It was a storybook ending for Hydro Flask U.S. Snowboard Team's Rebecca Flynn, who took home her first-career World Cup podium with a third-place finish at the 2024-25 FIS Snowboard slopestyle World Cup season opener in Cardrona, New Zealand. Although windy weather conditions forced delays throughout the event and ultimately led to the cancellation of finals, the event did not disappoint. The best riders in the world battled windy conditions and put on a show in Cardrona's Big Bucks terrain park.

Men’s qualifications ran in a double-up format, with the top eight advancing out of each heat. Red Gerard was the first to drop for the U.S. men and earned a solid 70.25 on his first run, stomping a massive back-14 on the final jump feature to put himself in a comfortable position to qualify through to finals. Gerard upgraded to a unique trick – the back-16 – on his second run but just missed putting it down to cap off a stylish and clean line. Gerard’s first run score held firm, earning him fourth place in heat two and a spot in the final. 

Heat two also featured Liam Johnson, whose signature precise rail riding earned him a score of 43.00, which held strong throughout the remainder of the competition and punched his ticket to the finals.

Windy conditions forced the cancellation of Sunday's final. To kick off the season, Gerard earned an eighth-place finish, and Johnson took home 16th place, his best finish on the World Cup circuit to date.

Notably, Sean Fitzsimons made his anticipated return to World Cup competition after fracturing his pelvis at the 2024 Visa Big Air in Copper Mountain, Colorado and Youth Olympic Games reigning big air silver medalist Ollie Martin made his World Cup debut.

In a stacked field of 30 riders, Hailey Langland and Rebecca Flynn led the way for the U.S. women. Coming off of an incredible backcountry season, Langland proved why she is one of the best all-around riders in the game, lacing together a solid line that put her in seventh place after run one. Langland was ultimately edged out of the top-8 but walked away with a 13th-place finish to kick off the 2024-25 slopestyle season.

Despite it only being the fifth World Cup competition of her young career, Flynn looked like a seasoned veteran on the course, showing impressive composure before dropping into a high-stakes second run after an uncharacteristic bobble on the final jump of her first run left her out of the top eight. Flynn cleaned up her line and scored a solid 57.58 putting her in the top three amongst a stacked field of seasoned veterans. Her score held strong throughout the remainder of the competition and ultimately secured third place overall, marking her first career World Cup podium.

“I honestly don’t know what to say other than the comp went way better than expected,” Flynn laughed. “Especially considering the challenging weather conditions and lack of practice time. The goal was just to land a run and make finals, so I’m happy to put a run down, especially one that the judges liked. I’m excited to start the season strong and look forward to popping more bottles on the podium in the future.”

With the next slopestyle contest not slated until January 2025, the Hydro Flask U.S. Snowboard Team looks ahead to October’s Big Air Chur for the next World Cup contest of the season.

RESULTS

Men
Women

This Saturday, Aug. 24, the best aerials skiers in the world put on a show at the Utah Olympic Park water ramps for the 2024 U.S. Freestyle Ultimate Airwave, where Stifel U.S. Freestyle Ski Team member Winter Vinecki landed on the podium in third. 

The UOP was packed on a beautiful windy day in Utah, as aerials skiers from the United States, Canada, China, Australia and more had the opportunity to kickstart their 2024-25 season by landing in water instead of on snow. 

The majority of the Stifel U.S. Freestyle Ski Team aerials athletes were on the starting lineup for this event, including Olympic gold medalists Chris Lillis and Justin Schoenefeld. Lillis led the way for the U.S. men, finishing sixth. Ashton Salwan was the next-best finish, landing in ninth, followed by Derek Krueger in 13th, Schoenefeld in 14th and Ian Schoenwald in 15th. 

Vinecki shined for the U.S. women throughout the day, finishing in third place, a remarkable achievement coming back from a knee procedure earlier this summer. Right behind her was Kaila Kuhn, who finished fourth on the day. Tasia Tanner also made finals, finishing seventh, followed by Dani Loeb in eighth, Amelia Glogowski of Park City Ski & Snowboard in ninth and Kyra Dossa in 10th. Rounding out the finals qualifiers were Karenna Elliott in 11th and Catherine McEneany of PCSS in 12th. 

The second annual FIS Grand Prix World Tour is halfway completed. Athletes are now heading to Czechia for two competitions from Aug. 31-Sept. 1, followed by the final events of the summer in China on Sept. 21-22.

“I learned that I don’t enjoy winter if I don’t ski,” laughed DuPratt. “There’s not much to do.” 

Sam DuPratt, World Cup speed skier on the Stifel U.S. Alpine Ski Team is ready to return to snow after  yet another road to recovery when he sustained a knee injury in the Bormio World Cup of last season. However, he is no stranger to a triumphant return, facing major injury setbacks in the past. 

