Near-perfect run secures Olympic spot for Red Gerard

SNOWMASS, Colo. (AP) — Red Gerard won a U.S. Grand Prix slopestyle event to secure his spot at the Pyeongchang Olympics.

The 17-year-old American posted his second slopestyle victory in an Olympic qualifying event with a near-perfect score Friday in snowy conditions.

He will compete in both slopestyle and Big Air next month in the Olympics.

Snow and poor visibility made conditions difficult and forced contest organizers to eliminate the bottom of the three jumps on the course. It didn't bother Gerard, whose score of 87.28 on his second run was .72 short of a perfect score.

With two first-place finishes in qualifiers, he's atop the list of riders trying to secure one of at least three spots on the U.S. slopestyle team.