The Hydro Flask U.S. Snowboard Team is thrilled to announce the first two athletes to officially qualify for the 2026 Olympic Winter Games: two-time Olympic gold medalist Chloe Kim in women’s halfpipe and Olympic gold medalist Red Gerard in men’s slopestyle and big air. The veterans secured their spots by ranking as the top American among the top three athletes on the World Snowboard Points List (WSPL) as of May 1, 2025. Kim took the world’s top spot in women’s halfpipe and Gerard was second overall in men’s slopestyle.

Despite competing in two different disciplines, Kim and Gerard’s path to Milan Cortina mirrors each other, both winning Olympic gold at just 17 years old in their debut appearance on the world's biggest stage at the 2018 Games in PyeongChang. The two became household names overnight and are synonymous with the sport, paving the way for the next generation of competitive snowboarding.

Kim's Road to Livigno

The 2024-25 World Cup season was historic for Kim. She amassed her eighth X Games superpipe gold, tying Shaun White for the most wins in the event’s history, secured a gold in the World Championships for the third time in her career, and, in her fifth career Laax Open victory, became the first woman in snowboard halfpipe history to stomp a switch frontside double cork 1080. Kim’s stellar season lands her on top of the WSPL to clinch her spot in the 2026 Olympic Winter Games, where the snowboard events will be held in Livigno, Italy.

I’m so excited to be headed to my third Olympics and to represent Team USA once again," said Kim. "My goal going into the season was to secure this spot but I had a long road ahead of me which felt dire at times. I’m just so so happy!"

The 25 year old's relationship with snowboarding has come a long way over the past two seasons. Kim has admittedly regained a love for the sport since taking an extended break after the 2022 Olympics and her renewed enjoyment is as evident on social media as it is in the halfpipe, often posting training day recaps for her more than 1 million Instagram followers.

"Qualifying early has taken a huge weight off my shoulders," admitted Kim. "I can now focus on training and getting my runs dialed."

When asked about upcoming prep for the Games, Kim added,

"I'm gonna start making a list of restaurants to go too, so please send any recs my way!"

Gerard Back on the Olympic Roster

Finishing the 2024-25 season ranked second overall in the world, Gerard is set to make his third career Olympic appearance in Livigno. In 2018, Gerard took home the slopestyle gold, earning the honor of being the youngest American Olympic snowboard medalist. With two major sponsor changes over the past year and a renewed love for the backcountry, the now 25 year old is still at the top of his game, riding better than ever and leading the American slopestyle and big air brigade heading into the Games.

Despite a relatively quiet start to the 2024-25 season, Gerard earned his first podium of the season at the iconic Laax Open, taking second place in a stacked 12-man slopestyle final. He then headed straight to Aspen for X Games, defending his 2024 gold in front of a home crowd. Gerard capped off the World Cup slopestyle season with a second-place performance at the Calgary Snow Rodeo to lock in his spot as the top American on the World Snowboard Points List and guarantee the veteran a trip to his third Olympic Winter Games. 

“I am beyond excited to qualify for the 2026 Winter Olympics,” said an ecstatic Gerard. “Going into the season, I had one goal: to finish in the top three of the WSPL and lock up an Olympic spot. At first I wasn’t too sure if I was going to be able to reach it, but as the season went on this goal felt more and more obtainable. It was the most I’ve ever competed in one year.”

Gerard has historically stopped competing in mid-February to film in the backcountry, but decided to continue competing for the remainder of the season to achieve his season goal.

“It’s one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do in my career of competitive snowboarding," Gerard continued. "In the end, I could not be more excited to make the team and be going to my third Olympics. I am eager to put my best foot forward in 2026.”

The remaining Olympic spots will be filled based on upcoming World Cup events throughout the 2025-26 FIS World Cup season. Read more on Olympic criteria here.

###

For more information, contact:
Sadie Texer
Hydro Flask U.S. Snowboard Team Press Officer
sadie.texer@usskiandsnowboard.com

About U.S. Ski & Snowboard

U.S. Ski & Snowboard is the Olympic and Paralympic National Governing Body of ski and snowboard sports in the USA, based in Park City, Utah. Started in 1905, the organization now represents nearly 240 elite skiers and snowboarders competing on 10 teams: alpine, cross country, freestyle moguls, freestyle aerials, snowboard, freeski, nordic combined, ski jumping, Para alpine and Para snowboard. In addition to the elite teams, U.S. Ski & Snowboard also provides leadership and direction for tens of thousands of young skiers and snowboarders across the USA, encouraging and supporting them in achieving excellence. By empowering national teams, clubs, coaches, parents, officials, volunteers and fans, U.S. Ski & Snowboard is committed to the progression of its sports, athlete success and the value of team. For more information, visit www.usskiandsnowboard.org.

