LIVIGNO, Italy (AP) — If U.S. skier Red Gerald wins another gold medal, prepare for another celebration — a big one.
After missing the final round, Gerrard’s family will return to the Winter Olympics to cheer him on. This year he will host around 40 spectators at Livigno’s snow park, doubling the number of people traveling to Pyeongchang and sparking an epic celebration eight years ago when he won gold in slopestyle.
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Gerrard, 25, will be competing in his third Olympics. He is part of a close-knit family, including sister Tieghan, a food blogger who hosted a lavish family dinner in Milan midway through the Games. Gerrard will compete in the big aerials competition starting on Thursday before returning to the mountains to compete in the slopestyle competition on February 18.
Gerrard’s family missed the 2022 Olympics in China due to coronavirus restrictions. Gerrard finished fourth that year.
“It’s a shame they missed Beijing,” Gerrard said at a news conference with U.S. skiers on Monday.
His team-mates joked that given the number of family members arriving, you were more likely to see Gerrard than a local.
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Gerrard said he doesn’t expect the party to be as rowdy as it was in 2018. He explained that his brothers had children and had become gentler.
“Everyone is a bit tamed,” Gerrard said. “Maybe a more mature team, but you never know what you’re going to get from them.”
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Associated Press Winter Olympics coverage https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics
