By RNZ Sport

New Zealand has made a flying start to the Winter Olympics in Italy, with all three men qualifying for the final of the snowboard Big Air event.

Lyon Farrell, Rocco Jamieson and Dane Menzies all finished inside the top 12 in a 30-man field to secure their spots in the high-pressure showdown at Livignio Snow Park on Sunday morning (NZT).

Farrell was the best of them, locking down seventh with his third and final run, reacting with animation when he landed his run and then again when the judges’ score was announced.

Needing to score 73.50 to finish inside the 12, Farrell produced a score of 81.50.

“Olympic finalist sounds incredible, I can’t believe it, it’s so good,” he told Sky Sport, reflecting on the additional pressure of being the 30th and last competitor to complete his run.

New Zealand's Lyon Farrell competes in the snowboard men's big air qualification run 1 during the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games at Livigno Snow Park, in Livigno (Valtellina), on February 5, 2026. Photo / Kirill Kudryavtsev, AFP

“There were a lot of people getting their runs done and I’m just waiting.

“I’ve got the best team ever, to keep me going forward. Everyone believes so much in me, it’s the best formula I could possibly have to doing well.

“They kept me in a place where I felt like I could do anything and somehow in the last run I made it happen. Just crazy.”

Farrell, the oldest member of New Zealand’s 17-strong Olympic team at age 27, produced a combined score of 170.00. It was found by adding his two best runs.

That was enough to lift him one place ahead of Jamieson (168.25) while Menzies snuck through in 11th place with 164.00.

The top qualifier was Japan’s Hiroto Ogiwara (178.50), followed by Italy’s Ian Matteoli and Japan’s Kira Kimura.

The next New Zealanders in action will be Ruby Star Andrews and Sylvia Trotter in women’s freeski slopestyle qualifying on Saturday night (NZT).

-RNZ