The 2024-25 season was nothing short of historic for the Stifel U.S. Freestyle Ski Team. 

This season featured three domestic World Cups for the first time since 1982, growing visibility and engagement in the sport across the board. Between three continents, 11 World Cups and 24 events, the athletes pushed themselves to the limit to achieve some of the best days and results in U.S. freestyle history. 

The season began in Ruka, Finland, for a moguls World Cup. This was the first time in recent history that aerials didn’t join moguls in Ruka, pushing the start of their season back until January. The moguls athletes started the season strong with a podium from Olivia Giaccio and a fifth-place finish for Cole McDonald. Giaccio would go on to earn five more podium finishes throughout the season, including a moguls win in Bakuriani, Georgia. Giaccio continued to push the limits with her air package this season, continuously earning the top air scores on the women’s side. An unfortunate injury in Beidahu took her out for the final stops of the season, but she is putting in the work to be better than ever come next season.

Jaelin Kauf, the fastest woman on the World Cup circuit, rebounded from a rocky start to the season to make history time and time again throughout the year. In Bakuriani, Georgia, mid-December, Kauf landed on her first podium of the season, taking third place in moguls. This podium was the first of a streak that Kauf continued throughout the season, earning 14 consecutive podiums, never finishing lower than third again this season. Eight of those 14 podiums were wins, almost doubling her career wins in one year. Her dominance and determination led her to win all three FIS Freestyle Crystal Globes: moguls, dual moguls and overall, becoming the first American to win a freestyle globe since 2015. On top of her World Cup success, Kauf also had a great showing at the 2025 FIS Freestyle World Championships in St. Moritz, Switzerland, earning the title of 2025 dual moguls world champion. 

For the first time since 2019, the U.S. had two moguls athletes on a World Championships podium, with Tess Johnson earning the silver medal in dual moguls alongside Kauf. Despite being a team veteran with so many past successes, Johnson had a career-defining year. She earned eight super finals appearances, including three podiums and her first-ever moguls World Cup win. Johnson finished the season ranked third overall in the World, cementing the best season of her career. 

Nick Page led the U.S. men with two World Cup podium appearances this season, including his first-ever podium on home snow. His quiet poise and strive for perfection helped him finish the season ranked fifth overall, and third in moguls - the first time a U.S. man has earned a season podium spot since Patrick Deneen in 2014. Page finished the season with his best World Championships performance, finishing fourth in moguls in St. Moritz. 

The veterans were joined by an impressive group of up-and-comers. Charlie Mickel quickly made his presence known, earning his first super finals runs, top-five finishes, and podium on the World Cup circuit. Mickel wrapped up the World Cup season by securing his first career podium in Livigno, Italy, during the 2026 Olympic Winter Games test event. His impressive results throughout the year earned him a position on the 2025 World Championships team, where he finished seventh in dual moguls, a promising result leading into an Olympic season. Asher Michel had a standout season, taking on the World Cup full-time for the first time. He earned multiple new career-best finishes, including eighth and 10th place finishes in Bakuriani. 

Kylie Kariotis is another name to remember. She was one of the athletes who earned domestic World Cup starts through the U.S. Selections event at the beginning of the season, gaining the ability to start in Waterville and Deer Valley. Due to open World Cup starts, Kariotis stayed on the circuit, and in her first international World Cup event, she earned her first career top 10 finish in Val St. Come, Canada. Kariotis earned multiple more top 10 finishes, including a fourth-place result in Beidahu, China, barely missing out on the podium. Her breakthrough performances landed her a spot on the World Championships team roster, and she did not disappoint. On duals day, she finished fourth place, just missing out on an American podium sweep alongside Kauf and Johnson. Her results speak for themselves, and her impact on the international scene this season was immense. 

The NorAm tour was dominated by Dylan Marcellini, earning podium finishes in five of the seven available starts, including three wins. Marcellini’s command of the field was just what he needed to take home the moguls, dual moguls and overall NorAm titles, officially securing himself a World Cup start for next season. 

The U.S. also found success on the junior international circuit, including four medals at Junior World Championships in Almaty, Kazakhstan. Reese Chapdelaine and Jiah Cohen led the way for the team, taking the gold medal in the dual moguls team event. Chapdelaine also earned a silver medal in dual moguls. Abby McLarnon joined Chapdelaine on the duals podium finishing third, while Anabel Ayad and Chase Littlefield took bronze in dual moguls team. These results set the U.S. up for success, taking home the Marc Hodler Trophy at the end of the season, awarded to the nation with the best cumulative results across all FIS Junior World Championship freestyle events.

