Just call them the Royal Canadian Air Force.
Max Parrot had the best run of the day as all four Canadian snowboarders qualified for the men’s slopestyle final at the Pyeongchang Olympics on Saturday.
Parrot, from Bromont, Que., earned 87.36 points in his second run to take top spot in the second heat.
Regina’s Mark McMorris held first place until Parrot surpassed him. McMorris is competing less than a year after suffering numerous serious injuries in a backcountry crash. He qualified with a second-run score of 86.83 points.
Sebastian Toutant of L’Assomption, Que., was third in the first heat, earning 78.01 points in his first run. Tyler Nicholson of North Bay, Ont., was fifth in the second heat with 79.21 points.
The top six scores from the two heats advanced to Sunday’s final.
On the women’s side, Laurie Blouin of Stoneham, Que., will be re-evaluated by team medical staff a day after a nasty training fall.
The reigning world champion in slopestyle fell heavily at Phoenix Snow Park on Friday when her board got stuck in a crack after she landed a double jump.
A team spokesperson said on Saturday that Blouin may still compete and that she is still recovering from the hard fall.
In mixed doubles curling, Ottawa’s John Morris and Winnipeg’s Kaitlyn Lawes are at the top of the round-robin standings after downing Switzerland’s Jenny Perrett and Martin Rios 7-2 in six ends for their fourth straight win.
Canada had a 6-2 lead after five ends and Switzerland’s rock rolled out of the house on its final throw, giving Morris and Lawes the steal. The Swiss then shook hands to call the game.
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