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Winter Olympics 2018: Scotty James wins bronze medal in halfpipe, after battle with Shaun White, Japan’s Ayumu Hirano, Harley Windsor upset with judges

Lindsey Vonn won Olympic gold in 2010 but she has set tongues wagging in PyeongChang by seeking a Valentine via Twitter.

23 min read
10:28PMFebruary 14, 2018.
Updated 11:22PMFebruary 14, 2018
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Scotty James celebrates his bronze medal in the snowboard halfpipe. Picture: Getty
Scotty James celebrates his bronze medal in the snowboard halfpipe. Picture: Getty

Welcome to live coverage of Day 5 of the 2018 Winter Olympics from PyeongChang. Australia’s flag-bearer Scotty James has won bronze in the snowboard halfpipe after a thrilling duel with American legend Shaun White and Japan's Ayumu Hirano.

11.09pm: Lasilla walks away from crash

Lydia Lassila sent a scare through the Australia camp when she crashed during practice for the women’s aerials competition.

Lydia Lassila of Australia in a much better practice jump. Picture: Getty
Lydia Lassila of Australia in a much better practice jump. Picture: Getty

The Vancouver 2010 gold medallist went for a routine jump and appeared to miss her mark in the blustery conditions and landed on her side.

Fortunately she walked away from the incident.

10.24pm: More Dutch gold

In yet another Olympic record Jorien Ter Mors has won the women’s 1000m speed skating gold as Japan claimed silver and broze thanks to Nao Kodaira and Miho Takagi.

Mors’ win takes the Netherlands to second spot in the medal tally with 5 gold, one behind Germany and 11 medals overall.

Japan have now won 7 medals in this Olympics, the equal fifth-most but none of them have been gold as yet.

10.18pm: Scotty James gets his bronze medal

Scotty james has received his bronze medal for the men’s halfpipe. The Australian looked happy on the dais with Shaun White and Japan’s Ayumu Hiramo and there can only be more to come for the 23-year-old Australian in the future.

8.44pm: Japan enjoying a slapshot regatta against Korea

The rivalry between Japan and the Koreans runs deep, so don’t think for one second the Japanese women aren’t enjoying this. 4-1 Japan.

8.41pm: Frenzel wins nordic combined gold for Germany

Sweet relief... Eric Frenzel of Germany celebrates as he crosses the line to win gold. Picture: Getty
Sweet relief... Eric Frenzel of Germany celebrates as he crosses the line to win gold. Picture: Getty

The four-way battle in the Nordic combined has culminated in yet another Olympic gold medal for defending champion Eric Frenzel.

Frenzel, winner at Sochi 2014, broke away with under 1km remaining and released a hge simle as he crossed the line.

Japanese skier Akito Watabe took the silver while Austria’s Lukas Klapfer took bronze.

Germany are leading the medal tally with six giolds after Frenzel’s success, with the Netherlands and USA taking four gold apiece.

8.23pm: Lindsey Vonn has won Twitter

United States alpine skier Lindsey Vonn is greeted by her dog Lucy after a press conference at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang. Picture: AP
United States alpine skier Lindsey Vonn is greeted by her dog Lucy after a press conference at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang. Picture: AP

She may not win a gold medal but Lindsey Vonn has set hearts alight on Valentines Day. The American skier, who split from Tiger Woods in 2017 has asked for a date in PyeonChang. Needless to say she had plenty of suitors with over 500 offers of dates within the first 90 minutes.

Twitterati were proposing anything from poems to oodles of kinesio-tape for the injury-prone US ski star.

7.43pm: Aussies hard done by on ice

Harley Windsor won’t let not making the final deter him from a bright future on the ice.

The indigenous skater felt he and partner Ekaterina Alexandrovskaya were judged harshly for their routine when they took to the ice second of 22 pairs to skate their short program.

“It was a good program. Obviously our results weren’t what we wanted but we can’t be upset with ourselves,” Windsor said.

“I thought that we would have got a lot better score than what we did but it is what it is and there’s nothing we can change about it now.

