Jake Canter has officially performed in his first-ever Winter Olympics at Milano Cortina 2026, completing the men's snowboard big air qualification event on Thursday. He is also set to compete in the men's slopestyle event, set to begin on February 16.
While Canter had not competed in an Olympic event prior to 2026, the 22-year-old from Colorado has still made a name for himself in the snowboarding world. He made his World Cup debut during the 2021-22 season before earning his first career victory at the 2025-26 FIS Snowboard World Cup, a result that helped him qualify for the 2026 Winter Olympics.
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Canter got off to a strong start in Thursday’s men’s snowboard big air qualifying round, posting an 89.00 on his first run. The score briefly placed him third overall, ahead of each of his Team USA teammates. His second run, however, did not match the opening effort, as he scored a 71.25 and slipped down the standings.
In snowboard big air, athletes are given three runs, with their top two scores counting toward the final result. And on his third and final run, Canter failed to improve on his previous scores, earning a Did Not Improve (DNI) designation, which caused him to fall out of qualifying position and miss the finals.
Overall, Canter posted a final score of 160.25, combining scores of 89.00 and 71.25, to finish 15th in the qualifying round. Only the top 12 athletes advanced to the snowboard big air final, with Oliver Martin the lone Team USA competitor to qualify after posting a 167.50 score, good for ninth place.
While Canter may not take home his first Olympic medal in the big air event, he will have another chance in the slopestyle event, with qualifiers beginning on Feb. 16 at 8:00 a.m. ET.