Section 5: Rules of Play
5.1 Moguls Format
Qualification: two runs, best score counts. Top 20 advance to the final round. Final 1: one run, top 12 advance. Super Final: one run, winner determined. Athletes must perform two distinct aerial maneuvers on the designated kicker sites. Turns are assessed for fall line discipline, carving technique, and consistent absorption of bumps.
5.2 Aerials Format
Qualification: 2 jumps, best score counts. Top 12 advance. Final 1: 2 jumps, combined score. Top 6 advance to the Super Final. Super Final: 1 jump determines the winner. Athletes submit their intended dives in advance, including the number of somersaults, twists, and body position. The degree of difficulty (DD) ranges from approximately 2.1 (single somersault) to 5.0+ (triple somersault with multiple twists).
5.3 Halfpipe Format
Qualification: best of 2 runs. Top 12 advance to the final. Final: best of 3 runs counts as the athlete's score. A typical run includes 5–7 "hits" (tricks performed on the pipe walls). Judges reward amplitude (height above the lip), difficulty of rotation and flips, variety of tricks, execution quality, and progression (innovation or increased difficulty during the run).
5.4 Slopestyle Format
Qualification: best of 2 runs. Top 12 advance. Final: best of 3 runs. Athletes choose their own line through the course features, selecting which rails or boxes to hit and which side of jumps to approach. Judges evaluate difficulty, execution, variety, amplitude, style, and use of the course.
5.5 Ski Cross Format
A timed solo qualification run determines seedings. Athletes are then placed in a bracket of 4-person heats. In each heat, the top 2 finishers advance. This elimination continues through quarterfinals, semifinals, and the final. Contact is permitted but intentional pushing, pulling, or blocking results in disqualification. Crashes are part of the sport — athletes who fall may still advance if they cross the finish line in an advancing position.