 2018. Japan’s Ryusei Yamada secured the bronze medal with a strong 92.00. The final was characterised by incredible technical progression, where scores below 92.00 were outside of the medal contention. The Japanese team dominated the top standings, with Ruka Hirano finishing 4th with a 91.00. The 17-year-old American rider Alessandro Barbieri had a standout performance, finishing among the top finalists.