“We had the potential quite easily to qualify but (for) just little mistakes and the scores not being what we expected.

“But knowing our best - even not our best - could have qualified us is a good relief.”

Alexandrovskaya already has an eye on the future with Windsor and believes they will improve as a pairing.

“I’m happy I’m here. I like that I was on the Olympic ice. I’m here. I love this. I want to come back. I want to go to the next Olympic Games and show what I can do,” she said.

“We skate just two years and next season will be better, and better and better.”

5.50pm: Net gain for Swiss

Switzerland have edged Sweden 2-1 to take the top spot in Group B of women’s hockey. The win ensures Switzerland, the 2014 bronze medallist, will face either Finland or the Russians on Saturday in the quarterfinals.

Phoebe Staenz scored the game-winner at 11:28 of the third period. Alina Muller also had a goal and an assist, and Christine Meier had two assists. Goalie Florence Schelling made 33 saves for an Olympic record with her ninth career win, breaking a tie with Canada’s Kim St. Pierre.

Muller gave Switzerland a 1-0 lead with a powerplay goal at 13:51 of the second period for her tournament-best sixth goal.

Sweden, which hasn’t medalled since taking silver in 2006 at Turin, tied it with Anna Borgqvist’s powerplay goal at 7:35 of the third.

Staenz scored on the powerplay to keep the Swiss undefeated. They beat Sweden to win bronze in 2014.

5.30pm: Chinese pair dominate

The Chinese pair of Sui Wenjing and Han Cong led Russian skaters Evgenia Tarasova and Vladimir Morozov by less than a point after the short program.

Sui and Han scored a season-best 82.39 points to a breathtaking, almost ethereal version of the Leonard Cohen song “Hallelujah.” They embraced on their knees as the music came to an end, holding the pose for a moment as the crowd roared its approval.

Tarasova and Morozov scored 81.68 points to a piano concerto by Rachmaninov to keep them in contention heading into Thursday’s free skate.

Meagan Duhamel and Eric Radford of Canada were third with 76.82 points. That was less than a point ahead of German favourites Aliona Savchenkno and Bruno Massot.

5.10pm: South pays up for the North

Seoul has approved a $2.6 million budget to cover expenses for North Koreans visiting for the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics, officials said, after the North’s leader praised the South’s hospitality.

The 2.86 billion won will cover transport, hotel, food and other cost for 229 cheerleaders, a taekwondo demonstration team, and around 140 art performers, the Unification Ministry said in a statement.

The bill for 22 North Korean athletes attending the Games will be paid separately by the International Olympic Committee, officials said.

Seoul has been careful to try to ensure that the North Koreans’ visit does not lead to a breach of the many different sanctions imposed on Pyongyang over its nuclear and ballistic missile programmes, and the money is expected to be paid directly to service providers, rather than Northern officials.

Unification Minister Cho Myoung-gyon, who chairs the ministry’s South and North Exchange and Cooperation Promotion Council that provided the funds, said the North’s presence in Pyeongchang was generating “key momentum for improving inter-Korean relations and securing peace on the Korean peninsula”.

North Korea's Ryom Tae Ok and Kim Ju Sik react after their pairs figure skating routine. Picture: AFP
North Korea's Ryom Tae Ok and Kim Ju Sik react after their pairs figure skating routine. Picture: AFP

He acknowledged concerns over the nuclear-armed North’s participation in the South’s Games.

“We are keeping well in mind IOC regulations, international norms and sanctions against the North,” Cho added, according to Yonhap news agency.

US Vice President Mike Pence warned last week he would not allow “North Korean propaganda to hijack the message and imagery of the Olympic Games”.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has praised the welcome the South gave the North’s high-level delegation last week, which included his sister Kim Yo Jong.

Yo Jong delivered Kim’s invitation for the South’s President Moon Jae-in to come to a summit in Pyongyang.

Moon did not immediately accept, saying the “right conditions” were needed.