The moguls athletes took on the challenge of an elongated season in stride and had one of the most successful seasons to date. Between 54 super finals appearances, 26 podiums, 10 wins, three Crystal Globes, and two Nations Cups, this team is setting up perfectly heading into one of the biggest seasons of many of the athletes’ careers. 

The U.S. aerials athletes started their World Cup season in Lake Placid, New York for the first time since 2019. The event drew thousands of fans out into the cold to watch the best in the world compete. Karenna Elliott led the way for the U.S., finishing sixth in the individual event, her second individual super finals appearance. The following week, Elliott earned her second career podium in Lac-Beauport, Canada. This season was instrumental for the young athlete as she began throwing multiple new tricks, including a double full full, which greatly improved her degree of difficulty. This skill and her clutch performances helped lead the team to an aerials team podium in Beidahu, China. 

Chris Lillis was also part of the mixed aerials team event that finished second in China. This season, he finished on the individual podium three times, allowing him to finish the season ranked fifth in the World. Lillis was named to the 2025 World Championships team and earned a spot to represent the U.S. in the mixed aerials team event. Lillis, alongside Quinn Dehlinger and Kaila Kuhn, defeated the odds to become the first nation ever to win the aerials team event back to back, taking the gold medal in St. Moritz. 

After an unfortunate injury in the middle of the 2023-24 season, Quinn Dehlinger came into this year on a mission. At the Intermountain Health Freestyle International presented by Stifel in Deer Valley, Dehlinger led the entire field, encouraging the athletes to throw triples despite concerns over the weather. His determination at this event led him to the top of the podium, earning his second career win and first ever on home snow. Dehlinger was also instrumental in all of the team events this season, landing on the podium in China and helping the team win gold in St. Moritz. In the individual aerials event in St. Moritz, Dehlinger was as close to perfect as he ever had, taking the silver medal for the second time in a row. Every time Dehlinger has started at a World Championships, he has finished on the podium. 

This season, Kaila Kuhn made the transition from doubles to triples, a move that not many women make in their careers. This transition is never easy, but from throwing her first triple in competition on snow in Lake Placid to World Cup finals in Livigno, Kuhn was able to land her first triple on snow at the Olympic Test Event, finishing fourth. This timing was nothing short of perfect for Kuhn. Beyond her clutch performance in the team event to secure mixed team gold, Kuhn went on to surprise the crowd and herself in St. Moritz when she won the individual gold as well. Kuhn became the youngest American to ever win an individual gold medal at World Championships and the first to win two gold medals at the same competition. 

Ian Schoenwald competed on the World Cup circuit full-time for the first time this season, and his progress was immense. He earned two top-six finishes, and his seventh-place result in Almaty earned him a spot on the 2025 World Championships team, along with being named the 2025 FIS Rookie of the Year. At World Championships, Schoenwald finished 14th, just missing out on finals. He is knocking on the door, and is certainly a name to remember. 

This season was one of the longest competition periods that the aerials athletes have ever seen, competing up until the end of March. This posed many challenges for the team as they had to preserve their momentum, but with 16 super finals appearances and six podiums across only nine starts, this team is ready to build into next season. 

The 2024-25 season marked a defining chapter for the Stifel U.S. Freestyle Ski Team, one filled with resilience, breakthroughs, and a powerful display of what’s possible when talent meets determination. From historic Crystal Globe wins and World Championship golds to rising stars making their mark and the most domestic World Cups in decades, the team delivered one of the most successful and inspiring seasons in U.S. freestyle history. Across moguls and aerials, seasoned veterans and fresh faces alike stepped up to the world stage, raising the bar for American freestyle skiing. With the Olympic Games on the horizon, this team is not only riding the momentum of an extraordinary season but also building a legacy. 

The annual Stifel Awards were given out to the eight moguls & aerials athletes. The awards are presented to honor the achievements of athletes and staff from the season, ranging from Best Comeback to Staff Member of the Year. 

The Stifel U.S. Para Alpine Ski Team athletes and staff voted on the categories, and each winner received a $1,000 check made possible by Stifel.

Rookie of the Year: Audrey Crowley
With only four World Cup starts under her belt at the start of the season, Audrey quickly became a name to remember, earning two World Cup podiums this year. Additionally, in her first-ever World Championship appearance, Crowley took the bronze medal in giant slalom. 

Athlete of the Year: Saylor O’Brien
Saylor O’Brien was the athlete to beat this season. Despite multiple canceled speed races, O’Brien found herself on the World Cup podium four times, including her first career win. 

Most Improved: Patrick Halgren
This season was nothing short of incredible for Patrick Halgren. With multiple World Cup personal bests and ending the season with a slalom U.S. title, Patrick is one to watch out for next year. 

