Slopestyle, Men

Slopestyle was a new event to the Olympic Program but it had been contested at the World Championships in 2011 and 2013 and was a regular event at the Winter X-Games. The event generated some controversy before it started when the athletes complained about the risks and dangers of the course, notably two-time halfpipe gold medalist Shaun White. He withdrew, citing his emphasis on the halfpipe, but also noting the danger of the course. This led to a war of tweets between White and Canadian favorite Max Parrot, the 2014 X-Games champion in slopestyle. Some changes were made to the course, which satisfied the athletes and no major injuries occurred.

The event was the first to crown a champion at Sochi and was won by American Sage Kotsenburg, in somewhat of an upset. Kotsenburg had won silver medals in the event at the X-Games in 2010 and 2012, but was not considered among the medal favorites. Kotsenburg did not make the finals from the qualifying round, and had to go thru the semi-finals to qualify. His gold medal, the first at Sochi, marked the first time an American had won the first Winter Olympic gold medal since Alpine skiier Andrea Mead-Lawrence in 1952.

The silver went to Norwegian Ståle Sandbech, who had won the bronze medal at the 2014 X-Games, only a few weeks before Sochi. Bronze medalist Canadian Mark McMorris had been among the medal favorites, having won silver medals in slopestyle at the 2014 X-Games and the 2013 World Championships, but his Olympic medal showed some toughness, as he broken two ribs at the X-Games only weeks before. Favored Max Parrot made the final but placed only fifth.