China dominates Aerials at Harbin 2025 Asian Winter Games winning four golds in five events

While the North American tour was wrapping up at the iconic Deer Valley World Cup, across the Pacific Ocean, the best aerial skiers in Asia were battling for gold at the Harbin 2025 Asian Winter Games. The aerials competition took place at Yabuli Ski Resort from February 9 to 11, featuring Aerials, Mixed Team Aerials, and Aerials Synchro.

With China’s deep talent pool and home advantage, the team delivered a dominant performance, winning four of the five gold medals available and claiming one podium sweep and strong podium finishes.

Xu Mengtao claims Women's Aerials gold

China’s Xu Mengtao, the 2022 Olympic champion, added another major title to her career by winning gold in Women's Aerials with a score of 90.94. The 34-year-old was in dominant form, landing a near-perfect 97.99-point jump in the first round, securing her place in the final. Although she did not land her second jump perfectly, she had already built a strong enough lead to secure the victory.

"I'm thrilled with my performance," Xu said. "The first-round score is my seasonal best for that routine. In the final, I focused on consistency, and it paid off."

Her teammate Chen Xuezheng took silver with 81.58, while Kazakhstan’s Ayana Zholdas finished third with 76.54, securing the bronze medal.

China sweeps the Men's Aerials podium

The Men’s Aerials event saw a commanding performance from the Chinese team, who swept the podium. Li Xinpeng, just 20 years old, delivered an impressive 123.45-point jump in the final to secure gold.

The competition remained close, with Yang Longxiao taking silver with 122.13 and veteran Qi Guangpu, the reigning Olympic champion, earning bronze with 119.47. In the final round, all three Chinese athletes attempted jumps with a 4.4250 difficulty rating, with Li landing the cleanest execution to take the title.

"I made a major mistake and fell in my first jump, but I managed to adjust my mindset afterward," Li said. "Although my teammates put a lot of pressure on me in the second round, I focused on performing my best."

Qi, who has been a dominant force in the sport for over a decade, acknowledged the next generation's rise.

"I think I performed normally today, and I want to congratulate my young teammates. Only when they surpass me and perform better will this sport continue to develop and improve in the future," Qi said.

China dominates Mixed Team Aerials debut

The Mixed Team Aerials event made its debut at the Asian Winter Games, and China made history by securing gold with 305.64 points. The team featured a star-studded lineup, including Xu Mengtao, Qi Guangpu, and Li Xinpeng, who had won the Men’s Aerials title the previous day.

Kazakhstan claimed silver with 235.39 points, led by Ayana Zholdas, Sherzod Khashirbayev, and Assan Assylkhan. Japan secured bronze with 191.28 points, with strong performances from Runa Igarashi, Haruto Igarashi, and Yuta Nakagawa.

"Having teammates by my side made me feel more relaxed compared to yesterday's individual event," Xu said after earning her second gold of the games.

China takes gold in Women's Aerials Synchro

In the Women's Aerials Synchro, Feng Junxi and Wang Xue secured gold with 87.12 points, narrowly beating their teammates Xu Mengtao and Chen Meiting, who took silver. Kazakhstan’s Ardana Makhanova and Ayana Zholdas claimed bronze.

With a silver medal in Aerils Synchro, Xu Mengtao finished as one of the most decorated athletes in the aerials competition, adding to her earlier victories in Women's Aerials and Mixed Team Aerials.

Kazakhstan wins Men's Aerials Synchro gold

The only event not won by China came in the Men’s Aerials Synchro, where Kazakhstan’s Roman Ivanov and Sherzod Khashirbayev secured the gold medal with 97.92 points.

China’s Geng Hu and Yang Yuheng finished second with 93.48 points, while their compatriots Li Xinpeng and Qi Guangpu secured the bronze with 91.57 points.

Four gold medals, podium sweep, and top performers

With four out of five possible gold medals, China reaffirmed its dominance in aerials skiing, showcasing both experienced champions and emerging talent.

Xu Mengtao stood out as one of the most successful athletes at Harbin 2025, winning two golds (Women's Aerials and Mixed Team Aerials) and one silver (Aerials Synchro). Li Xinpeng also had an outstanding games, taking gold in Men's Aerials and Mixed Team Aerials, plus a bronze in Aerials Synchro.

Kazakhstan’s Roman Ivanov and Sherzod Khashirbayev prevented a full Chinese sweep, claiming gold in Men's Aerials Synchro, while Ayana Zholdas contributed to Kazakhstan’s medal tally with bronze in Women's Aerials, Women's Aerials Synchro, and Mixed Team Aerials.

With the Asian Winter Games now in the books, the action shifts to Beidahu, which is set to make its long-awaited return to the FIS Freestyle World Cup tour. Both the moguls and aerials circuits are preparing for a highly anticipated week of competition as the Asian leg of the World Cup tour gets underway.