“I made it healthy for 25 years of ski racing and then injuries have been piling on,” recalled DuPratt, now 30 years old, as he ran through his workout of the day at the USANA Center of Excellence powered by iFit. “I broke my legs three years ago and then I unfortunately tore my ACL in one of my early World Cups back last season, so here we are round two of rehab.”

The past five years have not been easy – to say the least – yet one theme remains abundantly clear with DuPratt, he does not intend to walk away from a challenge. 

THE BACKSTORY 

In 2020, DuPratt suffered an extreme injury while racing the Val Gardena, Italy downhill training run, breaking both of his legs. This resulted in countless hours of surgeries, repairs and rehab, and left him out of the start gate for two full seasons. 

The road to recovery was long, challenging and at times dark, but he fought his way back to good health and good shape. DuPratt skied the full NorAm circuit in the 2022-23 season, winning the super-G title and earning his spot back on the World Cup speed team. 

Fast forward to December 2023, his first World Cup back paradoxically took place in Val Gardena, where he injured himself years earlier. 

“It was pretty poetic to have my first World Cup back be in Gardena where I went down three years ago,” said DuPratt while racing in Val Gardena this past season. 

One training run…two training runs…and race day. He made it down unscathed with teammates in the finish ready to greet him. 

“The fear of crashing again is definitely something I thought about, but it happens and I just need to accept it and work on my skiing. I'm happy to be back,” commented DuPratt after his first official World Cup back on the circuit. 

DARK AND BUMPY BORMIO

After two solid races, it was onward to the next speed series in Bormio, Italy, a track famous for being dark, bumpy and difficult, and the host of the 2026 Olympic Winter Games. Several skiers before DuPratt in the start order crashed, including the overall World Cup leader at the time, Austrian Marco Schwarz. 

“It's a scary track but it caters to the smaller guys and I was really excited and maybe overamped,” recalled DuPratt. 

DuPratt, running later in the field, had plenty of time to think about his run. He was confident and ready to go, however the race had other plans. 

“I crashed on the third gate, the first jump,” he said. “I guess I just wasn't ready for it and it kicked me funny.” 

The fall in Bormio led to a torn knee, which meant yet another round of rehab. 

“To be honest, I lost motivation after this injury. I thought this was going to be it,” said DuPratt. “I was ready to be done with the sport. It's taken a lot from me but also given me everything.” 

The choice to keep burning the ski racing flame or call it a day did not come easy. 

IT’S WORTH IT

One phrase that DuPratt keeps in mind is “it’s worth it,” three words that have become a defining anecdote in his career—so much so that his teammates have also grabbed hold of its weight. 

“This year in Bormio, I was sitting in the start hut with Sam,” said teammate River Radamus. “We were sitting up there watching helicopter after helicopter come waiting because all these kids keep getting injured. Then it's our turn, and the thing he says to me right before we go is that ‘it’s worth it.’ This was just before he crashed and sent himself on another recovery season.”

The mantra has also taken hold of Radamus, who recalled an emotional moment at the Stifel Palisades Tahoe Cup. 

“Flash forward to Palisades. I am in a position you dream about,” he said, referring to a stellar first run that put him in line for a podium finish. “To get to the start, you have to walk through a slew of people. So as I am snaking my way through the crowd, someone taps me on the shoulder and says, ‘It's worth it.’ I look back and it's Sam on crutches. I smile back, get on the lift crying and accept the moment and everything I put into this and all that is always on the line with the opportunity I have been given.”

Radamus went on to take his first career World Cup podium in Palisades that day with DuPratt cheering him on in the crowd.

A GOOD TEAM BEHIND HIM

Months later in the gym and just a few days from a return to snow camp in South America, DuPratt still has the fire of an American Downhiller dream in his eyes. 

“It’s a good group right now,” smiled DuPratt when speaking of the men’s speed team. “We actually travel with a Nintendo 64. It's something we are very proud of, and when I got hurt, Bryce Bennett told me he left it in Austria so I had to come back. And now that’s part of what motivates me through this workout.” 

LOOKING TO THE FUTURE

Months of rehab later, DuPratt is ready now more than ever to ski again, taking the next step in his fight to accomplish his athlete pursuits. 

“I’m looking forward to taking it slow, spending two weeks with coach Ian Garner doing drills, free skiing and having fun. I think that will be good for me.”

For DuPratt, chasing down the dream will always be worth it. 

“It’s absolutely worth it. It seems like the more fun and intoxicating it is…the more it's worth it for your soul.” 

From July 28 to August 2, the next generation of aerials skiers flocked to Lake Placid, NY, for the Freestyle Aerials Project Gold camp. 

