Shaun White finished third at the Laax Open in Switzerland and celebrated his first podium since winning his third Olympic Gold medal and cementing his place at next month’s Beijing Games.

White did not attempt his most difficult combination of rounds in Saturday’s final, but his 1080 back-to-back and his signature double McTwist 1260 were part of a first round that scored an 84 and was enough for third place. White has not attempted turns in his second race.

The 35-year-old athlete took part in the event as the fourth American in the snowboard world ranking. If he is the best American in Laax, it practically guarantees that he will win one of the four places in the men’s crescent for the US team, which will be nominated next week.

Two-time Olympic silver medalist Ayumu Hirano won the competition to continue the Japanese dominance on the halfpipe, and Swiss Jan Scherrer finished second. The Japanese have broken through all the major preparations for the Olympics this year, with the x Games scheduled for next weekend.

The triple cork – the three-turn round that could win the Olympics-was on display in Laax. Hirano tried once and his Japanese teammate Ruka Hirano tried twice, but neither man was able to land it clean.

Ayumu Hirano became the first man to successfully pass the tour at a competition on the Dew Tour in December, but he fell on his next stroke and finished fifth. His victorious race on Saturday did not include a triple stopper.

Australian Scotty James, bronze medalist, who trained on a private halfpipe, fell on both descents and finished eleventh.

Chloe Kim won the women’s final — a victory that has locked her as the favorite to return to the Olympics. It was Kim’s fourth consecutive win in Laax, a series dating back.