Maria Gasslitter also impressed in the Big Air competition. © APA/afp / KIRILL KUDRYAVTSEV

Maria Gasslitter: "Learned the new trick just two days ago"

“This is my first ever Big Air final – and at the Olympics!” beamed Maria Gasslitter. The young freestyler from Pontives, who only made it onto the World Cup circuit this winter, will be competing for a medal on Monday (starting at 7:30 p.m.).

February 15, 2026

From Livigno

“I can hardly believe it. I’m so happy that I’ve done it again,” said Gasslitter, who had already made a big statement in the slopestyle by reaching the final and finishing in tenth place.

Gasslitter finished tenth in Saturday evening's Big Air qualification, securing her place in the final of the top twelve. "Just like in slopestyle, I simply wanted to have fun and show off two good tricks. I succeeded," said the 19-year-old from SC Gröden. Given these results, joining a competitive sports team seems only a matter of time. "That's definitely the goal," said South Tyrol's best freestyler, who graduated from high school this summer.

Gasslitter overjoyed

Gasslitter secured her place in the Big Air final with two tricks she had only recently learned. "I tried the first trick, the Switch Double 9, for the first time on snow in training two days ago. I'm so happy I landed it," said the freestyle specialist, who revealed that she had practiced the trick over the summer at Banger Park in Scharnitz. The facility in North Tyrol features jumps where the landing takes place on giant air cushions.

Maria Gasslitter shines at the Olympics. © APA/afp / KIRILL KUDRYAVTSEV

In her second run, Gasslitter landed a double 10. "I learned that one two weeks ago. The landing wasn't perfect, but I'm still super happy I managed to land it," she said. She scored 78 points for both her first and second tricks. Although the South Tyrolean skater fell in her third and final run, her total score of 156 points – based on the scores from two out of three runs – was enough to secure her place in the final.

“I would have been satisfied even if I hadn’t made it to the final, because I landed the new tricks. They’re the best I can do,” emphasized Gasslitter, whose best results in the Slopestyle World Cup were a fifth and a ninth place in January. Her best result in Big Air was an eleventh place in China. However, only eight female competitors qualified for the final there.

"It takes overcoming obstacles."

Thanks to his new tricks, Gasslitter is now making steep progress on the big air ramp. The Switch Double 9 involves jumping backwards from the edge of the ramp, performing two inverted rotations, and completing a 900-degree turn. The Double 10 consists of two inverted rotations and three full rotations around his own axis.

“It definitely takes some courage, especially when you have new tricks you haven’t tried that often,” said Gasslitter. The big air ramp in Livigno is 55 meters high. “The sheer joy of being able to compete here really helped me overcome my fear. My goal for the final on Monday? Just to have fun.”