PARK CITY, Utah (Sept. 13, 2024) - U.S. Ski & Snowboard officially announced the 36 athletes who have accepted their nominations and will join the Stifel U.S. Freeski Team for the 2024-25 season. These nominations are based on predetermined selection criteria.

Two-time Olympic medalist and 2023-24 overall Crystal Globe winner Alex Ferreira leads the charge on the halfpipe front after his perfect 2023-24 season. Ferreira will not go unchallenged, as two-time Olympic champion David Wise, Olympian and 2022-23 Crystal Globe winner Birk Irving, Olympian Aaron Blunck, and X Games medalist Hunter Hess will all be returning to the halfpipe pro team. Three-time Olympic medalist Nick Goepper is making his debut on the halfpipe team after a hugely successful career in slopestyle skiing and is sure to leave his mark. Dylan Ladd, Cassidy Jarrell and Tristan Feinberg are also returning team members rounding out this wildly successful men’s squad. Olympian and world champion Hanna Faulhaber and X Games medalist Svea Irving return to the women’s halfpipe team after successful 2023-24 seasons. Riley Jacobs, who earned a spot through consistent top-six finishes at World Cups last season, is new to the pro team.

The halfpipe rookie team comprises many rookie veterans, led by Matt Labaugh, who begins the 2024-25 season ranked 12th in the world. Kate Gray returns to the rookie team as she balances competing in all three disciplines. New to the rookie squad are Cael McCarthy and Piper Arnold. McCarthy is the reigning NorAm halfpipe champion, a 2023 Junior World Championship competitor. Arnold is a consistent competitor in the women’s field and brought home fourth at the 2023 Youth Olympic Games.

On the slopestyle and big air side, Olympic champion and 2023-24 big air Crystal Globe winner Alex Hall and Olympian and 2023-24 slopestyle Crystal Globe winner Mac Forehand are ready to defend their titles. They are joined by Olympic medalist Colby Stevenson, X Games gold medalist Troy Podmilsak and Konnor Ralph, Hunter Henderson and Cody LaPlante to complete the men’s team. For the women, X Games medalist Rell Harwood returns to the squad alongside Grace Henderson and Marin Hamill. New to the women’s pro team this year is Jay Riccomini (he/him), who earned his spot after multiple World Cup podiums in the 2023-24 season.

The slopestyle and big air rookie team welcomes two new members: Ella Andrews and Hugh MacMenamin. Andrews joins the team after a hugely successful 2023-24 season, including a second place finish in slopestyle at the Toyota U.S Grand Prix at Mammoth Mountain and a silver medal in slopestyle at the 2024 FIS Junior World Ski Championships in Livigno, Italy. MacMenamin also had an impressive 2023-24 season with a great showing in the 2023 FIS Junior World Ski Championships in Cardrona, New Zealand and a second place slopestyle finish at the Copper Mountain NorAm.

“I am very proud of the group of individuals named to the Stifel U.S. Freeski Team for the 2024-25 season,” said Skogen Sprang, Freeski Sport Director. “They have all worked very hard to get to this point and continue to push and support each other, fostering a unique culture that promotes positivity and success. We are excited to continue to push them to be the best humans they can be and achieve the highest standards on the freeskiing world stage.”

The 2024-25 World Cup calendar is exciting, with the halfpipe team cutting their summer break short and kicking off the season in Cardrona, New Zealand. The schedule packs five halfpipe, five slopestyle, six big air World Cups, and the X Games. The 2024-25 season will conclude in St. Moritz, Switzerland, for the FIS Freestyle World Championships 2025. 

Freeski athletes will compete on home soil twice this season. The halfpipe team will be at Copper Mountain, CO, for the Toyota U.S. Grand Prix from Dec. 19-21, 2024. The Toyota U.S. Grand Prix and Visa Big Air presented by Toyota are back in Aspen, CO, this season, where fans can catch halfpipe, slopestyle and big air events from Jan. 29 - Feb. 6, 2025.

