The Quest for Olympic Glory: Artistry vs. Athleticism in Winter Sports
Milan and Livigno, Italy – As the 2026 Winter Olympics unfold, a debate is intensifying across several disciplines: is the pursuit of increasingly difficult tricks overshadowing the artistry and grace that once defined winter sports? This question is particularly acute in figure skating, where athletes like Ilia Malinin are pushing the boundaries of athleticism with quadruple rotations and even backflips.
On Tuesday, Malinin will attempt a figure skating routine that, according to observers, could easily be mistaken for a scene from a Marvel movie. His performance, packed with high-scoring elements, demonstrates a shift in the sport – a move away from the subjective evaluation of artistry towards the more quantifiable precision of athleticism. The current scoring system, born from past judging scandals, incentivizes athletes to “crowbar the most high-scoring elements into a routine” to achieve numerical dominance, as one analysis put it.
This trend isn’t limited to figure skating. The drive for “faster, higher, stronger” maneuvers is evident in freestyle skiing and snowboarding, prompting questions about whether the joy of the sport is being sacrificed in the relentless pursuit of bigger and better tricks.
However, the response to this challenge differs significantly between disciplines. While figure skating has largely prioritized athletic achievement, freestyle skiing and snowboarding have actively sought to preserve creativity and freedom.
From its Olympic debut in 1998, snowboarding emphasized expression and individuality. Athletes insisted on multiple runs, with the final score based on the best single performance, allowing for experimentation and risk-taking without a single mistake necessarily costing a competitor the win. This approach encourages skiers and snowboarders to explore unconventional lines and innovative tricks.
American freestyle skier Alex Hall exemplified this spirit at the 2022 Beijing Olympics, incorporating a jump off a snow mound not originally intended as part of the course. He then executed a right double-cork 1080 pretzel, a complex maneuver involving mid-air directional changes. Hall’s willingness to deviate from the expected highlights the creative freedom valued within the sport.
This dedication to innovation extends beyond the competition venue. Hall, known to his 200,000 Instagram followers for his adventurous lifestyle, often travels in a van, seeking out urban environments – cities themselves – to transform into freestyle skiing playgrounds. He spends hours scouring Google Earth for stairs, railings, and walls to incorporate into his routines.
Other athletes, like Colby Stevenson, find inspiration in the backcountry, working with the natural terrain to develop unique approaches. Stevenson emphasizes the importance of collaboration with the environment, asking, “How is the mountain telling you how to do the jumps?”
The development of new tricks is often a methodical process. Nick Goepper, a slopestyle skier now competing in halfpipe, trains on jumps he built at his “Rollerblade Ranch” in Utah, utilizing an airbag imported from Canada. Alex Ferreira describes a “five-step program” that begins with ideation, progresses through trampoline and foam pit practice, and culminates in attempts on snow.
However, this pursuit of increasingly complex maneuvers isn’t without its drawbacks. Stevenson acknowledges that the limits are being pushed, potentially shrinking the pool of athletes able to participate at the highest level. Goepper expressed concern that the reliance on advanced facilities, like airbags, could create barriers to entry for aspiring athletes.
Jason Brown, a two-time Olympian in figure skating, has long advocated for a greater emphasis on artistry within the sport. He argues that the current scoring system, which heavily favors jumps, devalues other elements like spins and footwork. Brown believes that a more balanced system would encourage skaters to prioritize quality, integrity, and artistic expression.
Malinin, however, believes that athleticism and artistry aren’t mutually exclusive. He emphasizes that figure skating should be an extension of an athlete’s personality, allowing individuals to bring their unique style and creativity to the ice. He added that athletes should be free to incorporate elements like backflips and diverse musical choices to express their individuality.
the tension between athleticism and artistry is a recurring theme in the evolution of the Winter Games. As athletes continue to push the boundaries of what’s possible, the challenge lies in finding a balance that celebrates both the thrill of innovation and the enduring beauty of the sport.
