Shaun White Fails to Medal, Finishes 8th in Halfpipe at 2021 FIS Snowboard World Cup

Three-time Olympic gold medalist Shaun White headlined the men's field at the first of three 2021-22 FIS Snowboard Halfpipe World Cups at Copper Mountain in Frisco, Colorado, on Saturday. 

The event kicked off the season's U.S. Grand Prix tour and was also second of four U.S. Olympic selection events for snowboard halfpipe leading up to February's Olympics in Beijing. 

While the participants took part in three runs, only their best run counted.

White started the day in impressive fashion, scoring a 75.50 on his first run after throwing down two switch-frontside double cork 1080s into a frontside 540, a double McTwist 1260 before finishing with an alley-oop backside rodeo. 

He finished the first run ranked third behind Japanese competitors Ruka Hirano (89.25) and Raibu Katayama (81.25). 

However, the 35-year-old struggled in his second run, scoring a 64.25 after performing two frontside 1080s, a pair of frontside 540s and a double McTwist 1260. 

Big performers in the second run included Americans Taylor Gold (87.00) and Chase Josey (85.25) and Japan's Yuto Totsuka (87.75), who bounced back from a rough first run in which he recorded a 14.25. 

White had an even worse performance on his third and final run of the afternoon, scoring a 5.00 after performing a double cork 1080 but failing to stick the landing. He finished the afternoon ranked eighth, while Hirano, Switzerland's Jan Scherrer and Totsuka finished on the podium. 

Before Saturday's event, White last competed in March, placing fourth at the U.S. Grand Prix in Aspen. That event ended his three-year hiatus following his victory at the 2018 Pyeongchang Olympics.