OLYMPIC ALERT: Bend’s Hunter Hess Competes in Olympic Event, Placing 10th

LIVIGNO, Italy (KTVZ) -- Bend native Hunter Hess put on a gritty show in the men's freestyle skiing halfpipe at the Olympics today, battling tricky landings to finish a proud 10th place.

Hess kicked off his first run with style, nailing his opening four tricks and eyeing a potential gold medal push, but a final-trick crash derailed his score.

His second run showed promise too, until another late trick went awry and halted momentum.

Hess came back strong in his third and final run, sticking every trick cleanly, though commentators noted his grabs weren't as crisp as his best, impacting the judges' tally.

He earned a 58.75 score despite the clean landings—solid, but not the breakout he craved.

Hess didn't hit his peak, landing 10th overall, yet he's still a hero in Central Oregon, making our community and Team USA proud.

Fellow Americans Alex Ferreira grabbed gold, while Nick Goepper snagged bronze to cap a strong U.S. day.

Look for continuing coverage on Hess' Olympic run tonight on KTVZ News.