Snowboard Halfpipe Qualifiers
U.S. Snowboard Team rider Maddie Mastro took the top spot in Thursday’s qualifiers the Woodward Copper Mountain halfpipe, followed by teammate and defending Olympic Gold Medalist Chloe Kim. Mastro earned her top score of 92.75 on her second qualifying run, which was highlighted by her signature double crippler, followed up with back-to-back 720s.

“I’ve put a lot of work in and a lot of reps – and a lot of years, actually – to fully have the double crippler in my bag and have confidence in that trick,” Mastro said in an interview with the Dew Tour. “I’m stoked that it’s all starting to pay off.”

Chloe Kim finished in second with a score of 91.25, also on her second qualifying run. Mastro and Kim both advance into Sunday’s halfpipe final among the group of eight women.

In the men’s field, U.S. Snowboard Team rider and three-time Olympic Gold medalist Shaun White was the top men’s qualifier of the day, clinching his spot in finals on a gripping second run in classic White fashion. Teammates Chase Josey, Taylor Gold, and a young Joey Okesson round out the U.S. Snowboard team riders heading into Sunday’s halfpipe finals among the group of 10.

Men’s Snowboard Qualifiers Results
Women’s Snowboard Qualifiers Results

Freeski Halfpipe Qualifiers
The Freeski halfpipe qualifiers went down Wednesday as a storm front blew through Colorado. Two-time Olympic Gold medalist David Wise rose to the challenge earning the top score of the day with a 93.5. Wise linked up a left double 1260 mute and a left 900 tail grab shifty maintaining his amplitude throughout his run despite the challenging conditions. In a dominating performance, the U.S. Men’s Freeski halfpipe team locked up six of the 10 advancing slots into Saturday’s finals. Wise is joined by Lyman Currier, Aaron Blunck, Alex Ferreira, Hunter Hess, and Birk Irving.

In the women’s field, U.S. Freeski Team young gun Hanna Faulhaber earned the top U.S women’s score of the day with an 84.75, followed by Olympic Bronze medalist Brita Sigourney. Both advance into Friday’s women’s pipe finals.

Men’s Freeski Qualifiers Results
Women’s Freeski Qualifiers Results

HOW TO WATCH

2021 DEW TOUR LIVE STREAM SCHEDULE
 

CARRABASSETT VALLEY, Maine – The world-famous Narrow Gauge trail will once again host the nation’s best alpine ski racers when Sugarloaf hosts the Toyota U.S. Alpine Championships and NorAm Finals March 20-April 1, 2022—the final leg of the 2022 HomeLight Alpine Foundation Series.

This will be the eighth time Sugarloaf has hosted the nation’s premier alpine racing event, having previously hosted the championships in 1996, 1997, 2006, 2008, 2015, 2017, and 2019.

The 2022 event will come on the heels of the Olympic Winter Games in Beijing, China, and is expected to feature a number of Olympic athletes, along with many of the top racers on the U.S. Alpine Ski Team.

Among those athletes will be Sugarloaf native Sam Morse, a member of the U.S. Alpine Ski Team who grew up in Carrabassett Valley and graduated from Carrabassett Valley Academy. 

“Sugarloaf has a proud tradition of hosting some of the world’s premier ski racing events, and we’re honored to have the U.S. Alpine Championships return for 2022,” Sugarloaf General Manager Karl Strand said. “Having this event on the heels of the Olympics will only add to the excitement of what is already one of the country’s best alpine racing showcases.”

Over the years the Narrow Gauge trail has hosted many of the world’s biggest alpine events, including men’s and women’s World Cup races in 1971, and the first official FIS Alpine Junior World Championships in 1984.

“Sugarloaf has been a great partner for decades,” noted Lindsay Arnold, U.S. Ski & Snowboard Event Director. “Their hospitality in welcoming the ski racing community is unmatched. We are thrilled they are hosting not only the Toyota U.S. Alpine Championships but also welcoming back the NorAm Finals. We look forward to a great two weeks of watching the top North American athletes compete!”

