13 Feb 2018

Tait fails to make final at Winter Olympics

10:38 pm on 13 February 2018

The New Zealand snowboarder Rakai Tait has failed to make the finals of the halfpipe competition at the Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang.

Tait has finished 26th in the 29 strong field after his two qualifying runs with the top 12 advancing to tomorrow's final.

After his opening run Tait was 21st after posting a score of 36.50 out of a possible 100.

His second run only scored 25.75 which saw him slip back further.

"I'm gutted i didn't land a solid run." he said.

"I was hoping to make finals and put down a solid run out here," he said.

"I just couldn't put down the last trick. I think I would have pulled it off if I could have landed that last trick," he said.

"The level of riding is crazy and it's really cool to be amongst those guys."

Rakai Tait

Rakai Tait Photo: NZOC Twitter

American Scotty James has eased through to the final of snowboarding's halfpipe at the Winter Olympics, finishing second in qualifying.

Two time gold medallist American Shaun White showed he'll again be the one to beat finishing top qualifier ahead of Australian Scotty James.

Japan's Ayumu Hirano was third best.