4.45pm: Delight, despair for Aussie pair

History-making Australian Harley Windsor and figure skating partner Ekaterina Alexandrovskaya have fallen short of the medal competition at the Winter Olympics — Read here

Ekaterina Alexandrovskaya and Harley Windsor in the figure skating pairs. Picture: Getty
Ekaterina Alexandrovskaya and Harley Windsor in the figure skating pairs. Picture: Getty

4.05pm: ‘Awful and amazing’

Halfpipe snowboard legend Shaun White says it was an agonising wait for his score from the judges to come through, as he pipped Hirano to the title to make US history.

The 31-year-old held his nerve at the last to score a brilliant victory, in the process securing the US its 100th Winter Olympics gold medal.

It was particularly satisfying for White, known as “Flying Tomato” because of his red hair, who won gold in 2006 and 2010 and helped put the hipster sport on the map, but flopped in Sochi four years ago.

“Oh man, that was awful and amazing at the same time. I knew I did a great ride and I was proud of that and I could walk away with my head high, but when they announced my score and I’d won, it crippled me,” he said.

“I was so overwhelmed with happiness, I’ve been through so much to get here. I had this crazy injury in New Zealand (in October) where I busted my face open.

“I actually did the same trick that injured me here in the halfpipe today. So there were a lot of obstacles to overcome and now it’s all worth it.”

White called his winning run in the tricky conditions in South Korea “one of the most challenging I’ve ever done” because of the combinations he pulled off.

His watching family were “beside themselves”, he said.

“I’m still shaking, I don’t know what’s happening. Man, three gold medals. My fourth Olympics. Thank you, I’m feeling blessed.”

Gold medallist Shaun White and Scotty James. Picture: Gettty
Gold medallist Shaun White and Scotty James. Picture: Gettty

3.45pm: Home hopes boosted

North Korean skaters Ryom Tae-Ok and Kim Ju-Sik produced the performance of their lives to qualify for the pairs final.

The Pyeongyang-born duo smashed their personal best score to reach the free skate showdown on Saturday.

Supported by the 200-plus strong band of North Korean cheerleaders, Ryom and Kim seduced the crowd with an excellent execution of their short program to the Beatles classic A Day In The Life.

The judges awarded them 69.40 points, smashing their previous highest score of 65.25.

Ryom, 19, and Kim, 25, are the only two of the 22 North Korean athletes at PyeongChang 2018 to meet the Olympic qualifying standards.

North Korea’s cheerleaders at the pairs short figure skating program. Picture: AFP
North Korea’s cheerleaders at the pairs short figure skating program. Picture: AFP

At the end of their routine they smiled, waved and bowed, and jumped up in delight when their marks flashed up on the big screen.

They were marched past the media by a minder without stopping to discuss their performance.

But just before they left Kim said the support had been a boost to their performance.

“There has been no discomfort and now that we have competed, (we could see) how strong our Korean people can be when we are together,” he said. “The sight of them cheering offered huge support. (I could feel) we are one people sharing the same bloodline.”

Their performance ensured they would progress to Saturday’s free skate as one of the 16 qualifiers.

3.20pm: Another day, another delay

The alpine skiing program at the Olympics has been thrown into chaos with the postponement of a third event, the women’s slalom, because of strong winds.

“Due to the current weather situation, today’s slalom is postponed to Friday, February 16,” the International Ski Federation (FIS) announced.

Strong winds buffeted the Rainbow course in Yongpyong, making it unsafe to hold the race.

FIS had earlier delayed the start of the race because of what it dubbed “very strong wind gusts”.

It means another delay for defending slalom champion Mikaela Shiffrin’s opening appearance in South Korea, the American star having seen the giant slalom postponed on Monday.

The GS was rescheduled for Thursday, with the two legs to be raced either side of the men’s downhill.

The blue riband downhill was also postponed Sunday because of high winds and an unfavourable weather forecast which saw the cancellation of Monday’s downhill training for the men’s combined event.

So far the only race to have gone ahead is the men’s combined on Tuesday, Austrian Marcel Hirscher winning his first Olympic gold on the Jeongseon course.

