The U.S. is now primed for a podium sweep after Nick Goepper, Alex Ferreira, Hunter Hess and Birk Irving placed 2nd, 4th, 5th and 6th in men's freeski halfpipe qualifying. Gold-medal favorite Fin Melville Ives of New Zealand fell on both runs — receiving medical attention on the second — and did not advance.

Goepper said he was looking to do a never been done trick that was a full revolution more than the trick he’d landed in his first two runs.

Hunter Hess’ Olympic dream is hanging by a thread. In Friday’s men’s halfpipe final, the 27-year-old didn’t have a clean first run, and his second didn’t go any better. Hess bobbled on a landing and fell to the snow in his first run,

Gu, a five-time Olympic medalist, qualified for the halfpipe final despite a fall in qualifying that saw her clip the lip of the pipe before delivering a strong second run to finish fifth with a score of 86.50. She was widely regarded as a favorite to contend for gold in the event scheduled for Saturday.

'I got super lucky': Nick Goepper says that he is OK after crash during Olympic halfpipe final

Alex Ferreira of the United States won gold in the freestyle skiing men's halfpipe final at Milano Cortina on Friday, completing his collection of Olympic medals.

Australia's golden Winter Olympics could conclude with a medal-winning flourish after the sensational Indra Brown roared into the final of the women's freeski halfpipe.