Deeply disappointed: Roland Fischnaller © ANSA / PETER KLAUNZER

"A beast I simply cannot tame"

The disappointment was immense. For snowboard king Roland Fischnaller, the Olympics remain a red flag. "The Olympics are like a beast I simply can't conquer," the 45-year-old said after his elimination in the quarterfinals.

February 08, 2026

From Livigno

“I skied strongly in qualifying, but our race doesn’t end there, it continues,” said the world champion with a disappointed expression. His dream of an Olympic medal was finally over. “I’m sorry for myself, I’m sorry for my family,” said Fischnaller. “The Olympics just aren’t for me. I’ve tried so many times, but I guess it’s not meant to be,” said the man from Villnöss, his disappointment written all over his face.

“Disappointed, yes, but not angry,” Fischnaller clarified. “It’s tough for me. But I’ve experienced situations like this many times before. In the end, it’s just a game,” said the 45-year-old, who, with his seventh Olympic Games, has made South Tyrolean sporting history even without a medal. Fischnaller also wanted to express his gratitude. “Livigno deserves a huge compliment. We had a spectacular slope here, the most beautiful of them all.”

March also goes away empty-handed.

Aaron March lamented his near miss. "It's a real shame," said the 39-year-old, who lives in Völs. "I didn't ski any worse in the round of 16 than in the qualifying round; it was extremely close. Maybe I should have chosen the red course. The red run was faster on the flat section," said March, who also paid tribute to his opponent. "We were both pushing our limits. Mastnak is strong; he certainly knows how to snowboard. It's a pity he wasn't faster in the qualifying round. Then I wouldn't have had to face him right away," the South Tyrolean said with a grin.

Aaron March missed out on a medal. © ANSA / ALEX PLAVEVSKI

"The top 16 are all good. In the final runs, they all step it up a notch. On this slope and with this snow, every turn counts," explained March, who is definitely continuing next year.

Jasmin Coratti also missed out on the top spot in the round of 16 by just six hundredths of a second. She lost her duel with teammate Lucia Dalmasso, who later won bronze. "I messed up in qualifying," she said, frustrated with her 13th-place finish. "There was so much potential for me. This is all very disappointing," Coratti added.