A few more Americans could punch their tickets to South Korea today.

The first two of a total of 10 finals at the Toyota U.S. Grand Prix in Snowmass this weekend will be Friday’s snowboard slopestyle competitions. In the men’s competition, the person to watch is Summit County teen sensation Red Gerard, who just might be among the Olympic favorites. His spot on the U.S. Olympic team — the Snowmass Grand Prix is one of the qualifiers — is all but assured as this point. Gerard was second in qualifying on Wednesday, with only Japan’s Hiroaki Kunitake besting him.

The real battle will be between fellow Americans Ryan Stassel and Chandler Hunt, both right on the verge of Olympic qualification themselves. They were sixth and seventh, respectively, in qualifying.

---

---

The women’s snowboard slopestyle competition is also intense, with 2014 Olympians Jessika Jenson and Ty Walker looking for a return trip. Both are right on the U.S. Olympic team bubble as well and were the only two Americans to make finals. Missing from today’s finals are Julia Marino and Hailey Langland, as well as Jamie Anderson, who opted not to compete this weekend as she is already qualified for the Olympics.

Later in the afternoon will be the skiing halfpipe finals. The men’s contest features rising local superstar Alex Ferreira, who was third in Wednesday’s qualifier. He’s coming off his win at Dew Tour, and another podium would get him to the objective qualifying standards for the U.S. team. Ferreira was the first skier left off the 2014 Olympic team.

---

---

The chase for the four Olympic spots is wide open. Along with Ferreira, a podium by Aaron Blunck, David Wise, Taylor Seaton or Gus Kenworthy would get them to the two-podium standard as well. Notably absent from the final is Aspen’s Torin Yater-Wallace, who was hindered by an injury during qualification. Yater-Wallace also has an Olympic-qualifying podium, a win last winter in Mammoth.

In the women’s ski halfpipe competition, American great Maddie Bowman looks to cement an already sturdy Olympic bid with another podium. Brita Sigourney, Devin Logan and Carly Marguilies would see their Olympic-team chances significantly rise with a podium as well. Canada’s Cassie Sharpe, who finished first in qualifying, could steal one of those coveted podium spots.

acolbert@aspentimes.com