LIVIGNO, Italy, Feb. 2 (Xinhua) -- Defending champion Su Yiming led Chinese snowboarders onto the Olympic big air course in Livigno on Monday, as the venue staged its first official training session ahead of the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games.
Su said the opening session was mainly about adaptation rather than pushing limits.
"The venue feels quite comfortable overall and has some similarities with the Big Air course in Beijing," the 21-year-old said. "There are differences in slope angle and speed, so it takes time to adjust."
Su added that travel fatigue and jet lag had also influenced his approach on the first day.
"I didn't try many high-difficulty tricks today," he said. "The focus was on adapting my movements and following the preparation plan step by step, with more training sessions still ahead."
Su has enjoyed a strong start to the Olympic season, claiming back-to-back men's snowboard big air titles at FIS World Cup events in Chongli and Beijing earlier this winter, and said he is entering his second Olympic appearance with a calm and focused approach.
"I'm not putting extra pressure on myself," Su said. "Right now, I'm focused on doing what I need to do, paying attention to every detail and enjoying the competition itself. I want to fully embrace this second Olympic experience and perform at the level I should."
Su's compatriot Ge Chunyu, who is making his Olympic debut, said the opening session was mainly about getting familiar with the course.
"There's no need to get overly excited," Ge said. "The most important thing is to stay composed and focus on what I need to do."
The 19-year-old has enjoyed a breakthrough season, earning his first FIS World Cup podium in men's snowboard big air in Chongli, where he ranked second behind teammate Su, completing a one-two finish for China.
The men's snowboard big air will be among the first medal events staged at the Livigno venue, with qualification scheduled for Thursday, two days before the final.
The event is expected to produce the first gold medal in Livigno and represents one of China's key early medal opportunities.
Competitions at Milan-Cortina will be spread across several major clusters, including Milan, Cortina d'Ampezzo, Valtellina and Val di Fiemme.
Located in northern Italy's Lombardy region near the Swiss border, Livigno sits at an altitude of over 1,800 meters and forms part of the Valtellina cluster, serving as a core venue for freestyle skiing and snowboarding events.
While the big air course has become the first venue in Livigno to open for official training, reporters observed that other competition sites, including those for halfpipe, slopestyle and aerials, remain under construction. ■
