Park City’s Joss Christensen, reigning slopestyle gold medalist, left off U.S. Olympic team

One of the breakout stars of the 2014 Olympics won’t be in South Korea to defend his throne.

Park City’s Joss Christensen, who won gold in the men’s ski slopestyle event at the 2014 Games in Sochi, Russia, was left off the U.S. Olympic squad bound for Pyeongchang Olympics, which begin in two weeks. The 26-year-old suffered a torn ACL in May during a ski run in Mammoth Mountain, Calif.

While the innovative high-flying skier eventually returned to the snow this winter, Christensen wasn’t able to land on any podiums in an Olympic qualifying event. Without Christensen, the U.S. freeskiers will have Gus Kenworthy and Nick Goepper, who finished with silver and bronze, respectively, at the 2014 Olympics alongside Christensen.

McRae Williams, who grew up skiing alongside Christensen on the hills in Park City, made his first Olympic team as a discretionary choice. Williams is currently the reigning slopestyle world champion. He barely missed out on the 2014 Olympic team, which served as motivation during the last cycle.

“Not making the Olympic team back in 2014 was absolutely devastating,” Williams said in a release Monday. “Thinking of having to wait four years to try again and wondering if I’d even still be at the top of my game was hard. To get that redemption now is beyond a dream come true.”

Devin Logan, one of several Westminster College students named to the U.S. Olympic team Monday, won the silver medal in women’s slopestyle at the 2014 Olympics.

Logan also qualified for ski halfpipe, where she’ll compete alongside teammate and 2014 gold medalist Maddie Bowman, also a Westminster student. David Wise headlines the men’s ski halfpipe team. The Reno, Nev., native won gold in Sochi.

The U.S. Olympic aerials and moguls team were also announced Monday evening.

The top medal threats include two-time Olympian Ashley Caldwell and Mac Bohonnon, who returns to his second straight Olympics. Park City’s Madison Olsen, 22, qualified for her first-ever Olympics in women’s aerials.

Jaelin Kauf, the No. 1-ranked women’s mogul skiers, enters as an Olympic medal favorite after a dominant World Cup season. Kauf, who relocated to Park City three years ago, won two World Cup golds. She leads a strong women’s moguls team, including Morgan Schild and Keaton McCargo.