BILLINGS — Helena skier Konnor Ralph advanced to the finals of the men's freeski big air competition Sunday at the 2026 Milan Cortina Olympics in Livigno, Italy.
Ralph placed 12th in the qualifying round with a cumulative three-round score of 171.75. The top 12 advanced to Tuesday's final.
Ralph's scored 86.75 on his first trick to sit in fourth place after the opening round, but his second run only produced a 25.75-point score after he spun out on the landing.
Ralph sat in 22nd place prior to making his third trick, and he landed an 85.00-point score to vault back into the top 12 in ninth place with a three-round total of 171.75 — but with 14 more skiers yet to jump.
As the third round continued, Ralph slipped to 10th place and then to 11th before Martin Nordqvist of Sweden pushed Ralph down into 12th place with an 83.50 score.
Kim Gubser, the second-to-last jumper of qualification, then spun out on his landing. The final skier, Lucas Ball of New Zealand, scored 90 on his final attempt but it wasn't enough to qualify for the the finals, which clinched Ralph's No. 12 position.
Ralph finished just ahead of Switzerland's Fabian Boesch, who placed 13th with a three-round score of 170.00.
Mac Forehand of the United States was the top scorer in the qualifying round with a score of 183.00. Team USA's Troy Podmilsak also advanced to the finals in 10th place with a total score of 174.00.
The 23-year-old Ralph, competing in his first Olympic Games, placed ninth in the finals of the men's freeski slopestyle last Tuesday. Ralph advanced to the final by placing 10th in the qualifying round.