But that race was also disrupted. The downhill section of the combined was also affected by blustery winds, officials moving the start gate down to the start of the super-G. The so-called blue “wind line” was also used to reduce jumps by up to 15m.

Strong winds have played havoc with Games scheduling. Picture: AP
Strong winds have played havoc with Games scheduling. Picture: AP

Nicole Jeffery 2.45pm: ‘I did it the Australian way’

Scotty James says the best is yet to come after his bronze medal in the snowboard halfpipe.

“I came out and just did it the Australian way and just gave it a real hard crack,” he said. “I was expecting a battle and a battle it was. I wish I kinda landed my second run but, honestly, today for me is I get one opportunity every four years to show my country what I do, and I think I displayed that as well as I could.

“It’s a combination of everything, it’s pride, my goal is to come out here and ride the best I can and just fly my Australian flag in this sport that is not necessarily done by many Australians,’’ he said.

“I’m very proud of my country and where I come from and I can assure you that I’m just getting started so you can expect to see a lot more of me in the future. Me and my team we’re all excited to kick on now.’’

He said he had given the competition his best and “it could have gone either way’’.

“I think I displayed that the best that I could and I’m just grateful to be standing on the podium honestly, with all my family here, and being able to fly the flag at the opening ceremony, it’s just escalated and I feel absolutely honoured. It’s been an incredible ride.

“I work so hard, and it’s times like these, obviously we’re still very focused, but you have to enjoy these experiences and that’s why I work hard to enjoy this experience as much as possible and I did that today.’’

James’s mentor and Winter Olympics gold medallist has sent out her best to Australia’s latest medallist.

Nicole Jeffery 2.35pm: A wrap of the halfpipe

Legendary American snowboarder Shaun White held off the next generation, symbolised by Japan’s Ayumu Hirano and Australian Scotty James, to win his third Olympic halfpipe title in four Games at Bokwang today, in the process securing the USA’s 100th Winter Olympic gold medal.

James, the world champion and Australian flag-bearer, claimed the bronze, his first Olympic medal at his third attempt, while Hirano claimed his second consecutive silver medal at the age of 19.

James is the first Australian man to win an Olympic medal in the halfpipe, and the second Australian after 2010 Olympic champion Torah Bright, who has been one of his mentors.

The 23-year-old Victorian put together his best run on his first attempt, finishing with his signature trick the switch backside double cork 1260 (three and a half spins, two flips and a blind landing) to score 92 points.

White, riding next, immediately responded by scoring 94.25 points on his first run.

Hirano, who fell on his first run, raised the stakes in the second round by successfully completing the run that won him the X Games title in Aspen last month, performing back-to-back 1440s (four spins) to snatch the lead (95.25 points).

Ayumu Hirano, gold medallist Shaun White and Scotty James. Picture: Getty
Ayumu Hirano, gold medallist Shaun White and Scotty James. Picture: Getty

Neither James nor White improved in the second run and then Hirano fell on his third run, leaving the Australian and the American with one last chance each to take the lead.

James fell on his run, leaving 31-year-old White as the last man at the top of the hill.

His greatness was already established when he won back-to-back gold medals in 2006 and 2010, but he reconfirmed it with a bravura run in which he lifted to a new level.

He began his run with back-to-back 1440s, maximising the risk but earning the reward as he completed a spectacular run with his patented double McTwist 1260 and a final 1260 to score 97.75 points.

White threw his snowboard in the air in euphoria when he saw his score and burst into tears when he saw his family in the crowd.

The great American swimmer Michael Phelps, another man whose gold medals spanned four Games, applauded White’s achievement

All the riders were scored conservatively through the first round as the judges left room to manoeuvre as the competition heated up.

James may well have scored higher if his cleanest run had been later in the competition, but he probably needed to do his best trick at the top of the pipe to contend for the gold medal today.

Australia’s second representative in the men’s halfpipe final, Kent Callister, finished tenth with a best score of 62.

