PYEONGCHANG, South Korea _ The American men knew it wasn't going to be easy this time.
Four years ago, they dominated the Olympic ski slopestyle, finishing in the top three spots. But key injuries and some new faces figured to level the field at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang.
"There are so many countries so competitive and so good in slopestyle," Gus Kenworthy, the defending silver medalist, said.
That international talent showed up at Phoenix Snow Park on Sunday afternoon as Oystein Braaten of Norway took the gold medal and Alex Beaulieu-Marchand of Canada won the bronze.
The lone U.S. representative on the podium was Nick Goepper, who needed a dazzling final run to secure the silver medal.
At the very least, Goepper achieved his goal to improve on the bronze he won at the 2014 Sochi Games.
"I'd be lying if I say I didn't have a chip on my shoulder," he had said before this competition.
This sport of slopestyle has skiers navigating their way downhill through a series of obstacles and jumps. Judges watch for how they slide and twist on rails and flip through the air.
As Kenworthy noted, the rest of the world has had four more years to catch up since ski slopestyle made its Olympic debut in Sochi, Russia.
The American squad also came into Pyeongchang in less-than-optimum health.
The 2014 gold medalist, Joss Christensen, didn't even make the team as he battled to recover from knee surgery. Kenworthy broke his thumb during a practice run last week.
By the time the final began, the four-man American squad was cut in half as Olympic rookies McRae Williams, the defending world champion, and Alex Hall failed to advance past qualifying.
Braaten wasted little time in showing that he would contend for the gold, starting with a run of 95.00 and forcing everyone else in the field to chase.
British skier James Woods, who won silver in the last world championships, came close with a 91.00 on his second run. Beaulieu-Marchand then put up a 92.4.
In the meantime, Kenworthy struggled, falling on both of his first two times down the hill. Goepper put together a complete second run but lingered in the middle of the pack.
If anyone was going to knock off Braaten, it would have to be on the final try.
Woods came up short and Kenworthy couldn't really mount a challenge, losing his balance and missing the last jump entirely.
As his score of 32.00 flashed across the jumbo screen, he shrugged and said, 'It's OK.'"
Goepper would fare better on his last try, sliding and spinning his way down the hill, throwing his arms in the air when he landed the final jump. A 93.60 put him in second.
It was the best the Americans could manage on this day.