Many of the world’s best ski and snowboard racers cut their teeth at Sugarloaf and on Narrow Gauge. Carrabassett Valley Academy, an award-winning U.S. Ski & Snowboard club located near Sugarloaf, is one of the nation’s top snowsport academies and has produced medal-winning Olympians in both skiing and snowboarding. The roster includes Bode Miller, an Olympic Gold Medalist, and World Champion, and Seth Wescott, a two-time Olympic gold medal winner.

For additional information on the U.S. Ski Team and the Toyota U.S. Alpine Championships, please visit www.usskiandsnowboard.org.

For additional information on Sugarloaf, please visit www.sugarloaf.com.

##

About Sugarloaf
Located in Carrabassett Valley, ME, Sugarloaf is largest ski area in the East, and is home to the only lift-serviced above treeline skiing and riding in the East, as well as the number one golf course in Maine, according to Golf Digest. Sugarloaf is a member of the Boyne Resorts family of resorts and attractions. Follow: www.sugarloaf.com, www.facebook.com/sugarloaf, and http://twitter.com/sugarloafmaine.

About U.S. Ski & Snowboard
U.S. Ski & Snowboard is the Olympic National Governing Body (NGB) of ski and snowboard sports in the USA, based at the USANA Center of Excellence in Park City, Utah. Tracing its roots directly back to 1905, the organization represents nearly 200 elite skiers and snowboarders in 2021, competing in seven teams; alpine, cross country, freeski, freestyle, snowboard, nordic combined, and ski jumping. 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.

BOULDER, Colo. — Outside Interactive, Inc., the world’s leading creator of active & healthy lifestyle content, events, and experiences, today announced the release of an exclusive video series featuring the world-class alpine ski racer, two-time Olympic gold medalist, six-time world champion, and three-time Overall FIS Ski World Cup champion, Mikaela Shiffrin.

Mikaela Shiffrin: Passion & Purpose is a 5-part original series following Mikaela’s personal and athletic journey, both on and off the hill, as she prepares for the 2022 Winter Olympic Games. The series will be available exclusively to members of Outside+, Outside’s membership for active and healthy lifestyle enthusiasts combining all of the Outside brands into a single bundle offering.

“While Mikaela Shiffrin is a skiing icon and world-class athlete, she’s also a human being,” said Robin Thurston, Outside CEO. “The opportunity to capture some of her most challenging, rewarding, and humanizing moments – and bring that content to life – is truly inspiring. The Passion & Purpose series, provided exclusively to our Outside+ members, is a captivating look inside the legend herself and someone who embodies all that Outside stands for – that life is best spent outside.”

In addition to covering Mikaela’s quest to earn Olympic Gold and her World Cup glory as one of the most dominant skiers of all time, the series chronicles far more than her time on the slopes. Filmed over the past four months, Passion & Purpose explores loss, grief, personal relationships, mental health, and everything in between that makes Mikaela human – a human that also happens to be one of the greatest skiers in history.

“The past couple of years have been nothing short of challenging, and while I’m forever grateful for my victories on the mountain, I want people to know that, off the mountain, I am a real human being who goes through real hardships, just like anyone else,” said Mikaela Shiffrin. “I'm thankful for my team, as well as the Outside team, who was able to help me tell a story that reaches beyond the mountain, medals, and records and hopefully creates broader awareness and understanding of topics near and dear to my heart.”

Directed and produced by Jalbert Productions, the first and second episodes of the series will be released on December 21, 2021 and uncovers the life that has shaped and continues to define Mikaela Shiffrin as an Olympian while shedding light on her resilience, compassion, and authenticity as an individual. The third and fourth episodes of the series will be available on Tuesday, January 25th, and Tuesday, February 1st, respectively, while the fifth and final episode will be released following the conclusion of the 2022 Winter Olympic Games. The full series will also be released to the general public through Outside TV for 30 days starting in February.

To watch the series, available starting December 21, please download the Outside TV app or become an Outside+ member. The trailer for the series can also be viewed here.