2.15pm: America’s milestone medal

Shaun White’s spectacular final run of the day in the snowboard halfpipe has sealed a 100th Winter Olympic gold for the US and his third Games title.

It was particularly satisfying for White, known as “Flying Tomato” because of his red hair, who won gold at the 2006 and 2010 Games but flopped in Sochi four years ago.

2.10pm: A fitting finale

2.05pm: The White stuff

American Shaun White has won gold in the halfpipe after a magnificent final run netted a score of 97.75, enough to overtake Japan’s Ayumu Hirano (95.25). Hirano couldn’t improve on his second run, falling in his third attempt on the halfpipe.

White then delivered with everything on the line to win his third halfpipe Olympic gold medal.

2pm: Scotty James wins bronze!

The Australian flagbearer has won bronze, after a tumble on his final run meant he was unable to improve on his first-run 92.

Scotty James celebrates as he picks up bronze in the halfpipe. Picture: Getty
Scotty James celebrates as he picks up bronze in the halfpipe. Picture: Getty

1.55pm: Aussie medal confirmed

Japan’s Raibu Katayama scorches on his final run but he’s awarded “only” 87, meaning he is now in sixth place. America’s Ben Ferguson follows with a 90.75, meaning Scotty James is assured a place in the top three.

1.40pm: The second runs

Scotty James:

Ayumu Hirano:

Shaun White:

1.35pm: Small margin for error

1.30pm: Hirano raises the bar

Japan’s Ayumu Hirano hits top spot with a sensational run, knocking out a 95.25 to leapfrog Scotty James and Shaun White.

James can’t reproduce his flawless opening run, as a hand-drag on landing at the end of his routine costs him, earning an 81.75.

American champion White then stumbles, hitting the deck on his second go-through and tallying a 55.

After two rounds Hirano has 95.25; White has 94.25 and James 92. Chase Josey is back in fourth on 87.75.

1.20pm: Injury hits competition

1.10pm: First-run standings

After the first of three attempts in the final, Shaun White leads the way on 94.25; Scotty James is second on 92; and American Chase Josey is third with 87.75.

Australian Kent Callister is 11th out of 12 after tallying 20.

Judges will take the best of each competitor’s three runs, putting more pressure on those who failed to fire early.

1.05pm: Big guns battling

Scotty James opened with this:

Shaun White answered with this:

1pm: Room for improvement?

12.50pm: James, White make stunning starts

Australia’s Scotty James produces a stunning first run, opening with back-to-back 1260s, and ending with a backside 1260. He moves into first place with a score of 92, but American Shaun White answers in spectacular style, ending the opening round on top after a 94.25.

12.45pm: A weather update for the halfpipe final

12.40pm: A shout-out to friends, family

Nicole Jeffery 12.30pm: A stunning start

Australia’s young figure skating pair Harley Windsor and Ekaterina Alexandrovskaya have made a strong Olympic debut in the short program at Gangneung.

Australia's Ekaterina Alexandrovskaya and Harley Windsor in their pairs short program routine. Picture: AFP
Australia's Ekaterina Alexandrovskaya and Harley Windsor in their pairs short program routine. Picture: AFP

Skating second, the world junior champions were obviously tense, but held their nerve, completing all the most difficult elements of their routine, skated to The Rolling Stones classic Paint It Black, performed by Hidden Citizen.

Windsor, 21, became Australia’s first indigenous Winter Olympian when he took the ice and was thrilled with the performance, pumping his fist at the finish.

Their triple twist was particularly impressive and they performed strong side-by-side triple toe loop jumps. The only element that was a bit shaky was their throw triple jump, where 18-year-old Alexandrovskaya had to put one hand down on the ice to steady herself on landing.

They scored 61.55 points for their routine, just below their season’s best which put them in second place at the Four Continents Championships last month, and were leading at this very early stage of the competition

With most of the field still to skate, they will be hoping they stay in the top 16 so they can return to do their free program tomorrow.

12.20pm: Scotty James goes for gold

Australia’s Scotty James and American Shaun White are preparing for the first run in the men’s halfpipe, as they chase gold.

