LIVIGNO, Italy, Feb. 2 (Xinhua) -- As the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics approach, the Games' snowboarding competitions are poised to test, or somewhat redefine the limits of human rotation and speed, shaping up not only as a contest for medals but a benchmark for the sport's technical evolution.

The snowboarding program, featuring 11 events across three disciplines - park (big air and slopestyle), halfpipe and alpine racing (snowboard cross and parallel giant slalom), will be held in Livigno, a mountain town on the border between Italy and Switzerland.

In recent years, the park and halfpipe disciplines of snowboarding have seen one of the fastest rates of technical progression among Winter Olympic sports. Athletes are pushing the boundaries of performance, and the competition in Livigno is widely expected to be one of the most intense showdowns in Olympic snowboarding history.

Even before the Games begin, global attention has turned to the men's big air event, with qualification on February 5 and the medal competition two days later. At the Beijing 2022 Games, China's Su Yiming claimed the big air gold medal with a 1,800-degree rotation. Four years on, that level of difficulty would now be barely enough to reach the final.

Su, alongside Japan's Taiga Hasegawa and Ian Matteoli of Italy, is now able to land 1,980-degree rotations with consistency, and all three have begun pushing toward 2,160 degrees. At the 2025 and 2026 Winter X Games, Japan's Hiroto Ogiwara landed 2,340-degree rotations, a feat widely regarded as approaching the physical limit of rotation under current venue parameters.

So far, rotations of 2,160 degrees or higher have yet to appear at an Olympic Games, but there is a strong likelihood that such breakthroughs will be witnessed in Livigno.

Another point of interest is the competition venues themselves. As of February 1, the big air, slopestyle and halfpipe courses had not yet been completed, leaving their technical specifications and riding characteristics unknown. For men's big air competitors, this shortens preparation time and places a premium on adaptability and venue-reading ability. At the same time, it ensures a level playing field, as no athlete gains advance familiarity or home advantage.

For the women's big air event, with qualifications on February 8 and finals on February 9, athletes may benefit from observations made during the men's competition. Medal contenders include Britain's Mia Brookes and a strong Japanese lineup led by Kokomo Murase.

Men's slopestyle qualifications will take place on February 16, followed by finals on February 18. Leading contenders include Su Yiming, Canada's Cameron Spalding, and American rider Oliver Martin.

The technical level of slopestyle has also advanced rapidly during this Olympic cycle. Su, for example, has landed the world's first back-to-back 1,800-degree rotations in training. The Milan-Cortina Games may once again deliver performances that push beyond established competitive norms.

Due to the combination of multiple rails, boxes and jumps, slopestyle places greater demands on consistency, resulting in greater unpredictability. As in big air, the competitive gap among the top male riders remains narrow, making the outcome difficult to forecast. In the women's competition, New Zealand's Zoi Sadowski Synnott currently leads the world rankings, while Brookes and Murase are also strong contenders.

In the halfpipe events, competitive standards for both men and women have risen significantly. In the men's competition, Japanese riders, led by Beijing 2022 Olympic champion Ayumu Hirano, continue to dominate after frequently sweeping podiums at international competitions. South Korea's rising star Lee Chae-un, who has pushed men's halfpipe rotations to 1,620 degrees, and Australia's Scotty James are also among medal favorites.

In the women's halfpipe, American star Chloe Kim remains the top favorite. Capable of landing rotations of up to 1,440 degrees, Kim won consecutive Olympic titles at Pyeongchang 2018 and Beijing 2022, although shoulder injuries have disrupted her current Olympic cycle. Meanwhile, a new generation of athletes is rapidly emerging. 17-year-old Choi Ga-on of South Korea has enjoyed a breakout season, while Japanese teenagers Sara Shimizu and Rise Kudo are widely viewed as strong podium contenders.

China's Cai Xuetong also merits attention. Competing in her fifth Olympic Games, the veteran stays competitive, having claimed two World Cup bronze medals this season. An Olympic medal, however, has so far eluded her, raising the question whether Livigno could finally see her long-standing Olympic ambition fulfilled.

In Alpine racing, Canada's Eliot Grondin stands out as the leading gold medal favorite in men's snowboard cross. France's Lea Casta currently tops the women's world rankings, while her veteran compatriot Chloe Trespeuch is also a strong contender. Notably, Trespeuch returned to competition three months after giving birth during the 2024-25 season and has already reached the podium twice this season.

Parallel giant slalom is a stronghold for the host nation, with Italian riders occupying the top three positions in the men's world rankings and the top two spots in the women's standings.

Across all Alpine racing events, uncertainty remains a defining feature, as previous results often fail to accurately predict Olympic outcomes.

Relentless technical progression and ever-changing competitive dynamics are central to snowboarding's global appeal. The Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics are poised once again to showcase the sport at its most dynamic and compelling. ■