PORTLAND, Oregon — Seventeen-year-old Oregon snowboarder Alessandro Barbieri will have his shot to capture a gold medal on Friday in the men’s halfpipe final after an impressive qualifier at the 2026 Milan Cortina Olympics.
Barbieri placed fourth in the qualifying round on Wednesday, advancing him to the halfpipe final at 10:30 a.m. PST on Friday. He will compete against 11 other riders, including two Americans, for the podium.
In an interview on Wednesday, Barbieri wouldn’t give away any of the tricks he plans to perform in the final, but said it will be “electric” and “crazy.”…