Project Gold camps are progressive camps designed for elite-level talent development in freestyle aerial skiing. Top junior athletes are selected based on applications to apply for the camp. If accepted, athletes are invited to attend and train with the U.S. Freestyle Aerial Team and Development coaches. This camp was coached by head U.S. aerials coach Vladimir Lebedev, Jack Boyczuk (Park City Ski and Snowboard Head Aerials Coach), Wes Preston (Loon Freestyle and Freestyle America Program Director and Head Coach), and Olympic gold medalist and New York native Chris Lillis of the Stifel U.S. Freestyle Ski Team. 

By working in partnership with ORDA (New York State Olympic Regional Development Authority) and the USOPC, the Project Gold Camp brought 20 young athletes to Lake Placid to jump and train at the Olympic Jumping Complex and board at the Lake Placid Olympic and Paralympic Training Center.  

During the camp, all athletes trained back tucks, back lays and back fulls. By the end of the camp, five athletes had moved from the single to the double kicker and performed back-lay tucks. 

“I am very impressed with the depth of talent in this camp,” said Matt Gnoza, U.S. Ski & Snowboard Freestyle Sport Director. “All of the athletes arrived with a great fundamental skill set, which allowed the Project Gold coaches to help the athletes learn new tricks and skills during the five-day camp. Moving forward, U.S. Ski & Snowboard will be naming a National Aerial Development Group offering members summer and winter aerial training.” 

Overall, the camp was an incredible success thanks to U.S. Ski & Snowboard’s partnerships with ORDA and the USOPC in Lake Placid. Next up, Freestyle Aerials Project Gold is heading to Park City and the Utah Olympic Park for another camp this week. 

Next Saturday, Aug. 24, Utah Olympic Park will welcome many of the best aerials skiers in the world for the 2024 U.S. Freestyle Ultimate Airwave event. 

The competition will take place at the UOP water ramps, where freestyle athletes learn to progress their skills in the warmer months to prepare for on-snow training. 

The free event, running from 12 pm-5 pm on Aug. 24, will feature the majority of the Stifel U.S. Freestyle Ski Team aerials athletes, along with the best in the world from Argentina, Australia, Switzerland and Canada. Olympic gold medalists Ashley Caldwell, Chris Lillis and Justin Schoenefeld are slated to compete. Lillis enters the competition as the reigning champion from last year's inaugural event. 

Qualification begins at 12 p.m., and the top 12 finishers for men and women will advance to the finals, which are set to begin at 4:05 p.m. 

Following the FIS Grand Prix event will be the Flying Ace Allstars show on the water ramps - a unique opportunity to watch the U.S. athletes showcase world-class tricks to the public. Come to the U.S. Freestyle Ultimate Airwave competition and stay for the Flying Ace Allstars!

Tickets are required to attend the Flying Ace show. More information on the U.S. Freestyle Ultimate Airwave competition and the Flying Ace show can be found on FIS and the UOP.

Stanley Buzek, of Silverthorne, CO is a young up-and-coming alpine tech skier on the Stifel U.S. Alpine Ski Team. Before getting the call up to the National team, he spent years skiing and training with Team Summit. Buzek impressed the world in his first season with the national team when he earned a fifth-place result at the Junior World Championships slalom race, shooting up from bib 38. His result turned heads all around, including FIS, who featured him as their “Warrior of the Day.” Buzek also succeeded on the NorAm circuit this past season, earning a podium in the slalom discipline. 

We sat down to ask him about his background, most recent successes and goals for the coming seasons. 

Get to know Stanley! 

Q: What initially drew you to this sport?

STANLEY BUZEK: I started skiing when I was little because my parents loved skiing, so they would take me with them at a young age. I quickly grew to love it and have been skiing as much as possible ever since.

Q: What were your goals when you were younger and getting into the sport?

SB: When I was younger, my goal was to be on the Stifel U.S. Ski Team, so it is very exciting to be living that dream right now!

Q: What is your biggest accomplishment?

SB: I am most proud of my slalom result at the Junior World Championships last year when I achieved fifth place. That result gave me a lot of confidence for the rest of the season, and it helped me realize what I was capable of.

Q: What is your ultimate goal?

SB: My ultimate goal is to win the Overall FIS Slalom Crystal Globe.

Q: Can you describe a particularly emotional moment? 

SB: An emotional moment for me was getting fifth at the World Junior Championships in the slalom. That was one of the best runs I have ever had, and it was unreal sitting in the leader's chair at the bottom, watching people come down after me. 

Q: Who are your heroes?

SB: When I was younger, I looked up to Austrian legend Marcel Hirscher and loved watching his highlight videos. These days, I watch a lot of Clement Noel because we have a more similar build. However, I am super excited to watch Hirscher come back this year.

