The International Olympic Committee approved four new events on Monday for the 2018 Winter Olympics, including Big Air in snowboarding, according to the Associated Press.
IOC approves 4 new events for 2018 Winter Olympics
The 2018 Winter Olympics will now feature Big Air in snowboarding, mass start in speedskating, mixed doubles in curling and a team skiing event.
Nathan Bilow-USA TODAY Sports
In addition to the new snowboarding event, the 2018 Winter Games in Pyeongchang, South Korea will also feature mass start in speedskating, mixed doubles in curling and a team skiing event. With the addition of the new events though, the IOC dropped snowboard parallel slalom as an event.
The inclusion of snowboard events in recent Olympics, including the halfpipe and slopestyle events, have been a concerted effort to draw a younger audience, and the addition of a Big Air event is a continuation of that trend. In the event, snowboarders will fly off a large ramp and perform flips and spins for judges.
A mass start event in speedskating is also an effort by the IOC to add more excitement to Olympic events and could feature more physical contact and pushing.
The Pyeongchang Winter Olympics are scheduled to begin in February 2018.
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