Third USA Halfpipe Podium Sweep 2024-25 Season
The Stifel U.S. Freeski Team secured their third men's halfpipe podium sweep of the season at the Toyota U.S. Grand Prix in Aspen. The men's team went one through four: Alex Ferreira, Nick Goepper, Matt Labaugh, and Hunter Hess. Svea Irving led the charge for the women, as the top finisher in fourth.
In maybe the most exciting halfpipe final ever, Alex Ferreira secured the win with a near-perfect third run, putting it down when it mattered. Ferreira threw both ways double 1620s, clinching the top spot. This was a huge win for Ferreira in his hometown of Aspen, Colorado after finishing second in X Games just last week behind Nick Goepper. Goepper finished second after a beautiful first run that set the tone for the rest of the competition. He was coming in hot after winning X Games in the same Aspen Buttermilk pipe last week.
Matt Labaugh earned his first World Cup podium with a third place on an awesome run that he capped off by leaping into his friends at the bottom of the pipe. Labaugh's previous best finish was fifth at Mammoth last year, but since finals were cancelled it didn't feel quite real enough. Labaugh was so excited for his first podium, and to podium at such a stacked finals, saying "I didn't have any expectations, it was the run I've been dreaming about putting down for months. I landed the run, and just couldn't believe that went into the podium. The run felt so right, I couldn't believe it when I landed, I was kind of in awe at the bottom. It feels like it's been coming for a long time. The best part was jumping into my friends, everyone being down there cheering me on was awesome".
The American men did not stop there though, Hunter Hess came in fourth after a great third run earning him a 92.50 and Birk Irving in seventh with a 91.00. Finals was tough, with the top seven finishers all in the 90s. Tristan Feinberg finished in 10th.
Svea Irving finished fourth, after a great first run. She cranked up the intensity, trying some harder tricks for her second and third run but not getting it quite smooth enough for a podium spot. Kate Gray finished seventh, after a clean first run. Great Britain's Zoe Atkin came away with the top spot, with China's Fanghui Li in second and Canada's Amy Fraser in third.
The Ferreira-Goepper dynamic is heating up, with Alex winning two events this year, Copper and Apsen, and Nick winning two events this year, X Games and Secret Garden. It will all come down to the Snow Calgary showdown in Calgary from February