U.S. Ski & Snowboard is saddened by the loss of Trevor Wagner—a visionary ski coach, technical delegate and cherished member of the alpine community—who passed away on April 22, 2025 after a private battle with an illness.​

Trevor hailed from Seattle, Washington, but grew up in Jackson Hole, Wyoming and Whitefish, Montana. He raced for and graduated from Sierra Nevada College before taking on a coaching role with the Squaw Valley Ski Team. He then moved to the U.S. Ski Team in 1998, where he coached the Europa Cup tech team until 2002 and the World Cup team until 2005. 

In 2005, Trevor was named head coach for the women's slalom and giant slalom teams, recognized for revitalizing these disciplines and fostering a culture of excellence. His leadership was instrumental during the 2006 Olympics, where under his guidance, Julia Mancuso secured a gold medal in giant slalom. 

After leaving the national team, Trevor continued to influence the sport at the grassroots level at the Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation (SVSEF) as a U16 coach. Alongside his fiancée Glady Weidt, SVSEF’s assistant alpine director and U16 coach, he dedicated six seasons to mentoring young athletes, instilling in them the same passion and commitment that defined his own career. Even while facing health challenges, Trevor remained a steadfast presence on the hill.

Beyond coaching, Trevor continued as a technical advisor for U.S. Ski & Snowboard, building and shaping World Cup and NorAm venues around the country. His efforts were central to bringing the World Cup Finals to Sun Valley, marking the return of World Cup speed events to the region for the first time since the 2002 Winter Olympics. Collaborating with some of the greatest leaders in the sport, he helped design world-class downhill and super-G courses, leaving a lasting legacy for future competitions.​

Trevor's legacy is etched in the countless athletes he coached, the colleagues he inspired, and the vibrant ski racing community he helped cultivate. His passion and unwavering commitment have left an indelible mark on his colleagues, friends, family, athletes and the sport he loved.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Trevor’s memory to the SVSEF Alpine Development Fund at svsef.org/donate. Messages of condolence can be sent to 2741 Winterhaven Dr, Hailey, ID 83333.

The Stifel U.S. Ski Team’s alpine program had pivotal moments in the 2024-25 season that included historic highs, new venues and emerging stars. In total, the alpine team brought home 13 podiums and five wins across the men’s and women’s World Cup teams, including four World Championships medals. 

The season was strong, but was made even stronger by the historic 100th World Cup win for the most successful skier of all time, Mikaela Shiffrin. She notched her centennial win in Sestriere, Italy, after battling a severe injury she sustained earlier in the season at the Stifel Killington Cup. Shiffrin not only won her 100th World Cup, but she also achieved this milestone with teammate Paula Moltzan on the podium beside her. Shiffrin then went on to end her season with her 101st World Cup win at the Stifel Sun Valley Finals. 

Looking back through the winter, the breakout star was speed skier Lauren Macuga. Park City Native Macuga catapulted herself to a World Cup threat when she won the super G in St. Anton - the first U.S. woman to win a super G at this specific venue. Macuga did not stop there – not long after her first win, she claimed another World Cup podium in Kvitfjell, Norway, where she finished second in the downhill. 

This season’s marquee event was the World Championships, where the U.S. team showed up and dominated in nearly every event. With four medals being won by the women’s athletes, it was a strong testament to the depth of this team. It all started with Breezy Johnson becoming the 2025 World Champion in downhill, yet Johnson did not stop there. Just a few days later, Johnson and Shiffrin teamed up for the Team Combined event, where one athlete raced in the downhill event and one in the slalom. After two dominant runs by both, there was another World Championships gold medal to bring home - Johnson’s second and Shiffrin’s first of the week. The haul continued, with Macuga once again showing her best skiing, winning a bronze in the super-G, and Moltzan with a bronze in the giant slalom. 

Following the World Championships, the team kept the momentum going and continued to find success at nearly every subsequent World Cup event. Apart from the top tier of Shiffrin, Macuga, Moltzan and Johnson, it was a massive season with the return of speed queen, Lindsey Vonn. Vonn made her official World Cup return in St. Moritz in December and immediately took control of the circuit. Vonn completed her season, qualifying for the World Cup finals in super-G, where she landed her first podium since retirement in second place and became the oldest woman to ever podium in a World Cup event. Vonn’s comeback podium marked 2,565 days since her previous World Cup podium before her retirement. A storybook ending to her comeback season. 

The women also showed immense depth. On the tech team, Katie Hensien and Nina O’Brien posted great results after coming back from injury, with each athlete landing multiple top-10s in giant slalom. Young rising star Elisabeth Bocock also turned heads in giant slalom, scoring World Cup points numerous times and finishing the season as national champion as well. 