Competition starts in a matter of minutes, when James chases Australia’s second medal of the Games.

James qualified second for the final, 1.75 points adrift of No.1 White who took the lead with 96.75.

Hirano is coming off a Winter X Games title in which he became the first man to repeat 1440-degree flips on the halfpipe. White skipped the X Games, but scored a 100 on a run in an Olympic qualifier last month.

James has been among the most technically perfect riders this season and finished a close second to Hirano and White at those earlier events.

11.55am: Olympics breakthrough

We are moments away from history as Harley Windsor prepares to become the first indigenous Australian Winter Olympian, when he partners Ekaterina Alexandrovskaya in the pairs figure skating short program.

Windsor, 21, and 18-year-old Alexandrovskaya have set their expectations to skating cleaning rather than a desired finish.

The Australians are outsiders for a medal, but could surprise on the back of a strong 2017.

After winning the world junior championship and gaining Olympic qualification, they took out the Junior Grand Prix in Japan last month.

They placed sixth in December’s Four Continents, which Windsor attributes to an imperfect preparation.

Ekaterina Alexandrovskaya and Harley Windsor during practice. Picture: Getty
Ekaterina Alexandrovskaya and Harley Windsor during practice. Picture: Getty

11.30am: Drama for the home team

South Korea’s speed skating star Choi Min-jeong suffered a dramatic loss to Arianna Fontana in the women’s 500m short track on Tuesday, stunning the home crowd into silence.

Choi was edged out by barely half a blade by the much-decorated Italian, only to then suffer the added indignity of being disqualified for interference.

For Choi, South Korea’s top medal hope at the PyeongChang Winter Olympics, it was a major blow. She will also compete in the 1000m and 1500m, as well as the 3000m relay.

“I prepared my best and I thought that even though the result does not come out well, I did a competition that I will not regret. But I feel sorry for the fans of Korea,” she said.

“I still have other competitions left, so I will focus and concentrate on those.” Her unscripted reverse left the home nation, a powerhouse of the sport, still seeking a first title in the women’s 500m.

• Still on the ice, the preliminary rounds of the curling are underway.

11.05am: Patriotic symbol sparks drama

American goaltender Nicole Hensley kept the Statue of Liberty on her helmet and the Olympic Athletes from Russia out of her net at the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics.

As a result, the Americans and four-time defending champion Canada are on their way to Monday’s women’s hockey semi-finals.

Hensley made 13 saves in a 5-0 victory to cap a day where the International Olympic Committee blamed a “misunderstanding” for reports the Statue of Liberty image might have to be removed from US goalie helmets.

“It’s just a great representation of our country,” Hensley said. “As far as I knew it had been approved so I put it on there.” Jocelyne Lamoureux-Davidson scored the fastest two goals in Olympic hockey history just six seconds apart in the second period, shaving two seconds off the old mark by Sweden’s Carl Goran Oberg from 1960 at Squaw Valley.

“I don’t think I’ve scored two quick ones like that before,” said Lamoureux-Davidson, who charged forward and took the puck from the feet of two defenders before netting a backhand breakaway for the second goal.

“I just caught them in miscommunication. I was pretty happy with that one.” Kacey Bellamy, Gigi Marvin and Hannah Brandt also found the net in the US triumph.

Hensley, who helped the US women capture the past two world championships, has a large Statue of Liberty image painted on the left side of her mask and reserve Alex Rigsby has one on the chin of her mask.

A detailed view of the helmet worn by Nicole Hensley with the Statue of Liberty on it. Picture: Getty
A detailed view of the helmet worn by Nicole Hensley with the Statue of Liberty on it. Picture: Getty

‘Focused on the game’

American media reported the Statue of Liberty image might violate the IOC’s rules against political symbols and the IOC wanted it gone.

IOC guidelines on authorised identification say no item can have national anthem words or lyrics, motivation words, political messaging or slogans related to national identity.

But the IOC later said they hadn’t asked for the images to be taken off. “There seems to have been a misunderstanding,” an IOC spokesperson said. “We have not asked for the symbol to be removed.”

