In a thrilling display of resilience, Eileen Gu, the two-time Olympic champion, conquered the Laax Open, defending her ski slopestyle title despite a heart-stopping crash. But did she really need to risk that final run? Here's the scoop:
On January 17, 2026, Gu's victory was all but sealed at the Swiss slopes of Laax. With a commanding lead, she embarked on her second run, attempting a daring double cork 1080, a move that involves two full flips. However, disaster struck as she fell, her right side taking the brunt of the impact while her ski and poles went flying. But here's where it gets controversial: was this risky move necessary?
After the fall, Gu composed herself and gracefully skied to the finish, seemingly uninjured. She beamed and waved to the cameras, standing proudly beside her competitors, Marin Hamill of the U.S. and Lara Wolf of Austria, who claimed second and third place, respectively.
Interestingly, slopestyle is the one event where Gu didn't clinch gold at the Beijing Games, settling for silver. Now, with the Milan Cortina Winter Games on the horizon, she's poised to complete her Olympic collection. And this is the part most people miss: Gu's unique Olympic journey represents two nations. Born in the U.S. but competing for China, her dominance in halfpipe and big air at the 2022 Games cemented her status as a global skiing sensation.
Gu's stellar qualifying score secured her the final spot in the lineup, and her first run was flawless, earning a score of 85.13. This meant her second run was more of a victory lap than a necessity. Could this have been an opportunity to play it safe and avoid potential injury?
Meanwhile, the Swiss crowd's favorite, Mathilde Gremaud, who narrowly beat Gu for gold in 2022, had to settle for seventh place this time.
As the Winter Games approach, freestyle skiing and snowboarding enthusiasts can anticipate the action in Livigno, nestled in the Italian Alps, a three-hour drive from Milan. The snowboarding events will kick off the festivities on February 5, with freestyle skiing following closely behind on the 7th.