The men’s World Cup season presented highs and lows. The speed team started the year on a high note with two back-to-back podiums at their team's favorite venue in Val Gardena, Italy. Longtime Stifel U.S. Ski Team member Jared Goldberg claimed his first World Cup podium just 0.01 off the win in super-G and the following day, Ryan Cochran-Siegle landed third in the downhill, his first podium in over a year. 

On the men’s tech side, the slalom team was revived with the help of new staff, propelling slalom standout Benjamin Ritchie to the best results of his career. Ritchie made a name for himself in the 2024-25 season as he captured multiple top-10 finishes, finishing the slalom season within the top 20. Giant slalom force River Radamus had another consistent season, landing in the top 15 in the world for the discipline. 

On the development side, the Stifel U.S. Ski Team achieved strong results both at the NorAm level and secured multiple medals at the Junior World Championships. The development side was highlighted by Elisabeth Bocock, Liv Moritz, Stanley Buzek and Hunter Salani. All four of whom walked home with medals at the Junior World Championships. Moritz and Bocock also ended the season with the slalom and giant slalom NorAm Cup titles. 

In addition to the success on snow, U.S. Ski & Snowboard held two historic new domestic alpine events.  This included the first ever women’s Birds of Prey races in early December, then the World Cup season ended at the Stifel Sun Valley Finals - the first time the U.S. hosted finals since 2017 and the first time ever in Sun Valley. Both events were incredibly successful and proved to the world that the U.S. can continue to host top tier alpine events. 

Overall, it was a strong building year for the team across all levels. As they transition from the season to training, the athletes are gearing up to make their mark on the world for the upcoming Olympic Winter Games in Milan-Cortina. 

Two-time Olympian, World Cup winner and American ski racing legend Chuck Ferries passed away on April 17, 2025. 

Born in Houghton, Michigan in 1939, Ferries grew up in the Keewanaw Penninsula where he was introduced to skiing as a child. Racing under legendary coach Fred Lonsdorf out of the tiny Mt. Ripley Ski Area, Ferries climbed the ranks in the Central Ski Division before running away from home west—infamously jumping a train from Chicago to Sun Valley and then to Alta, Utah, where he worked at the Peruvian Lodge and took powder skiing lessons from Alf Engen. 

In 1958, he moved to Aspen, Colorado for his senior year of high school before heading to University of Denver, racing for a year under famed ski coach Willy Schaeffler. He was named to the U.S. Ski Team in 1960 under the leadership of former University of Colorado ski coach Bob Beattie, with whom he created a lifelong friendship—despite their difference in college choices. Ferries' teammates included former U.S. Ski & Snowboard CEO Bill Marolt, Buddy Werner, Gordi Eaton, Dave Gorsuch, Billy Kidd, Jimmie Heuga and other trailblazers of ski racing. 

Ferries' historic 1962 victory in the Hahnenkamm slalom in Kitzbühel—one of the most revered races in alpine skiing—marked a turning point for U.S. athletes on the world stage. He remains the only American man to win the Kitzbuhel slalom. He also competed in the 1960 Olympic Games at Squaw Valley, California and the 1964 Olympics in Innsburck, Austria, and was a member of the World Championships team in 1962 in Chamonix, France. He also appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated in 1963. 

Ferries' contributions extended far beyond the race course. After retiring, he served as head coach of the U.S. Ski Team, coaching the women’s alpine team through the 1968 Olympic Games. He also worked for HEAD Skis, helping to develop a better ski that still has an impact on ski racing today. He then went to K2 Skis, developing skis for Marilyn Cochran, and in 1969, she became the first skier to win on an American-made ski. He eventually became the VP of marketing at K2 and is considered responsible for the creative marketing that launched K2 into prominence in the early 1970s, at one point capturing 25% of U.S. sales. He also owned Scott USA, Schwinn bikes and Chums throughout his career. 

In the mid-1990s, Ferries served alongside Beattie in hands-on management consulting roles with the U.S. Ski Association (now U.S. Ski & Snowboard), helping the organization through a difficult period. He was also chair of the organization’s Board of Directors from 2002-06. His strategic mind and deep love of the sport helped usher in new levels of professionalism and success for the teams.

Jimmie Heuga, Chuck Ferries and Bob Beattie (left to right) watch the Birds of Prey combined in 2006.

He was elected to the U.S. National Ski Hall of Fame in 1989 and in 2007, received the U.S. Ski & Snowboard Blegen Award, the most prestigious honor for service to the organization. He was also inducted to the Colorado Ski & Snowboard Hall of Fame in 2008.

