Mixed Team Aerials in freestyle skiing is one of the most visually dramatic and strategically unique medal events at the 2026 Winter Olympics. Unlike individual aerials competitions, where athletes perform alone and results are based purely on personal scores, this event combines individual skill with team strategy. Each nation fields a small team of skiers, typically including both men and women, and their combined performances determine the final result.
What makes mixed team aerials distinct is the balance between risk and consistency. In individual events, athletes may focus entirely on landing their most difficult jump. In the team event, however, coaches and athletes must think strategically. One missed landing can heavily affect the team’s total, so nations must decide when to attempt high-difficulty jumps and when to prioritize cleaner, safer performances. This adds a tactical layer that is not present in standard individual aerials.
The event also stands out because it highlights both genders competing together for a single medal. It showcases the depth of a country’s aerials program rather than the strength of just one standout athlete. Teams with multiple skiers capable of executing high-difficulty tricks under pressure have a clear advantage.
Event Format at the 2026 Winter Olympics
In the mixed team aerials competition at the 2026 Winter Olympics, teams take turns sending athletes down the in-run and off the jump to perform their aerial maneuvers. Each skier performs a single jump in each round, and their scores are added together to form the team total.
Judges evaluate each jump based on three main factors: air, form, and landing. The air score measures height, distance, and the quality of takeoff. Form focuses on body position and execution during flips and twists. Landing scores assess stability and control upon touching down. Each jump also has a degree of difficulty value, which multiplies the execution score and increases the reward for more complex tricks.
After the initial round, the highest-scoring teams advance to the final round, where the medal positions are decided. Because each athlete contributes only one score per round, there is no room to recover from a major error.
Medal Decision and Competitive Dynamics
The medals in mixed team aerials are awarded based on the combined scores of all team members in the final round. The team with the highest total score wins gold, followed by silver and bronze. There are no time components in this event, only judged performance.
This medal event is especially unpredictable because of the difficulty of the jumps involved. A perfectly executed high-difficulty jump can swing the standings instantly, while a fall or unstable landing can drop a team out of medal contention. The mixed format increases tension, as each athlete’s performance directly affects teammates and the overall result.
At the 2026 Winter Olympics, mixed team aerials will once again deliver high-risk, high-reward action, where precision, teamwork, and nerves of steel determine who leaves the slope with a medal.