How do the elimination heats work for Olympic snowboard cross?
In the elimination rounds, competitors are divided into heats. Each heat has up to four racers, and riders are divided up so that higher seeds are not able to meet until later rounds.
Eliminations start with the Round of 32, with the top-two racers from each heat advancing to the quarterfinals. The top-two riders from each quarterfinal heat advance to the semifinals, and the top riders from each semifinal heat advance to the final, which determines first through fourth place. The other semifinalists who finish third and fourth are relegated to the small final to determine fifth through eighth place.
If two or more racers appear to cross the finish line at the same time, the official results are determined after examining the photo finish to see the first part of each rider’s body or snowboard that crossed the finish line.
In a case where more than one competitor does not complete the course nor cross the finish line, the rankings in that heat are based on the location where the competitors have completed the course. Whichever athlete passed more gates further down the course is ranked higher.