Chuck is survived by his wife Nancy Ferries, son Tom Ferries, his wife Ginger and their sons Spencer and Sully, daughter Ann Neary and her husband Mike Neary, as well as his sisters Mary Anne Metternick and Barbara Ferries Henderson.

U.S. Ski & Snowboard Wraps Successful 2024-25 Season

PARK CITY, Utah (April 15, 2025) — The 2024-25 season was a milestone year for U.S. Ski & Snowboard, marked by historic achievements, record-breaking performances and success both athletically and commercially. U.S. athletes delivered on snow and the world stage—taking home 12 FIS Crystal Globes, 23 World Championship medals and 34 World Cup victories across the organization’s 10 sports. Athletes achieved 103 podiums throughout the season and four teams took home the Nations Cup award, marking them as the best teams in the world. The organization also hosted a record 12 domestic World Cups, two of which were inaugural events.

Among the season’s most notable moments were the first-ever women’s downhill on the legendary Birds of Prey course in Beaver Creek, Colorado for the Stifel Birds of Prey presented by United, and the debut of the women’s ski jumping World Cup on U.S. soil in Lake Placid, New York. Para snowboard athletes also had the opportunity to compete in a World Cup in the U.S. for the first time in eight years in Steamboat, Colorado. The alpine World Cup Finals returned to the U.S. for the first time since 2017 with the Stifel Sun Valley Finals and were a massive success, full of energetic crowds and fun ancillary events. 

From an athletic standpoint, Mikaela Shiffrin returned to racing following an injury sustained at the Stifel Killington Cup to claim an incredible 100th World Cup win in Sestriere, Italy. She closed her season with her 101st win at the Stifel Sun Valley Finals, reinforcing her status as the most dominant alpine skier in history. Lindsey Vonn staged a very impressive comeback this season after retiring in 2019. She returned to the World Cup podium with a second-place finish in the super-G at Sun Valley at age 40, becoming the oldest woman to podium in a World Cup race.

Breakout athletes also made headlines - 22-year-old alpine skier Lauren Macuga earned a World Championships bronze and two World Cup podiums. 21-year-old aerials athlete Kaila Kuhn transitioned to throwing triples and became the youngest aerialist to win gold at the World Championships. Cody Winters of the snowboard cross team reached the podium in two different sports: snowboard cross and parallel slalom. At just 16 years old, Snowboarder Ollie Martin took home two World Championships medals across two disciplines. 

Several veterans continue to lead the charge. Jessie Diggins overcame an injury to capture two Crystal Globes—the overall and distance titles—capping off a strong season with seven podiums, six wins and a World Championships silver medal. Nick Goepper walked away from the freeski halfpipe season with four podiums and a World Championships silver, while Alex Ferreira continued his reign with five World Cup podiums and a bronze at World Championships. Freeskier Alex Hall secured his first slopestyle Crystal Globe and moguls athlete Jaelin Kauf took home three Crystal Globes, becoming the first American woman to do so since 2015. Snowboarder Chloe Kim returned to dominance with three halfpipe wins and her record-setting third career World Championships gold. At the same time, Para snowboarder Noah Elliott earned both the banked slalom and overall Crystal Globes in the LL1 classification. Brenna Huckaby once again proved her dominance in Para snowboarding by taking home the FIS Para Snowboard LL Crystal Globe, alongside teammate Isabelle Hicks, who won the UL snowboard cross Crystal Globe. Then, Maddie Mastro clinched her career-first halfpipe Crystal Globe, topping off her standout season. 

Twelve Crystal Globes

• Jessie Diggins (overall, distance)
• Noah Elliott (overall, banked slalom - LLI) 
• Jaelin Kauf (overall, moguls, duals)
• Alex Ferreira (freeski halfpipe)
• Alex Hall (freeski slopestyle) 
• Isabelle Hicks (snowboard cross - UL)
• Brenna Huckaby (snowboard cross - LL)
• Maddie Mastro (snowboard halfpipe)

Four Nations Cups
 

• Moguls: moguls, dual moguls 
• Freeski: park & pipe 
• Para snowboard
   

On the business side, U.S. Ski & Snowboard deepened existing partnerships with Stifel and Toyota, securing naming rights for the Stifel U.S. Para Alpine Ski Team and the Toyota U.S. Para Snowboard Team. New partner Cloudflare joined the team as the Official Technology Partner and at the end of the season, a multi-year, first-of-its-kind partnership with J.Crew was announced. Alpine, cross country and snowboard cross athletes raced in climate change-themed suits, highlighting a collaboration with Protect Our Winters to raise environmental awareness alongside the Easy Green Initiative. As part of the HERoic initiative, the Stifel HERoic Cup also debuted, with Stifel awarding $50,000 to the woman alpine skier who scored the most FIS points throughout the domestic World Cup events: the Stifel Killington Cup, Stifel Birds of Prey and Stifel Sun Valley Finals. 

