Mixed team aerials preview: U.S. looks to land podium spot vs. China, ROC

Mixed team aerials makes its first appearance at an Olympic Winter Games, and the U.S. has a chance to be among its first-ever medalists.

The event consists of three athletes with no more than two per gender – either two men and a woman, or two women and a man – each taking one jump to produce a total score. Four teams advance from Finals 1 to 2, where the format is repeated to determine a winner. Each round begins with a woman and ends with a man.

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The U.S. is a medal contender, having earned a podium spot at one of the two competitions that took place this season – a silver at the Dec. 11 Ruka World Cup in Finland. Winter Vinecki saved a double-full full while Chris Lillis and Justin Schoenefeld stomped double-full full fulls to combine for a 315.66.

SEE MORE: Ruka World Cup: U.S. claims runner-up in mixed team aerials

Sochi Olympic silver medalist Xu Mengtao and two-time world champion Qi Guangpu helped China win both the Dec. 11 and a separate Dec. 3 World Cup at Ruka. ROC was second on Dec. 3, while Ukraine took third at both contests.

Lillis, Schoenefeld and 2017 world champion Ashley Caldwell are the three members that will represent the U.S. at the 2022 Games. Lillis is the 2021 world silver medalist and Schoenefeld, Caldwell's boyfriend, placed runner-up at last year's Deer Valley World Cup.

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SEE MORE: How to watch Freestyle Skiing at the 2022 Winter Olympics on NBC and Peacock

When is the mixed team aerials finals?