2024-25 Stifel U.S. Freeski Team

(Hometown; Club; College; USASA Series; Birthdate)

HALFPIPE

Pro Team

Men

• Aaron Blunck (Crested Butte, CO; Ski & Snowboard Club Vail; Rocky Mountain Series; 4/12/1996)
• Tristan Feinberg (Aspen, CO; Rocky Mountain Series; 4/23/2003)
• Alex Ferreira (Aspen, CO; Aspen Valley Ski & Snowboard Club; Aspen/Snowmass Series; 8/14/1994)
• Nick Goepper (Lawrenceburg, IN; Cork Tech Freeski; Rocky Mountain Series; 3/14/1994)
• Hunter Hess (Bend, OR; Mt. Bachelor Sports Education Foundation; Salt Lake Community College; Central Oregon Series; 10/1/1998)
• Birk Irving (Winter Park, CO; Winter Park Freeski Team; Rocky Mountain Series; 7/26/1999)
• Cassidy Jarrell (Aspen, CO; Aspen Valley Ski & Snowboard Club; Rocky Mountain Series; 8/31/1999)
• Dylan Ladd (Lakewood, CO; Winter Park Freeski Team; University of Colorado Boulder; Rocky Mountain Series; 8/29/2001)
• David Wise (Reno, NV; 6/30/1990)

Women

• Hanna Faulhaber (Carbondale, CO; Aspen Valley Ski & Snowboard Club; Colorado Mountain College; Rocky Mountain Series; 9/4/2004)
• Svea Irving (Winter Park, CO; Winter Park Freeski Team; University of Colorado Boulder; Rocky Mountain Series; 2/27/2002)
• Riley Jacobs * (Oak Creek, CO; Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club; Colorado Mountain College; Rocky Mountain Series; 8/14/2003) 

Rookie Team

Men

• Ben Fethke (Boise, ID; Park City Ski & Snowboard; Big Mountain West Series;  4/14/2006)
• Nick Geiser (Carbondale, CO; Aspen Valley Ski & Snowboard Club; Colorado Mountain College; Aspen/Snowmass Series; 10/4/2004)
• Matthew Labaugh (Avon, CO; Ski & Snowboard Club Vail; Colorado Mountain College; Rocky Mountain Series; 1/5/2004)
• Connor Ladd (Lakewood, CO; Winter Park Freeski Team; University of Colorado Boulder; Rocky Mountain Series; 9/26/2003)
• Cael McCarthy ** (Steamboat Springs CO; Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club; Rocky Mountain Series; 5/18/2005)
• Kai Morris (Aspen, CO; Pro Team Foundation; Rocky Mountain Series; 3/22/2004)

Women

• Piper Arnold ** (South Lake Tahoe, CA; Sierra at Tahoe; South Tahoe Series; 6/1/2007)
• Kate Gray (Crowley Lake, CA; Mammoth Mountain Freeski Team; Unbound Series; 6/29/2006)

SLOPESTYLE & BIG AIR

Pro Team

Men

• Mac Forehand (Winhall, VT; Stratton Mountain School; Southern Vermont Series; 8/4/2001)
• Alex Hall (Salt Lake City, UT; Park City Ski & Snowboard; University of Utah; Big Mountain West Series; 9/21/1998)
• Hunter Henderson (Madbury, NH; Waterville Valley BBTS; University of Utah; New Hampshire Series; 12/28/2002)
• Cody LaPlante (Truckee, CA; Olympic Valley Freestyle and Freeride Team; North Tahoe Series; 2/15/2002)
• Troy Podmilsak (Park City, UT; Park City Ski & Snowboard; Big Mountain West Series; 8/23/2004)
• Konnor Ralph (Helena, MT; Wy’East Mountain Academy; Salt Lake Community College; Mt. Hood Series; 1/27/2003)
• Colby Stevenson (Park City, UT; Park City Ski & Snowboard; University of Utah; Big Mountain West Series; 10/3/1997)