Outside of athletics and partnerships, the U.S. Ski & Snowboard Team had exponential growth on media front, including social, earned media and content. Over the season, social media channels impressions grew over 65% from last year. This season, the social media team focused more on telling the story behind the athlete and going beyond the results, highlighted by a successful female focused snowboard mini series with Togethxr. The sports and athletes also received more exposure than ever with expanded broadcast coverage in the U.S., in addition to further growing their profile via more extensive earned media across general sports and business industry outlets.

"This season was one to remember—on and off the snow,” said Sophie Goldschmidt, President and CEO of U.S. Ski & Snowboard. “This season, we had success across the board. Athletically, our athletes broke records, and on the business side, we matched that success by adding new partners to our team and expanding on existing relationships with others, while staying true to our mission of championing competitive snow sports and developing U.S. champions. With eyes already on next season and Milan Cortina, we’re working hard to carry this momentum forward.”

As U.S. Ski & Snowboad looks ahead to next season, the focus is on the 2026 Olympic & Paralympic Winter Games. With momentum from one of its most successful seasons in history, the U.S. Ski & Snowboard Team is ready for a summer of training and preparing for what’s to come. 

The 2024-25 international junior competition season has officially wrapped, and the United States brought home the 2025 freestyle Marc Hodler Trophy, awarded to the nation with the best cumulative results across all FIS Junior World Championship freestyle events. This is the eighth win for the United States since 2014. The U.S. won by just seven points over the second-place nation, China, which dominated the aerials events, while the U.S. athlete shone in moguls and ski cross. 

The action began earlier this season with the freestyle moguls and aerials Junior World Championships in Almaty, Kazakhstan. In moguls, the team was led by Porter Huff, who finished fourth and Abby McLarnon, who also took fourth. On duals day, the women were on fire finishing in second, third, fourth and seventh place with Reese Chapdelaine and Abby McLarnon taking silver and bronze. The event came to a close with the dual moguls team event, where Jiah Cohen and Reese Chapdelaine (USA 2) took home gold and Anabel Ayad and Chase Littlefield (USA 3) rounded out the podium in third place. At the end of the events in Almaty, the U.S. sat second in the trophy standings behind China. 

The best junior ski cross athletes flocked to Isola, France at the beginning of April to wrap up their season with ski cross and ski cross team events. Morgan Shute continued her international tear in women's ski cross with a third-place performance, becoming the first U.S. ski cross athlete to earn a Junior World Championships medal since 2018. Her podium moving the U.S. ahead of China in the overall standings. However, the battle for the trophy wasn’t done yet, and it all came down to the ski cross team event, where the U.S. finished in ninth place to earn two points and secure the 2025 Marc Hodler Trophy. 

HIGHLIGHTS

(Hometown; Club; Date of Birth)

• Gold, dual moguls team - Reese Chapdelaine (Vail, CO; Ski & Snowboard Club Vail; 9/3/2005), Jiah Cohen (Minturn, CO; Ski & Snowboard Club Vail; 05/28/2006)
• Silver, dual moguls - Reese Chapdelaine (Vail, CO; Ski & Snowboard Club Vail; 9/3/2005)
• Bronze, dual moguls - Abby McLarnon (Steamboat Springs, CO; Ski & Snowboard Club Vail; 10/16/2006)
• Bronze, dual moguls team - Anabel Ayad (Steamboat Springs, CO; Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club; 9/1/2005), Chase Littlefield (Yarmouth, ME; Wasatch Freestyle; 3/9/2006)
• Bronze, ski cross - Morgan Shute (Allendale, NJ; Carrabassett Valley Academy; 9/13/2006)

RESULTS

Women’s moguls
Men’s moguls

Women’s dual moguls
Men’s dual moguls

Dual moguls team

Women’s ski cross
Men’s ski cross

Ski cross team

Marc Hodler Trophy standings

2025 Hybrid Club Excellence Conference

“The Power of Team” 

• Thursday, May 15th, 2024 - 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM + Post-Conference Reception until 6:30 pm
• Friday, May 16th, 2024 - 9:00 AM - 1:00 PM

This year’s conference will be held at the Westgate Resort & Spa in Park City, UT, from Thursday, May 15 - Friday, May 16, 2025. The venue also hosts the 2025 U.S. Ski & Snowboard Congress (May 12-16), providing an exciting opportunity to be part of a larger sports community gathering. There will also be a virtual option for those who are unable to make it in person and all sessions will be recorded so you can view them at a later date if you cannot make the live sessions. Whether you're joining us onsite or logging in remotely, get ready to dive into a world of practical insights and collaborative opportunities across all disciplines. 

