Initial athlete list announced for Shaun White’s The Snow League, which will debut in Aspen this March
Buttermilk will host inaugural contest on March 7-8
Austin Colbert/The Aspen Times
The upcoming debut of The Snow League, founded by legendary snowboarder Shaun White, gained more clarity on Wednesday when a list of athletes set to compete in the inaugural season was released.
Featuring a full field of 36 riders — 20 men and 16 women — The Snow League will launch March 7-8 at Aspen’s Buttermilk Ski Area, in the same halfpipe as Winter X Games. The initial event will be for snowboarders only, although a halfpipe skiing component is planned for all future contests with athletes being “announced at a later date following the Aspen competition,” according to a press release.
The initial Aspen roster is highlighted by 2022 Olympic gold medalist Ayumu Hirano of Japan, who used his historic triple cork that day to best the likes of White in what was the final halfpipe contest of his storied career. White is a three-time Olympic gold medalist in halfpipe.
“This is a dream roster of athletes at the absolute pinnacle of halfpipe snowboarding,” he said in a news release. “Each and every one of these riders are pushing the boundaries of competition and trick innovation, and I can’t wait to see what they do with our new competition format when this event comes to life in Aspen.”
Other notable riders on the men’s side expected to compete in Aspen include Longmont’s Chase Blackwell, Idaho’s Chase Josey, Telluride’s Lucas Foster, and the Italian-American icon that is Louie Vito.
The women’s roster is highlighted by California’s Maddie Mastro and Spain’s Queralt Castellet, as well as the 16-year-old Korean Gaon Choi. Choi made history in 2023 as an X Games rookie, winning halfpipe gold to break Chloe Kim’s recordas the youngest winner of an event in X Games history at just 14.
Kim is not among the names on the initial Snow League roster. China’s Xuetong Cai and Switzerland’s David Habluetzel will compete as “legends of the sport” alongside many young up-and-comers hoping to breakout in the discipline.
The current men’s field also includes: Alessandro Barbieri (16, USA); Chaeun Lee (18, KOR); Jio Lee (16, KOR); Joey Okesson (21, USA); Kaishu Hirano (21, JPN); Pat Burgener (30, SUI); Ruka Hirano (22, JPN); Ryusei Yamada (18, JPN); Shuichiro Shigeno (18, JPN); Valentino Guseli (19, AUS); Wang Ziyang (21, CHN); and Yuto Totsuka (22, JPN).
The current women’s field also includes: Beatrice Kim (17, USA); Berenice Wicki (21, SUI); Brooke D’Hondt (19, CAN); Elizabeth Hosking (22, CAN); Jiayu Liu (31, CHN); Madeline Schaffrick (30, USA); Mitsuki Ono (20, JPN); Ruki Tomita (22, JPN); Sena Tomita (24, JPN); and Sonny Alba (18, USA).
There are still four wildcard entries that will be determined based off of the World Snowboard Points List (WSPL) standings.
This first season of The Snow League will have four events, beginning with Aspen, with athletes accumulating points at each contest with the hope of being crowned champion at the end of the season. They are also looking for a share of the $1.5 million prize purse.
The locations and dates of the events after Aspen have not been announced.
“The Snow League is more than just a competition — it’s a stage to celebrate the very best in snowboarding, and I’m truly honored to help elevate these incredible pros to new heights,” White said in the release.
The inaugural Aspen contest will begin on Friday, March 7, with a day of qualifying. Saturday, March 8, will be “Finals Day” and will feature eight men and eight women going for the podium. The format is based off head-to-head matchups “that puts the spotlight on creativity and progression to determine the winners,” per the release.
The contests will be televised and streamed by NBC and Peacock.
In-person admission for qualifying day in Aspen will be free for spectators, but advance reservations are required for Saturday’s finals. Tickets are $50, with a 50% discount available for Colorado residents. Children 12-and-under enter free with a paid adult.
For more information and to buy tickets, visit thesnowleague.com.
The Snow League looks to cap off an exciting run of contests at Buttermilk this winter. X Games will return from Jan. 23-25, while the Toyota U.S. Grand Prix and Visa Big Air comes to town from Jan. 30-Feb. 6.
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