McTwisting to Gold: Learning snowboarders' signature tricks

Chloe Kim snowboarding at the 2018 Winter Olympics - Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

Chloe Kim snowboarding at the 2018 Winter Olympics – Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

It’s showtime. Snowboarders like Shaun White and Jamie Anderson are pulling out their signature tricks to stomp their runs at the 2022 Winter Olympics. Athletes competing in snowboard slopestyle, big air, and halfpipe are scored in five categories: amplitude, difficulty, variety, execution, and progression. These are key when it comes to riders who share signature tricks with competitors. Riders can earn points by performing a variety of different board grabs, riding in different stances, and landing cleanly. The difference between gold and silver could be decided on something as small as a more technical grab or riding in a switch stance.

All jump tricks where athletes spin are measured in multiples of 180 degrees. Corks are off-axis rotations that athletes may combine with a spin.

Check out the signature tricks from top snowboarders.

Slopestyle/Big Air

Jamie Anderson: Double cork 1080

Anderson’s signature trick is a double cork 1080, which is a key trick needed to win a medal. The 1080 is a sharp progression from four years ago, when Anderson’s backside 540, cab underflip, and frontside 720 jumps won her the Olympic gold medal in snowboard slopestyle.

Red Gerard: Triple cork 1620

Gerard is a pro at the triple cork 1620 and is working to master the 1800. Like Anderson, Gerard’s winning run at the 2018 Winter Olympics shows the quick progression of the sport. Gerard’s biggest trick was a triple cork 1440 in PyeongChang.

SEE MORE: Mammoth GP: Gerard nails pair of 1620s for slopestyle win

Zoi Sadowski-Synnott: Double cork 1080

New Zealander Sadowski-Synnott is the first female snowboarder to land back-to-back double cork 1080s in competition.

View social media post: https://twitter.com/XGames/status/1484601309118357504

Mark McMorris: Backside triple cork 1440, triple cork 1620

The backside triple cork 1440 is synonymous with Canadian McMorris, who was the first to land the trick in 2011. The trick has since become standard in competitions and McMorris has learned to perform a triple cork 1620 to progress.

View social media post: https://www.facebook.com/XGames/videos/mark-mcmorriss-first-ever-triple-cork/209517487000942/

Rene Rinnekangas: 1620

The Finnish snowboarder known for his creative tricks can stomp a 1620 with no qualms. Watch for style and variety in his Olympic debut.

Marcus Kleveland: Quad cork 1800

Hailing from Norway, Kleveland landed the first quad cork 1800 in a competition at the X Games Aspen 2017. The 1800 is a show stopping trick expected in the big air discipline.

View social media post: https://www.instagram.com/p/BPzBJ-OjR1_/?hl=en

Anna Gasser: Cab triple underflip 1260

The Austrian snowboarder is the first woman to land this trick, which comprises three and a half rotations while flipping backwards. Gasser is also no stranger to double cork 1080s. She landed two back-to-back to take home the big air gold medal in PyeongChang.

Max Parrot: Triple cork 1800

The 1800 is what earned the Canadian the gold medal in big air at X Games Aspen 2020 over McMorris who landed comparable 1620s, but no 1800s.

View social media post: https://www.facebook.com/XGames/videos/max-parrot-wins-silver-in-mens-snowboard-big-air-at-x-games-aspen-2022/623613242083409/

Halfpipe

Shaun White: Double cork 1440, double McTwist 1260

The notorious double McTwist 1260 is White’s signature trick after he landed it in his victory lap after winning the halfpipe gold medal at the 2010 Winter Olympics. More recently, the double cork 1440 set him apart when he landed the trick twice back-to-back for the first time during his 2018 gold medal run.

SEE MORE: Vancouver 2010: Shaun White defends snowboard halfpipe gold

Chloe Kim: 1080

Kim was the youngest gold medalist to land back-to-back 1080s in the women’s halfpipe event at the Olympics. The same trick that earned the gold medal for White in 2010 helped Kim clinch her gold medal in 2018.

Ayumu Hirano: Triple cork 1440

Following his narrow loss to White in PyeongChang where both athletes performed back-to-back double cork 1440s, the Japanese snowboarder became the first to land a triple cork 1440.

SEE MORE: Dew Tour Copper: Ayumu Hirano lands historic triple cork

Scotty James: Double cork 1440, switch backside 1260

The Australian rider has double cork 1440s on lock, but it’s his switch backside double cork 1260 that set him apart from Hirano and won him a gold medal at X Games Aspen 2022.

Taylor Gold: Double Michalchuk 1080

The returning Olympian threw down the first double Michalchuk 1080 in a snowboard halfpipe competition in 2020.

 

See what tricks Anderson brings during the women’s snowboard slopestyle final. Watch it at 8:30 p.m. ET on Friday on NBCOlympics.com and the NBC Sports App.

SEE MORE: Snowboarding 101: Glossary

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