• CLUB EXCELLENCE PRESENTATION SPEAKERS, TITLES & DESCRIPTIONS
   
• Congress & Club Excellence Schedule 
   
• REGISTRATION OPTIONS

You must be subscribed to the Sport Education Academy (SEA) to register. We cannot accommodate group registrations, please register individually for the conference. Prior to selecting a registration link below, please ensure that you are logged in to the Sport Education Academy and presently subscribed at the corresponding tier (i.e. the GOLD SEA SUBSCRIBER link will only work if you currently have a Gold subscription). 

• ​​Here are directions on upgrading your SEA subscription from Silver to Gold. Upgrade SEA Subscription Directions
• Here is the voucher code you can use:: UPGRADEGOLD25

IN-PERSON OPTIONS

*Includes continental breakfast on both days, lunch, and a post-conference reception, raffle, and networking on Thursday. 

• 2025 Club Excellence Conference - IN PERSON - GOLD SEA SUBSCRIBER - $100.00
• 2025 Club Excellence Conference - IN PERSON - SILVER SEA SUBSCRIBER - $150.00
• 2025 Club Excellence Conference - IN PERSON - BRONZE SEA SUBSCRIBER - $200.00
   

LODGING INFORMATION 

• The Westgate Resort and Spa, 3000 Canyons Resort Dr, Park City, UT. 84098
•  Book your discounted hotel rooms here

VIRTUAL OPTIONS - ZOOM

• 2025 Club Excellence Conference - VIRTUAL - GOLD SEA SUBSCRIBER - Free
• 2025 Club Excellence Conference - VIRTUAL - SILVER SEA SUBSCRIBER - $50.00
• 2025 Club Excellence Conference - VIRTUAL - BRONZE SEA SUBSCRIBER - $100.00

CERTIFIED COACHES CONTINUING EDUCATION 

Get ahead on next year’s Continuing Education (CE) requirement! Certified coaches (Level 100 or higher) may meet the 2025-26 CE requirement in FULL by participating in this conference.

• Attendee participation is recorded automatically and will be added to your coach education records this summer. 
• Our normal CE calendar is July 1 - June 30. The annual Club Excellence Conference is a special exception that allows coaches to get ahead on CE credits for the coming season. Online and external CE completed in May/June otherwise applies to the previous season’s requirement.
• Please note all sessions will be recorded so if you are interested in registering for the sessions but cannot make the live dates, register for the virtual option and we will provide you with all of the webinar recordings, all of the resources, and you will still qualify for continuing education credits.
• Attendance will earn you 10 continuing education credits to keep your coach certification current for the 2025-26 season. 

Thank you to our Title Sponsor, World Cup Supply, for making this conference possible.

We hope you will join us! 

Best,
U.S. Ski & Snowboard Sport Education
sporteducation@usskiandsnowboard.org

In the final FIS snowboard cross World Cup of the 2024-25 season and first official qualifier for the 2026 Winter Olympic Games, Hydro Flask U.S. Snowboard Team’s Nathan Pare earned his first career World Cup podium with a third place finish at Mt. St. Anne.

Pare found himself in an unfamiliar spot during Thursday’s qualifications, leaving it up to his second run to earn a spot in finals. An aggressive second run earned him the 26th fastest time of the day and a coveted spot in Friday’s big show and the young American looked to redeem himself infrant of the loud Canadian 

Joining pare in the round of eight finals was top American qualifier Senna Leith, with the 10th fastest time in qualifications, Olympic Gold medalist Nick Baumgartner and Olympian Jake Vedder. Leith and Baumgartner were taken out in the first round of heats but Pare and Vedder kept the American hopes alive, making it all the way through to the quarterfinal round where the two teammates were forced to race in the same heat. Pare bested veteran Vedder to take second place in the heat and moved to the round of semis, where another second place results set up the 20 year old for the first World Cup big final of his career. Up against the likes of Austria’s Jakob Dusek and Canada’s Eliot Grondin, Pare took to the start gate and put on a show, racing toe-to-toe with the world’s best riders and edging out France’s Loan Bozzolo for a spot on the podium.

Earning such an accomplishment at the Mt. St. Anne track is special for Pare, who won the 2023-24 Rookie of the Year honor at the same track last season despite not being able to race in the World Cup due to a broken jaw.

“This race is so special and it means so much to podium here after last season,” said the Maine native. “It made me so hungry to come back and crush it this year and to have my friends, family and everyone who has supported me my whole life here to watch me earn my first podium- it just means everything”

The Canadian double header caps off a successful season for the snowboard cross team, who will now take a well deserved break before heading into summer training camps ahead of the 2025-26 season.