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Reuters

Japanese snowboarders showed why they are tipped for the podium at next year’s Beijing Olympics with Yuto Totsuka winning the Dew Tour men’s half-pipe and Ayumu Hirano becoming the first to land a frontside triple cork 1440 in competition.
Hirano finished fifth overall, but stole the show by landing the dangerous trick which consists of three head-over-heels flips and a twist while grabbing the board.
“I was very happy to land the triple cork in competition for the first time,” Hirano said. “It’s game on.”
Totsuka held off American Taylor Gold and compatriot Ruka Hirano to win with 95.50 at Copper Mountain, Colorado.

Ayumu Hirano puts down the first triple cork in competition. #dewtour #snowboarding 🏂🇯🇵💪🏽 pic.twitter.com/bt30itHRT2
— Dew Tour (@DewTour) December 19, 2021

American Chloe Kim came out on top in the women’s competition with a score of 96.00, beating out Spain’s Queralt Castellet and China’s Xuetong Cai.
Kim had dropped to seventh after falls in her first two runs, but was able to edge ahead of Castellet by one point and get the win thanks to a near-perfect third run.
“That was so stressful. I hate when I’m in that situation when it comes to the third and final run,” Kim said. “Just putting myself in those high-stress situations, especially with the Olympics coming up is pretty important. So, happy I was able to pull through.”
Shaun White, who last week announced this year would be his last year of competition and his last run at the Olympics, was the second-highest finisher among American riders, and will almost certainly make the top-four cut for Beijing.


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Beijing Winter Olympics 2022

Yuto Totsuka wins the Dew Tour men’s half-pipe, but Hirano steals the show after landing first in-competition triple cork 1440

Yuto Totsuka of Team of Team Japan on his way to winning the men’s snowboard superpipe. Photo: AFP

Winter games: after Tokyo, dual Olympian Hirano switches up for Beijing

Only four months have passed since Japan’s Ayumu Hirano competed at the Tokyo Games -- now he is gearing up for another crack at Olympic glory on Beijing’s snow in February 2022. Photo: Loic VENANCE / AFP

Hirano claimed silver at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, slipping the gold medal to Shaun White (pictured). Photo: AP Photo/Gregory Bull

China’s Cai Xuetong ‘stomps her authority’ over Winter Olympics warm-up, while Japan’s Ruka Hirano takes top spot in men’s event

Cai Xuetong reacts after her final run. Photo: AP

Cai Xuetong soars over the half-pipe during the US Grand Prix snowboarding event at Copper Mountain. Photo: AP

Ruka Hirano in action the US Grand Prix snowboarding event at Copper Mountain. Photo: AP

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The men’s snowboard superpipe final was one of the most heated pipe competitions ever, with incredible runs from 9 of the 10 riders in the field
American Chloe Kim came out on top in the women’s competition, beating Spain’s Queralt Castellet and China’s Xuetong Cai



Yuto Totsuka wins a heated men’s snowboard half-pipe final ahead of American Taylor Gold and Japan’s Ruka Hirano.
