[OLYMPICS] Swiss Skier Mathilde Gremaud Defends Olympic Slopestyle Title in Thriller Against Eileen Gu - SnowBrains

"However, the rivalry also has a very personal factor: Gremaud's former coach Misra Noto defected not once but twice to the Chinese team to support Gu at both the 2022 as well as just weeks ahead of the 2026 games. A betrayal that took Gremaud three years to overcome the first time, and that she vows not to forgive a second time."

"But today was redemption day and Gremaud finished on top of the podium ahead of Gu, securing her second Olympic gold medal in her third Olympic appearance. The 26-year-old Fribourg native now owns two slopestyle golds and a slopestyle silver from 2018. She also is the 2023 and 2025 slopestyle World Champion and continues to lead the FIS World Cup standings in the race for the slopestyle Crystal Globe this season. Gremaud has also won 11 X Games medals, four of which gold."

"As in Beijing four years earlier, the margin against Gu was razor thin. In 2022, Gremaud edged Gu by just 0.33 points-the closest finish in Olympic freeski history. This time in Livigno, only 0.38 points separated the two across their best runs, marking the second-closest Olympic freeski finish ever. Gu set the early benchmark in the final with an opening run score of 86.58, which ultimately stood as her best of the day."

Mathilde Gremaud defended the Olympic women's ski slopestyle title in a dramatic final, edging Eileen Gu by 0.38 points. Gremaud secured her second Olympic gold in her third Games and now holds two slopestyle golds plus a 2018 silver. She is the 2023 and 2025 slopestyle World Champion, leads the FIS World Cup slopestyle standings this season, and has won 11 X Games medals, including four gold. The rivalry intensified after Gremaud's former coach Misra Noto defected twice to China. Gu opened with an 86.58 run featuring linked double cork 1080 into double cork 1260.

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