About Outside Interactive, Inc.
Outside is the premier destination for active lifestyle enthusiasts and home to leading brands in the endurance sports, outdoor, and healthy living spaces. Each month, Outside reaches 80 million of the most active consumers in the world across its 40+ media, digital, and technology platforms, creating an experience for both longtime adventurers and those just getting started. Outside believes life is best spent outdoors, experiencing healthy, connected, and fulfilling lives. Outside’s membership offering, Outside+, bundles best-in-class storytelling, meal plans, gear reviews, online courses, discounted event access, mapping, and more. Learn more at outsideinc.com.

About Mikaela Shiffrin
Double Olympic champion, six-time world champion, and winningest slalom skier of all time, Mikaela Shiffrin has elevated women’s ski racing globally – both on and off the mountain. At a mere 26-years-old, Mikaela has 71 World Cup victories across six disciplines to her name and is the only athlete to win in all six disciplines. Philanthropically, Mikaela is passionate about ending plastic waste through initiatives with sponsor Adidas, cancer research, the Kelly Brush Foundation, and so much more. She has raised millions of dollars through the U.S. Ski & Snowboard Jeff Shiffrin Athlete Resiliency Fund (in her late father’s name) to help support up-and-coming athletes on the cusp of breaking through as they’ve dealt with challenges associated with the pandemic.

Contacts
Media inquiries, please contact:
INK Communications Co.
outsidepr@ink-co.com
(508) 439-2802

Megan Harrod, Mikaela Shiffrin PR+Media
megan.harrod@usskiandsnowboard.org
(435) 714-9393

Release Courtesy of Outside Interactive, Inc.

The Dew Tour kicked off today at Copper Mountain, Colorado, with more than 200 athletes representing 17 countries competing in men’s and women’s ski and snowboard superpipe and slopestyle events among others. The U.S. Freeski and U.S. Snowboard Team athletes account for 59 of those vying for points—and the podium—to earn a spot to compete at the Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022, taking place February 4-20, 2022.

U.S. Snowboard Team Slopestyle Starts
Kyle Mack
Dusty Henricksen
Fynn Bullock-Womble
Chris Corning
Red Gerard
Luke Winkelmann
Brock Crouch
Sean FitzSimons
Ty Schnorrbusch
Courtney Rummel
Jade Thurgood
Julia Marino
Jamie Anderson
Hailey Langland

U.S. Snowboard Team Halfpipe Starts
Taylor Gold
Chase Blackwell
Chase Josey
Lucas Foster
Toby Miller
Joey Okesson
Shaun White
Jack Coyne
Chloe Kim
Maddie Mastro
Tessa Maud
Sonora Alba

U.S. Freeski Team Halfpipe Starts
Brita Sigourney
Annalisa Drew
Hanna Faulhaber
Abigale Hansen
Devin Logan
Riley Jacobs
Svea Irving
Tristan Feinberg
Hunter Hess
Dylan Ladd
Sammy Schuiling
Jaxin Hoerter
Birk Irving
Aaron Blunck
David Wise
Lyman Currier
Cassidy Jarrell
Hunter Carey
Alex Ferreira 

U.S. Freeski Team Slopestyle Starts
Colby Stevenson
Mac Forehand
Alex Hall
Nick Goepper
Cody LaPlante
Hunter Henderson
Konnor Ralph
Charlie Gnoza
Marin Hamill
Darian Stevens
Grace Henderson
Jay Riccomini
Bella Bacon

HOW TO WATCH 

All times EDT
Subject to change, click here for the full schedule.

