Alex Hall takes gold, Nick Goepper snags silver in freeski slopestyle, best Team USA finish since 2014

American freeskiers Alex Hall and Nick Goepper took gold and silver in freeski slopestyle Wednesday morning, the best finish for Team USA since Goepper was one-third of a U.S. sweep of the event in Sochi in 2014.

With his win, Hall earned the first U.S. gold medal in freeskiing in Beijing, while Goepper earned his third slopestyle medal in as many Games, and his second silver. Goepper is the only three-time medalist in the event. Jesper Tjader of Norway took bronze.

«This is amazing,» Hall said after the event as he and Goepper celebrated at the bottom of the course, draped in American flags.

Hall won the contest on his first run, which included arguably the most difficult and unique skill of the day: a pull-back 900, a trick that sees Hall launch a double cork 1080 but stop the spin early and pull the rotation back to a 900 before landing. For his part, Goepper was the only rider to use the side takeoff on his second jump, a right double cork 1440.

«I'm always looking for something creative, something that I know will bring me joy, so if I can do that in competition skiing and in a run on a big stage like at the Olympics, then it's the cherry on top,» Hall said after Tuesday's qualifying event.

Born in Fairbanks, Alaska, and raised in Switzerland, Hall resides and trains in Park City, Utah. He's known for his height — 6-foot-4 — his creative lines through slopestyle courses and for being a «skier's skier,» the type of athlete who never compromises individuality, style and innovation in pursuit of wins.

Hall was 19 in Pyeongchang, where he has said he was more of a wide-eyed observer than a podium threat. He took 16th in slopestyle but has since become one of the best in the world at the event. His runs — fluid and