Hensley said she was not bothered by the possible need for last-minute helmet alterations as she prepared to face the US political rivals.

“Our equipment guys took care it,” she said. “I was just focused on the game.” Together with four-time defending champion Canada’s 4-1 victory over Finland, which stretched their Olympic win streak to 22 games, the Americans and Canadians clinched semi-final berths. Their round-robin meeting Thursday will decide a top seed.

Canada’s Meghan Agosta and captain Marie-Phillip Poulin scored in the first period and team-mates Melodie Daoust and Jillian Saulnier followed in the second.

Finland’s Riikka Valila, at 44 the oldest player in Olympic hockey history, scored with 12:43 remaining to avert a shutout.

“I like where we’re at,” Canadian goalie Shannon Szabados said. “We have grown over the year and I think we are in a good spot.” Olympic Athletes from Russia, Sweden, Switzerland and Finland will meet to determine US and Canadian semi-final foes.

10.45am: Thrills, spills in the luge

Natalie Geisenberger has another Olympic women’s luge gold medal. The German star is now the two-time Olympic champion, after finishing off the historic win at the PyeongChang Games, AP reports. Germany’s Dajana Eitberger was second and Alex Gough earn bronze, giving Canada its first Olympic luge medal. Geisenberger becomes the third woman to win consecutive Olympic golds, joining fellow German stars Steffi Martin Walter and Sylke Otto. She also becomes the first woman to win three Olympic luge golds, the two singles races added to the team relay victory at Sochi in 2014.

Erin Hamlin of the U.S. was sixth. Summer Britcher was 19th and Emily Sweeney crashed out midway through her final run. She was being evaluated but a preliminary assessment indicated she may have avoided serious injury.

10.20am: Weather bites again

The women’s Olympic slalom has been delayed because of strong wind, organisers announced.

“Due to very strong wind gusts, the program is delayed by one hour,” the International Ski Federation said.

Skiers on the technical events on the Rainbow course at the Yongpyong resort are reliant on a 3.7km-long gondola to go up the mountain.

In very windy conditions, the gondola closes down. Gusts also make the course unsafe for both skiers and the raft of officials needed to look over it.

9.40am: Matt Graham’s dad locked in bumpy ride to silver

Matt Graham after receiving his silver medal. Picture: Getty Images.
Matt Graham after receiving his silver medal. Picture: Getty Images.

He delivered Australia’s first medal in PyeongChang with silver in the men’s moguls, but Matt Graham has credited his father Steve for taking him to Olympic success.

Being bow-legged, Graham requires specially modified skis, with his father having spent over two hours preparing his gear prior to the competition.

“Being the Olympics, I cleaned my reading glasses first and instead of the old adage of measure twice cut once, I probably measured four times before I started drilling holes in the skis,’’ Steve said.

Read more on the story behind Matt Graham from The Australian’s Jacquelin Magnay here.

9.05am: Harley’s date with destiny

Australian Figure Skater Harley Windsor. Picture: Getty Images.
Australian Figure Skater Harley Windsor. Picture: Getty Images.

There will be more history made in PyeongChang today, with Harley Windsor to become the first indigenous Australian to compete at a Winter Olympics.

But the 21-year-old isn’t letting the milestone get to him, focused on the task at hand ahead of his appearance with partner Katia Alexandrovskaya around midday.

“I’m not worried about the media or any of that because when I’m on the ice, it’s just the ice and I don’t think about anything else,’’ he said.

Read more on Windsor from The Australian’s Nicole Jeffery here.

8.40am: Italy on top in short track speed skating

It was a thrilling final overnight, but in the end Italian Arianna Fontana won out in a photo finish. And what about that get-up ... does it look familiar?

7.15am: Halfpipe a battle in three?

The men’s snowboarding halfpipe final appears to be a battle in three between Shaun White, Scotty James and Ayumu Hirano.