Friday, Dec. 17, 2021
2:00 p.m. Dew Tour Men's Ski Slopestyle Final - LIVE, Copper Mountain, CO, Streaming Dew Tour
4:00 p.m. Dew Tour Women's Ski Slopestyle Final - LIVE, Copper Mountain, CO, Streaming Dew Tour

Saturday, Dec. 18, 2021
11:00 a.m. Dew Tour Women's Snowboard Slopestyle Final - LIVE, Copper Mountain, CO, Streaming Dew Tour
12:30 p.m. Dew Tour Men's Snowboard Slopestyle Final - LIVE, Copper Mountain, CO, Streaming Dew Tour
2:45 p.m. Dew Tour Women's Ski Superpipe Final Presented by Toyota - LIVE, Copper Mountain, CO, Streaming Dew Tour
4:00 p.m Dew Tour Men's Ski Superpipe Final Presented by Toyota - LIVE, Copper Mountain, CO, Streaming Dew Tour

Sunday, Dec. 19, 2021
11:00 a.m. Dew Tour Women's Snowboard Superpipe Final Presented by Toyota - LIVE, Copper Mountain, CO, Streaming DewTour
12:45 p.m. Dew Tour Men's Snowboard Superpipe Final Presented by Toyota - LIVE, Copper Mountain, CO, Streaming DewTour

Sunday, December 26, 2021
4:00 p.m. Winter Dew Tour at Copper, on NBC
5:00 p.m. Winter Dew Tour at Copper, on NBC

Winter Vinecki, aerial skier on the U.S. Freestyle Ski Team, is featured on NBC’s My New Favorite Olympian podcast, hosted by the most decorated American winter Olympian Apolo Ohno. Winter discusses her late father, Michael's battle with prostate cancer, how her passion fuels her athletic career, and her hopes to represent Team USA at the 2022 Olympic Winter Games in February. 

Listen here: https://link.chtbl.com/WinterV

Luke Winters skied into the FIS World Cup points in the first slalom race of the 2021-22 season, taking 25th in Val d’Isere, France.

Hometown hero Clement Noel of France got his ninth World Cup win, with Kristoffer Jakobsen of Sweden taking his first World Cup podium in second place. Filip Zubcic of Croatia also grabbed his first World Cup podium in third.

Hard snow and sunshine made for great conditions in Val d’Isere and the up-and-coming U.S. men’s slalom team were stoked for some racing. “Dudes were fired up,” said Men’s World Cup Slalom Coach Ryan Wilson. “Everybody has been skiing well in training. It was nice that Jakobsen was second. We were training with him before and we know where we stand with him. That’s a confidence booster for all of them.”

The U.S. men’s slalom team has been skiing strong so far this season with Winters, Jett Seymour, and Ben Ritchie headlining the team. Seymour skied well in his first run, but got tangled up in a complicated combination at the bottom and skied out just before the finish. Ritchie went down on his hip, but had fast splits below the mistake, showing that he has it in him to also make a second run. Alex Leever and Garret Driller also started but did not qualify for a second run.

Winters had a couple of major bobbles on his first run, but had enough speed to ski into the top 30 and snag a second run. He skied conservatively second run to finish 25th, scoring World Cup points and lowering his bib number for future races. Winters also found the points twice last year, including a top 20 in Chamonix, France, and he knows he has more in him heading into the Olympic season.

The men’s tech team next heads to Italy for two giant slalom races in Alta Badia December 19-20 and a night slalom in Madonna di Campiglio on December 22.

RESULTS
Men’s slalom

Jessie Diggins dug deep into the pain cave to find an extra gear that propelled her onto the podium, finishing second and leading five U.S. women into the top 28 in the FIS Cross Country World Cup 10k freestyle individual start Sunday in Davos, Switzerland.

Rosie Brennan finished fourth for the second-straight day, with Hailey Swirbul in sixth, Sophia Laukli posting a World Cup career-best result in 19th, and Novie McCabe scoring her first career World Cup points, finishing 28th. Katharine Ogden was 43rd; Caitlin Patterson 46th; and Hannah Halvorsen was 78th.

"Today was really, really special because we had so many women in the points," Diggins said. "I am so proud of this team, everyone raced so hard." 

"I felt good!" said McCabe after scoring her first World Cup points. "It was a really fun course and nice to be back at altitude. My skis were also sooooo good which helped out a lot!"