Women

• Marin Hamill (Park City, UT; Park City Ski & Snowboard; University of Utah; Big Mountain West Series; 4/5/2001)
• Rell Harwood (Park City, UT; Park City Ski & Snowboard; University of Utah; Big Mountain West Series; 6/1/2001)
• Grace Henderson (Madbury, NH; Waterville Valley BBTS; University of Utah; New Hampshire Series; 4/28/2001)
• Jay Riccomini * (he/him) (Port Matilda, PA; Team Summit Colorado; Rocky Mountain Series; 3/12/2004)

Rookie Team

Men

• Henry Townshend (Park City, UT; Park City Ski & Snowboard; Big Mountain West Series; 2/16/2006)
• Walker Woodring (Sun Valley, ID; Rocky Mountain Series; 3/13/2010)
• James Kanzler (Park City, UT; Park City Ski & Snowboard; University of Utah; Big Mountain West Series; 10/15/2003)
• Hugh MacMenamin ** (Hudson, WI; Wy’East Mountain Academy; Mt. Hood Series; 1/23/2006) 

Women

• Ella Andrews ** (Northampton, MA; Killington Mountain School; Southern Vermont Series; 2/23/2007) 
• Kate Gray (Crowley Lake, CA; Mammoth Mountain Freeski Team; 06/29/2006)

* promoted to Pro Team

** newly named to the Stifel U.S. Freeski Team

Freeski Coaches and Staff:

Chief of Sport: Anouk Patty
Freeski Sport Director: Skogen Sprang
Pro Team Halfpipe Head Coach: Mike Riddle
Pro Team Halfpipe Coach: Matt Margetts
Rookie Team Halfpipe Coach: Ryan Carey
Pro Team Slopestyle & Big Air Head Coach: Dave Euler 
Pro Team Slopestyle & Big Air Coach: Ryan Wyble
Rookie Team Slopestyle & Big Air Head Coach: Leah Stroud
Rookie Team Slopestyle & Big Air Coach: Nicko Drew
Slopestyle Physical Therapist: Courtney Kenefick
Freeski Athletic Development Manager: Mark Dyer
Freeski Team Manager, Press Officer: Erin Doyle

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In the first World Cup of the 2024-25 season, the Stifel U.S. Freeski Team had six athletes land in the top 10, led by Alex Ferreira in second and Svea Irving right off the podium in fourth. 

After enduring tricky weather in Cardrona, New Zealand, the halfpipe team had a strong showing for the season's first contest. Two-time Olympic medalist Ferreira is hungry for more wins as he kicked off his campaign with a second-place finish. Ferreira put down clean second and third runs, battling with Canada’s Brendan MacKay, who ultimately won the day. Canada’s Andrew Longino finished third.

“It felt great to be back in competition testing the nerves again," said Ferreira, who had won the last seven straight World Cup halfpipes before Cardrona. "It was a challenging day for everyone due to the weather conditions but they managed to run the event. I am super grateful to be healthy and on the podium. Life is good!" 

The American men showed up with solid skiing and a taste of what’s to come this season, with Birk Irving finishing fourth, Hunter Hess fifth, Nick Geiser eighth and Dylan Ladd ninth. Olympian and 2022-23 World Cup Crystal Globe winner Birk Irving put together a great run despite the tricky conditions and teammate Hess, who finished the 2023-24 season in second overall, showed off his creative and stylish run that earned him high praise from the judges. It was Geiser’s first World Cup final and the best career finish. 

On the women’s side, Svea Irving led the Stifel U.S. Freeski Team women’s team and finished fourth - she was the sole U.S. woman to qualify for finals. The women’s field in Cardrona was the toughest in years with many halfpipe veterans returning after some time off. Irving’s fourth-place finish showed her ability to compete alongside the best and showed promise for the contests ahead. Teammate Riley Jacobs missed finals, coming in 10th at qualifications earlier this week.

China’s Eileen Gu ended the contest with her first win of the season, with teammate Kexin Zhang in second and Canada’s Rachel Karker rounding out the women's in third. 

In the coming weeks, the Stifel U.S. Freeski Team halfpipe team will remain in the Southern Hemisphere to finish their last weeks of summer training. They will be back in action in early December for the Secret Garden World Cup in China. 

RESULTS
Women
Men