Red Gerrard wins his first gold medal at the age of 17
USAT’s Chris Bumbaka talks to snowboarder Red Gerald about how he felt winning his first gold medal at the age of 17.
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- Two returning American snowboarders, Madi Shafric and Jake Pates, have qualified for the halfpipe final at the United States Grand Prix in Aspen.
- Shafrik, a former Olympic coach, is the only American woman to win a halfpipe competition after returning from a nearly 10-year hiatus.
- Pates, who retired from competition after the 2018 Olympics, scored 88.25 points in his heat, the top qualifying score.
ASPEN, Colo. – On the first day of qualifying for the 2026 U.S. Grand Prix in Aspen, Colo., the top male and female snowboarders in the U.S. halfpipe event shared an accomplishment that was bigger than their jumps.
I’ll be back.
First, in the women’s trials, Madi Shafric was the only American to qualify for the finals on Jan. 9 at Buttermilk Mountain.
Shafrik, 31, coached the halfpipe team at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics. A star athlete in her teens, she stayed away from the competitive side of the sport for nearly a decade, feeling that early burnout was inevitable.
She is currently on the brink of being included in the squad for the 2026 Milan Olympics.
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“It was a mixture of everything,” Shafrik told USA TODAY Sports. “I felt the most elated and the most grateful I have ever felt. And I faced challenges that I didn’t expect, but I’m also really grateful for them.”
The past 18 months or so have shown her what she’s capable of and taught her what true confidence is. She said she would think more deeply about everything once this chapter was over. But now everything requires her complete presence.
After dislocating his shoulder during the second run of the Copper Grand Prix in December, Shafrik had not ridden the halfpipe until Monday. By the end of the action three days later, she was a little tired.
“I felt OK. I had my ups and downs during practice,” she said.
You didn’t see that when he pitched 75.25 points in his second run. Three Japanese riders occupied the first three qualifying spots.
During his first few practice runs, Shafrik listens to music with wired headphones in his ears. If she has to wait, she’ll probably turn it back on. But when she’s in the bowl, the music goes off.
Depending on how his body feels on Friday, Shafrik could add some difficulty or tricks to his run in his bid for a podium.
A day of rest on deck.
“I’ll probably watch Game of Thrones,” she said.
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Jake Pates sticks to his guns
After Jake Pates’ second run, a group of Japanese male snowboarders and their coaches at the bottom of the hill got so excited in celebration that they mauled him.
The Japanese riders, the Hirano brothers, are his best friends and he has spent a lot of time in their country. However, they don’t show that love to everyone.
Pates competed in the 2018 PyeongChang Games, but spent most of the next few years away from competition.
“It was tough, I’m not going to lie,” he said of his firing.
There were multiple reasons for his resignation. One of the reasons it took so long was that I didn’t think it would be possible to come back.
“I’ve been fortunate enough to meet some people on my travels and vacations,” he told USA TODAY Sports. “It opened my eyes to the fact that it was a possibility.”
Jamie Anderson to return to Olympics
Jamie Anderson told USAT’s Chris Bumbaka that he wanted to prove to his daughters that they could still be Olympic snowboarders at age 35.
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His score after the first run was 83.25, which was certainly good enough for the finals, but he left it all behind on his second run. At that time, he surprised everyone by scoring 88.25 points.
“This is unbelievable, to be honest, it makes me cry when I think about it,” Pates said. “Because I was at rock bottom. I was so depressed. I lost my sponsors. I had no income. I didn’t have a job. But I had my family. And I had good friends around me.”
He regained his heart and mind and came back fighting.
“It was very nostalgic,” he said. “I’m so grateful to be here.”
He wouldn’t change anything.
“Our darkest moments shape us,” he said.
Who else made it to the Aspen Grand Prix final?
Chase Georgie (81.00 points) and Ryan Wachendorfer (76.75 points) also advanced from Pates’ heat. In Friday’s men’s halfpipe final, 17-year-old Alessandro Barbieri scored an 85.50 on his first run, taking second place in the first heat and leading the Americans to four riders.
Between competing in the United States and the pressure of Olympic qualifying, Barbieri said, “Everyone wants to get a decent performance to get to the finals and keep their hopes alive.”
Barbieri looked at the score of the first run and was satisfied with his position after the first run. On the second run, my board got caught in the slush and I fell.
“Landing that first run gives you a lot of confidence,” he said. “I’m less stressed. I feel better and ready to make big strides and get out there. Obviously, overconfidence can hurt you.”
That didn’t happen, he said.
“It’s nerve-wracking sometimes,” Barbieri said.
On the slopestyle course, Avery Krume (71.48 points) was the only female freeskier to advance to the eight-person final, finishing in fourth place. The men’s team did well with Mack Forehand (90.50), Alex Hall (89.00) and Connor Ralph (87.50) finishing heat 1 2-4.
Colby Stephenson almost missed out on advancing to the finals, but managed to finish eighth in heat two with a score of 64.25, followed by fellow American Henry Townsend in seventh place with a score of 67.50.
What to expect on the second day of qualifying
Snowboarders head to the slopestyle course on the second day. For Team USA, that means appearances by Jamie Anderson and Red Gerrard, a 41-year-old mother of two seeking her fourth Olympic appearance.
The freeskiers will move on to the halfpipe, with American men Alex Ferreira, Hunter Hess, Nick Goepper and David Wise all taking part. Wise, 35, needs a strong showing in Aspen to get back on track for a fourth Olympic berth. The only American female freeskier to finish on the podium this season, Svea Irving is one of 10 American skiers who make up Aspen’s 22-person women’s field.
