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Scotty James has one thing left to tick off. Bronze in PyeongChang. Silver in Beijing. A cabinet full of X Games gold. But no Olympic gold.
Now, at his fifth Games and riding like the best in the world, he’s finally in a position to close it out at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics.
He topped qualifying in Livigno with a 94.00, without even rolling out the most talked-about combo he’s landed this season. It doesn’t feel like we’ve seen everything yet.
If you’re going to set an alarm for one Winter Olympics event this year, this is it.
When Is the Men’s Snowboard Halfpipe Final?
The men’s snowboard halfpipe final takes place:
Saturday, 5:30am AEDT
Yes, it’s early. But this is proper Olympic viewing territory. Coffee. Quiet house (or a pub that’s willing to open early). One Aussie chasing history.
James qualified first, which means he’ll drop late in the order. That matters. In Beijing 2022, Ayumu Hirano snatched gold with the final run of the night. Scotty knows how quickly that final run can change everything.
Coverage of the Winter Olympics is split across Nine and Stan Sport:
- Live on Channel 9 (free-to-air)
- Streaming on 9Now
- Streaming on Stan Sport (subscription required)
If you want the cleanest feed with no ad interruptions, Stan Sport is the play. If you’re happy to flick it on the TV with your morning coffee, Channel 9 will have you covered.
Either way, log in early. A 5:30am final doesn’t forgive tech issues. Or a faulty alarm.
Scotty James (right) and Valentino Guseli throw down in the men’s snowboard halfpipe during qualifying at Milano Cortina 2026. | Image: IOC
Why This Final Matters
This isn’t just another medal chance. It feels like the one.
James is 31. This is his fifth Olympics. He’s already proven he can win everything else. What he hasn’t done is land the perfect Olympic night. And he knows it.
“I’m going to try and pull off the best run of my life,” James said after qualifying. “And I think that’s what it’s going to take to win.”
When asked if he’s been working on something new, he smiled: “The lips are pretty locked.”
“But yeah, look … this is my fifth Games. I’m pretty vintage at this point from an experience perspective, and I’ve watched my peers before me and how they strategise. And I’ve strategised. So we’ll see how we go on Friday.
“But of course, it’s the finals. You’ve got to bring something special. And that’s what I plan to do.”
Teammate Valentino Guseli, who also made the final, isn’t expecting a quiet night on the halfpipe.
“I think he’s going to be cooking up stuff that no one’s seen before. But it won’t be new for him.”
“Finals is just going to be insane. It’s going to be the biggest show ever.”
The Japanese riders, led by Ayumu Hirano, won’t make it easy. Guseli admitted he may need to add two more tricks to his own run if he wants to be in the mix.
Two runs. Best score counts.
Gold is the only thing missing.
Saturday. 5:30am AEDT.
Set the alarm.
Image: IOC
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