Aussie Rivalry: Gold Race Heats Up

The Reigning King and the Aspiring Heir: Australia’s Snowboarding Dynasty in Livigno

The crisp air of Livigno hangs heavy with anticipation, just days before the men’s halfpipe, the undisputed showstopper of Olympic snowboarding. On the slopes, training has concluded, and a unique ritual is unfolding. Athletes, both men and women, who’ve had a close-up inspection of the meticulously crafted Livigno facility, have gathered in a semi-circle. Their focus is fixed on the individual responsible for shaping the course, all eager to offer their insights and feedback. This is the course review, a democratic forum where every competitor has a voice.

In theory, it’s a level playing field. In practice, however, all eyes inevitably gravitate towards Scotty James. “We were all like, ‘Scotty, what do you think?'” laughs Australian snowboarder Emily Arthur. “He has such a significant presence within the entire community.” According to those present, James’ key suggestion was to improve the vertical balance of the left and right walls of the halfpipe. A chorus of nods confirmed widespread agreement.

“Well, it’s not always just Scotty,” interjects Valentino Guseli, a close friend and fierce rival. “He was the first to voice it, but it’s what everyone was thinking.” This quiet authority is the hallmark of a decade spent at the pinnacle of the sport.

There’s an undeniable magnetism about James, a two-time Olympic silver medallist and the clear favourite to claim the one medal missing from his illustrious career: Olympic gold. Just as the next generation seemed poised to challenge his dominance, James solidified his position by clinching his eighth X Games title. He achieved this by unveiling a groundbreaking trick combination, linking a switch backside 1440 directly into a backside 1440. This late-career masterstroke served as a potent reminder that he has no intention of relinquishing his throne.

While Guseli might be the sole Australian not wishing for James to finally stand atop the Olympic podium, his sentiment stems not from malice or resentment, but from a deep-seated competitive spirit. “He’s the man, for sure,” Guseli acknowledges. For Guseli to dethrone James and become the new sovereign of Australian snowboarding, he must first overcome the reigning monarch. If James is the king, then Guseli, at 20 years old, is the ambitious challenger tasked with ending the monarch’s reign.

“He’s a great person,” Guseli continues, his respect evident. “Obviously, from my perspective, and from everyone else’s, we’re here to win. That’s our sole purpose: to go for gold. As a snowboarder, I hold him in very high regard. I think it’s more about us collectively pushing ourselves and taking down everyone else. That’s the exciting part.”

The snowboarding community, particularly within the Australian contingent, fosters a remarkably collegiate atmosphere, a stark contrast to many other sporting disciplines. Both James and Guseli attest to how they bring out the best in each other, a sentiment that appears to be genuine. It’s a dynamic of mutual admiration, tempered by a natural, “brotherly” competitiveness, as Arthur aptly described it. “There’s definitely some fire there, but at the end of the day, it’s rooted in love,” she explains.

This positive dynamic is crucial, as the athletes face significant challenges beyond their internal rivalry. They must contend with formidable international competition, most notably a powerful contingent of Japanese riders, spearheaded by Ayumu Hirano, the reigning Olympic halfpipe champion from Beijing 2022. The qualifying rounds are set to commence on Thursday at 5:30 AM AEDT.

“I believe Valentino is an incredibly talented snowboarder,” James states. “Most importantly, in my opinion, he’s a genuinely good kid. I have absolutely nothing negative to say about him.” He elaborates on a common Australian trait: “Australians, by nature, we tend to try and pull each other down a peg. It’s in our DNA. When someone achieves success, we often feel the urge to diminish it slightly. Throughout my career, I’ve consciously avoided that. Every time he achieves something significant, I send him a text message saying, ‘Mate, well done.’ We’re a small nation in the world of winter sports, yet we achieve remarkable things. Valentino is someone who has the potential to stand on the podium in any discipline. I will always cheer him on to do so. Of course, cutting through the braveness – he and I both understand that we have to compete against each other, and we have to overcome the entire Japanese team, the Americans, and everyone else as well. I’m genuinely looking forward to a strong battle with him here in the halfpipe. It’s going to be a lot of fun.”

Australian Women’s Big Air Campaign Falls Short

In the women’s big air final, Australian hopes were dashed as Tess Coady narrowly missed out on a podium finish. Prior to the final, Coady had struggled to land any of her practice runs, a situation that forced a strategic pivot. Stepping onto the slope as the first competitor on Monday night (local time), the 25-year-old Australian had to adjust her approach.

Despite successfully landing all three of her runs, Coady ultimately secured a seventh-place finish. Her compatriot, Mela Stalker, finished in tenth place. The gold medal was claimed by Japan’s Kokomo Murase, with New Zealand’s Zoi Sadowski Synnott taking silver and South Korea’s Seungeun Yu securing the bronze.

“My initial plan was to start with a switch back trick, followed by a backside manoeuvre,” Coady explained. “However, I felt more confident initiating with the backside trick and then seeing how the rest of the run unfolded.” In simpler terms, her strategy shifted from attempting a high-difficulty opening trick to a more conservative approach due to a perceived dip in confidence.

For Mela Stalker, competing in her first Olympic final, the experience exceeded her own expectations. This Olympic outing now serves as valuable experience ahead of her preferred event – the women’s slopestyle. Not only is slopestyle Stalker’s favourite discipline, but the course itself is also particularly well-suited to her style. It features substantial rails, which might intimidate some, but Stalker finds them exhilarating.

“The rails here are incredible, so I’m really looking forward to experimenting with them during practice and seeing how things develop,” she enthused. “We have some events with quite high rails, but not to this average height, so I’m eager to see how they all play out.” This characteristic of the course presents no challenge for Stalker; she thrives on rails. The same sentiment applies to Coady, who earned a bronze medal in the women’s slopestyle at the 2022 Olympics. “I love rails. Rails are incredibly fun,” Coady stated. “There’s a really enjoyable little rail park just across the street that I’ll probably spend some time at before practice officially begins.”

The Winter Olympic Games are being broadcast across Australia on the Nine Network, 9Now, and Stan Sport.

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