Follow Stanley on social media here. 

Former U.S. Freestyle Ski Team aerials athlete and longtime freestyle coach Timothy "Corey" Hacker passed away on Aug. 5, 2024, at the age of 52 after a long battle with ALS and other neuromuscular disorders. 

Hacker grew up in western New York and quickly learned to ski at Kissing Bridge in Glenwood, NY. During his time in high school at the Springville Griffith Institute, Hacker was an award-winning defensive back in the fall and a full-time skier in the winter, traveling across New England to any hill that he could train at. He spent his summers water ramping in Lake Placid, NY practicing his jumps at the Olympic Jumping Complex and following graduation from Springville in 1991, Hacker moved to Park City, UT to pursue aerials skiing full-time. 

In 1995, his dream of making the U.S. Freestyle Ski Team came true, and he quickly became a name to remember in the aerials world. In only his third season with the team, Hacker was named the 1998 NorAm Champion following a handful of podiums and a win in the 1997-98 season. In 2001, Hacker was a part of the team sent to represent the United States at the 2001 FIS Freestyle World Championships in Whistler, CAN, where he finished fifth, sweeping third-sixth place alongside his teammates Joe Pack, Eric Bergoust and Jerry Grossi. During his time with the team, Hacker met his wife and fellow New York native Kelly Hilliman, also a U.S. Freestyle Ski Team aerials team member and following his retirement in 2003, Hacker stayed with Hilliman in Park City to support her athletic endeavors before marrying and moving back to New York in 2006. 

Shortly after returning to the East Coast, Hacker and Hilliman founded the FLITE (Focus Leads Individuals to Excellence) Team at HoliMont in Ellicottville, NY, a competitive freestyle development program for aerials and moguls skiers. Over the last 17 years, Hacker and Hilliman grew the program from 20 to 70 athletes and 22 staff members. In addition to coaching and being the co-program director for FLITE, Hacker also worked as a graphic artist for the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority.

Hacker is survived by his wife, Hilliman, and their three children, two of whom are on the FLITE Team. They have grown into a truly generational freestyle family, with many members of their immediate and extended family participating in freestyle skiing in some way, whether as athletes, coaches, or officials. Hacker's reputation is one of excellence as an athlete and a coach. His commitment to his community and legacy will continue inspiring freestyle skiers for generations to come. 

U.S. Ski & Snowboard’s thoughts and condolences are with his family, friends and the FLITE community. 

Visitation hours will be held at Hoover Beach Community Center, 60 North Shore, Hamburg, NY 14219, Thursday, Aug. 15, from 4 p.m. - 8 p.m. A Celebration of Life will be held at HoliMont at a later date. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to: Hacker’s Hope Ski Fund at @HackerCo, Hackershope.com. 

ESPN released its list ranking the top 25 Olympians of the 21st century, complete with five U.S. Ski & Snowboard athletes and alumni. Mikaela Shiffrin, Shaun White, Lindsey Vonn, Chloe Kim and Lindsey Jacobellis all placed within the list. 

Shiffrin was the top ranked U.S. Ski & Snowboard athlete listed in fifth. She is a three-time Olympic medalist and two-time gold medalist, and the winningest skier of all-time with 97 World Cup wins and 60 World Cup slalom wins, the most in a single discipline. 

At number seven is retired snowboard star Shaun White. White is a three-time Olympic gold medalist in halfpipe and is a 15-time X Games medalist. One of the most successful men’s snowboarders in history, he is still active in the action sports world, launching his own professional snowboard and freeski league. 

Snowboarder Chloe Kim came in at number 12 on the list. Kim is a two-time Olympic gold medalist, nine-time X Games medalist and the youngest woman to win Olympic halfpipe gold. She is still actively competing and is a fierce competitor on the international circuit. 

Retired alpine skier Lindsey Vonn is ranked 16th on the list of top Olympians. Vonn is a three-time Olympic medalist, gold medalist and holds 82 world cup victories to her name. Vonn was widely known to be a speed force within the world of alpine skiing. She was also known to have impressive injury comebacks in her tenure within the sport. 

Ranked 20th on the list of top Olympians is snowboard cross athlete and most decorated snowboarder in history Lindsey Jacobellis. Jacobellis is a three-time Olympic medalist and won two golds medals at the 2022 Beijing Olympics. Jacobellis is the first snowboarder to win multiple golds in one Olympic Games when she earned gold in individual snowboard cross and mixed team. 

The list contained a myriad of other top and widely known international Olympic athletes including Michael Phelps ranked first, gymnastics star Simone Biles at number two as well as many other sports stars across track, cycling, hockey and more. The full list is found here.