Podcast: But just how did Red Gerard do it? U.S. snowboarder Dylan Thomas carefully breaks down the gold medal run
Red Gerard takes a celebratory slide through the snow after landing his final run in the snowboard slopestyle competition at the 2018 Winter Olympics. The run was good enough to win him the gold medal.
Joel Reichenberger / Special to The Daily |
Red Gerard celebrates after winning a gold medal Sunday in the men’s snowboard slopestyle event at the 2018 Winter Olympics.
Joel Reichenberger / Special to The Daily |
The podium for the mens snowboard slopestyle competition at the 2018 Winter Olympics was, from left, Canada’s Max Parrot in second, United States rider from Silverthrone Red Gerard in first and Canada’s Mark McMorris in third.
Joel Reichenberger / Special to The Daily |
Red Gerard throws up his hand after landing his final trick during his third run at the 2018 Winter Olympics in the men’s snowboard slopestyle competition.
Joel Reichenberger / Special to The Daily |
Silverthorne's Red Gerard exchanges a high five with Canada’s Mark McMorris on Sunday as the two stood on the podium of an awards ceremony immediately following the event. Gerard won gold and McMorris bronze.
Joel Reichenberger | jreichenberger@steamboatpilot.com |
Red Gerard trades a look with Canada’s Max Parrot a moment after Parrot’s final score was announced, placing him just behind Gerard on the podium. Gerard won the event, claiming the first United States gold medal of the 2018 Winter Olumpics.
Joel Reichenberger / Special to The Daily |
Red Gerard looks down to land his final trick on his last run of the snowboard slopestyle competition Sunday at the 2018 Winter Olympics.
Joel Reichenberger / Special to The Daily |
Red Gerard, right, celebrates after winning a gold medal in snowboard slopestyle at the 2018 Winter Olympics.
Joel Reichenberger / Special to The Daily |
Mark McMorris, 2, celebrates with Red Gerard after it became clear Gerard would medal in snowboard slopestyle at the 2018 Winter Olympics. McMorris won bronze and Gerard gold.
Joel Reichenberger / Special to The Daily |
Red Gerard celebrates after winning a gold medal Sunday in the men’s snowboard slopestyle event at the 2018 Winter Olympics.
Associated Press |
Red Gerard flies through his final trick en route to a gold medal during the 2018 WInter Olympics snowboard slopestyle competition. Gerard became the first American to win a gold medal at the 2018 Winter Games.
Joel Reichenberger | jreichenberger@steamboatpilot.com |
The wait is over. Silverthorne’s Red Gerard throws up his arms after winning gold in Sunday’s snowboard slopestyle competition at the 2018 Winter Olympics at Bokwang Phoenix Park in South Korea.
Joel Reichenberger | jreichenberger@steamboatpilot.com |
Mark McMorris waits for his score after the third run of the 2018 Winter Olympics men’s slopestyle snowboard competition.
Joel Reichenberger / Special to The Daily |
Red Gerard won a gold medal Sunday in men’s snowboard slopestyle at the 2018 Winter Olympics at Bokwang Phoenix Park, South Korea.
Joel Reichenberger / Special to The Daily |
Red Gerard looks out at the crowd after winning a gold medal Sunday in the men’s snowboard slopestyle event at the 2018 Winter Olympics.
Associated Press |
Red Gerard watches at Mark McMorris takes his final run Sunday at the 2018 Winter Olympics. McMorris was the last rider who had a chance to unseat Gerard from the top spot, but he came up just short, placing second.
Joel Reichenberger / Special to The Daily |
While meticulously talking through each step that combined into Red Gerard’s Olympic gold medal slopestyle run in South Korea, U.S. snowboarder Dylan Thomas summed up how it happened.
“You know,” Thomas said, “Red has the perfect mindset for this kind of course.”
LISTEN: U.S. snowboarder Dylan Thomas of Breckenridge breaks down Red Gerard’s Olympic gold medal slopestyle run
Thomas would know. The Breckenridge snowboarder has known Gerard for years and competed alongside Gerard throughout the 2018 Team USA Olympic qualifying cycle. The pair even shared the podium at the 2017 Mammoth Mountain California slopestyle/big air qualifier, along with Silverthorne 2018 Olympic snowboarder Kyle Mack, one of Gerard’s best friends.
Gerard took first, Mack took second and Thomas took third at that Feb. 2017 Olympic qualifier.
A year later, after hitting fresh powder at Beaver Creek on Sunday morning, while still in his gear Thomas took the time to chat with the Summit Daily for a half-hour on Sunday afternoon.
And much like many other snowboard and Olympic fans in Gerard’s home of Silverthorne and the rest of Summit County, Thomas was still riding the wave of excitement a day later — the excitement from Gerard’s enthralling gold medal run. After all, Thomas was just like the rest of us Saturday night: glued to the NBC live stream on his computer, stomach full of butterflies for Red before that third and final run.
In this podcast discussion, Thomas explains the details and backstory behind each and every single rail, jib and jump Gerard executed to near-perfection on his final run at Phoenix Snow Park.
He walks us through Gerard’s journey down the inventive Olympic slopestyle course.
The discussion doesn’t miss any details, including from who Gerard hugged and high-fived before his drop-in at the top of the course all the way down to the rowdy rapture of a celebration — the beers-in-hands, smiling scene — for Gerard’s family at the bottom of the course.
So listen at SummitDaily.com for the detailed description from Thomas of just how the 17-year-old Red Gerard became the youngest American male to ever win a gold medal at an individual competition at a Winter Olympics.
To boot, Thomas provides his thoughts on the debut Olympic Big Air competition. It’ll happen at the end of the Games and he shares his thoughts on how and why he thinks Mack and Silverthorne 18-year-old snowboarder Chris Corning will bounce back from failing to qualify for the slopestyle finals.
And, of course, Gerard can’t be counted out either once Big Air rolls around. Because when the Silverthorne trio drops into the Big Air qualifying round at 5:30 p.m. MST on Tuesday Feb. 20, Thomas believes all three will have a shot at Olympic medal glory.
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