But, as Australia’s gold medal hope pointed out after qualifying second yesterday, it’s also something of a showdown between James and James. In the scheme of things it’s a relatively short trip down the 180 metre halfpipe with perhaps five tricks, yet as the 23-year-old revealed he spends much of that time talking to himself.

“I definitely do,” James said.

“I’ve got time to talk to myself. I talk in third person pretty much. I drop in and say ‘OK Scotty, run into this trick — do this and I’ll do it. “Then I’ll run into the next one and so on and so forth.

“By the time I’m at the bottom and I’ve put a good run together I’m thinking ‘you bloody better put this down or I am going to be so disappointed’”.

With three runs down the ‘pipe for the final, James will get a little more time to talk to himself than the qualifying round which features just two. It, judging controversies aside, gives the greater chance of a rider landing their best run to win the event.

The extraordinary quality of the qualifiers came as no surprise to James, who felt it was increasingly important to jockey for the best starting spots in the final.

“I wanted to finish further back in the field just so I can have a little bit more control of seeing the others and what they are doing and then how I can better my run,” he said.

White, as the top qualifier, will drop down the ‘pipe after James in the first run.

And while there’s still sure to be plenty of talk about what the judges do at the event’s conclusion, at least there’s unlikely to be any grievances about the ‘pipe.

“I think it is going to be a really exciting final just because of the halfpipe as well,” James said.

“This is the first Olympics out of the last two I have been to that the halfpipe has been in amazing condition, so it should be good.”

— AAP

7am: Graham’s medal ceremony

Just in case you missed moguls skier Matt Graham collecting his silver medal last night...

6.50am: Aussies struggle in cross country

Australia’s failure to make its mark on cross-country skiing has continued at the PyeongChang Winter Olympics.

In a gruelling sport dominated by Europeans, Barbara Jezersek became just the fourth Australian cross-country skier to finish between 30-40 of an individual Olympic event.

She placed 39th in the women’s 30km skiathlon on Saturday, but her teammates Jessica Yeaton, Aimee Watson, Casey Wright, Callum Watson and Phillip Bellingham have all struggled in their events.

Yeaton has the next best result in finishing 48th in yesterday’s sprint classic, with three individual events remaining in PyeongChang, mirroring Australian campaigns at previous Olympics.

Bellingham expressed his disappointment over placing 65th in the sprint classic.

“Sometimes it’s just not your day. Pretty disappointed with how today went. Definitely looking forward to the next two,” he said on Instagram.

Australia has been unable to reach a team event final in attempts at two previous Games but has a chance to rectify that in the men’s and women’s in PyeongChang.

In a sport it first competed at an Olympic level in 1952, possibly the lack of success can be explained by Australian geography.

Athletes have to spend large periods of the year in Europe with only two months of skiing available in Australia.

But the country has caught up in other winter sports, evidenced by its 13th Winter Olympic medal.

Moguls skier Matt Graham’s silver earlier this week was Australia’s third in the discipline and extended its streak of winning medals at consecutive Winter Olympics to seven.

— AAP

6.45am: Aussies in action on Day 5

12pm (AEDT): Figure skating pairs short program — Ekaterina Alexandrovskaya, Harley Windsor

12.15pm (AEDT): Women’s slalom — Greta Small

12.30pm (AEDT): Men’s halfpipe final — Scotty James, Kent Callister

6.30am: How the Aussies fared on Day 4

SNOWBOARDING
• Women’s halfpipe final: Emily Arthur 11th
• Men’s halfpipe qualification: Scotty James 2nd (qualified), Kent Callister 12th (qualified), Nate Johnstone 22nd (eliminated)

CROSS-COUNTRY SKIING
• Women’s sprint classic: Jessica Yeaton 48th, Aimee Watson 58th, Casey Wright 63rd
• Men’s sprint classic: Phillip Bellingham 65th

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Original URL: https://www.theaustralian.com.au/sport/winter-olympics-2018/winter-olympics-2018-scotty-james-leads-aussie-charge-in-mens-halfpipe-final/news-story/197470085f7254a839b453cf7ba02df5