Mac Forehand is officially that guy at X Games Aspen… again.
Despite near-whiteout conditions and one of the wildest competition environments in recent memory, the 24-year-old Stratton Mountain, VT skier delivered when it mattered most, stomping a massive switch triple cork 2160 mute grab to capture gold in Stake Men’s Ski Big Air at X Games Aspen 2026 on Friday (January 23). The clutch second-run trick earned a 96.00 score, instantly launching him into first place and securing his second career X Games gold medal — both in Big Air.
Joining him on the podium were Luca Harrington of New Zealand in silver and Dylan Deschamps of Canada in bronze, but the night belonged to Forehand, who proved that even blizzard conditions couldn’t cool his momentum.
“That was definitely the best 21 I’ve ever done,” Forehand shared in a statement moments after his win. “It really took the pressure off for me to focus on just one trick and the format worked out for me. I’m so stoked!”
From the start, Stake Men’s Ski Big Air was shaping up to be a battle — not just between athletes, but against the elements. Heavy snowfall slowed speeds and made landings unpredictable, turning every attempt into a high-stakes gamble.
But Forehand leaned into the chaos.
“I mean, this is crazy. There’s like 10,000 people out there right now. It’s nuts. I’ve never seen it like this in X Games,” he said of the electric crowd to Celeb Secrets host Juliet Schroder. “It was dumping snow out the other day, and it was not ideal, honestly. The speed was pretty slow… but we got it done and I had speed. I got lucky.”
With just six minutes remaining in the final, Forehand dropped in and delivered the run of the night — a switch left triple cork 2160 mute grab that judges rewarded with the highest score of the competition and the top spot on the leaderboard.
The victory marked his second X Games gold medal and further cemented his reputation as one of freeskiing’s most clutch performers.
“I’m super excited. We’ve been doing it for a long time,” he said of his achievement with a grin.
For Forehand, each medal hits differently. But this one carried special weight.
“Every year it gets better,” he shared. “The first one I think is hard to beat when I was younger, and I don’t think I’ll ever beat that feeling, but just to add another one to the resume… it feels so good. And the talent is so crazy nowadays in our field of friends and skiers that we get to do this with. I’m just lucky to be on top again.”
Looking back on his journey from wide-eyed kid watching X Games on TV to standing atop the podium in Aspen, Forehand couldn’t help but get reflective.
“Just to take it all in,” he said when asked what he’d tell his younger self. “This is what you dream of as a kid. I grew up watching X Games since I was eight years old, so this is the sickest thing ever. To be part of it and part of the sport and see it progress at this level is so cool.”
As if winning gold at X Games wasn’t enough, Forehand’s victory comes at the perfect time. In just a few weeks, the 24-year-old just weeks before he heads to Italy to represent Team USA at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina. And unlike last time, he’s arriving with confidence, momentum, and a clear mindset.
“It’s been a really stressful year, just trying to qualify for that team,” Forehand revealed. “I actually won the Grand Prix — the Olympic qualifier — in Aspen like a week and a half ago. So I’ve had good luck here the past couple weeks. I qualified for the Olympics a couple weeks ago, and all the pressure went away… and now I just get to go to Milan and represent my country again and hopefully do well. I’m hyped.”
This will mark Forehand’s second Olympic appearance after competing in Beijing in 2022, where he finished 11th in freeski big air. But this time around, he’s approaching the Games with a different mindset and a lot more experience.
“I just want to not stress myself out,” he told us. “Last time I was so stressed to do well and I really wanted to win — and I was young and it was my first time. Now I’m gonna go in, maybe play a bit more strategic and just get in there and hopefully get a medal for the country.”
According to NBC News, Forehand has been grinding all summer at Utah Olympic Park, dialing in some of the rarest and most technical tricks in freeskiing, including variations of switch triple corks that could very well end up on the Olympic podium. The difference between medaling and missing out in Big Air often comes down to landing one ultra-clean, ultra-complex trick — something Forehand has proven he can do when the stakes are highest.
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With X Games gold secured and Olympic qualification locked, Forehand is entering the biggest stage in winter sports on the ultimate high.
“Practice has been going great. Training’s been amazing,” he shared. “This summer went really well. I’m just trying not to get too stressed and just ski and love my life. It’s been awesome. I’m so blessed.”
And if his blizzard-defying performance in Aspen is any indication, Mac Forehand isn’t just ready for the Olympics, he’s ready to contend. While the Red Bull athlete’s story is still being written, we can tell it’s looking like pure gold.
Make sure to watch our full interview with Mac Forehand from X Games Aspen 2026 below, and don’t forget to let’s know if you’re hyped for his big win by either leaving a reaction at the bottom of the post or by sliding into our DMs on Instagram at @celebsecrets.
For more coverage from X Games Aspen 2026, click here.