Norway’s Theresa Johaug won with a time of 23 minutes, 40 seconds. Diggins was 14.5 seconds back in second, while Sweden’s Frida Karlsson rounded out the podium in third, at 17.21 seconds back. Brennan was 24.3 seconds back.

"Wow, another bittersweet day for me today," said Brennen, who finished fourth for the second-straight day. "Placing fourth is absolutely nothing to complain about, however, I felt I didn't quite have my best in me today. I definitely have some fatigue from yesterday...it was a great day for the women's team and I am really happy to see some outstanding performances from the team."

Brennan came out firing on all cylinders and was just 1.1 seconds off the pace of Johaug at the 2k mark, with Diggins sitting fifth at 9.4 seconds back. At the 5k mark, Diggins moved into second at 9.0 seconds off Johaug’s pace with Brennan in third at 10.4 seconds. With 2k remaining, Karlsson moved into second place at 16.2 seconds off Johaug’s pace, with Brennan at 17.8 and Diggins at 21.3 seconds back.

In the final 2k, though, Diggins upped her pace and pulled back time on Karlsson, Brennan, and Johaug to grab her second podium of the season, and first in a World Cup distance race this season. "I'm not sure how I did that," Diggins said of crushing the final 2k, which is predominantly downhill but features flat working sections. "I was just so focused on going all out and leaving it all out there on the course. But I think those working downhills have always been a strength of mine, and...I was taking a little bit of a risky line on the downhill."

Norway took the top two spots on the men’s podium with Simen Hegstad Krueger winning the 15k with a time of 32.20. Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo was second at 22.9 seconds back, with Russia’s Sergey Ustiugov third at 27.2 seconds back. Gus Schumacher was the top Davis U.S. Cross Country Team finisher in 29th; Ben Ogden was 51st; David Norris 54th; JC Schoonmaker 66th; Hunter Wonders 70th; and Scott Patterson 75th.

Karlsson leads the overall World Cup standings, with Brennan in fourth and Diggins in fifth. Johaug leads the World Cup distance standings, with Brennan in third and Diggins seventh. The FIS Cross Country World Cup season continues next weekend with a freestyle sprint on Saturday, and a team sprint on Sunday.

RESULTS
Women’s 10k freestyle
Men’s 15k freestyle

STANDINGS
Women’s World Cup overall
Men’s World Cup overall
Women’s World Cup distance
Men’s World Cup distance

Olivia Giaccio led the Americans with a fourth-place finish in the FIS Dual Moguls World Cup in Idre Fjäll, Sweden. Giaccio met Australia’s Jakara Anthony in the Small Final and the two had a tight duel the whole way down the course, with Giaccio skiing a fierce middle section. Giaccio pushed her speed into the bottom air to get that extra boost but ended up on her heels in the landing and Anthony took the advantage. 

“The whole day I focused on attacking out of the gate and top air especially,” said Giaccio. “For advancing through the rounds I was just trying to attack as much as I could and focused on the little cues that are working well for me. My coaches and I were pretty strategic in how we approached the day. The highest seed for each qualifying round got to choose the line and I definitely used that to my advantage.”

“Olivia skied the middle really well [in Small Final]. She got on her heels in the landing, which subjects you to let your feet accelerate and is difficult to stay on top of. But another great step for Olivia in today’s competition,” said Head Mogul Coach Matt Gnoza.

France’s Perrine Laffont won, Japan’s Rino Yanagimoto took second and Anthony rounded out the podium in third. 

Five women qualified Friday for the Round of 16 Sunday. The U.S. pulled a tough draw with two friendly fires right from the start, with another on deck for the Round of Eight. 

Jaelin Kauf met Tess Johnson for an all-out drag race, and the two pushed each other to the end. Kauf went big on the bottom air but didn’t stick the landing, and Johnson took the advantage to move to the Round of Eight. Hannah Soar met Giaccio and the two were neck-in-neck the entire run, both posting impressive run times. Giaccio stepped on the gas in the bottom air for the advantage to move onto the Round of Eight. “That was fast, holy moly,” Giaccio said in the finish area. Kai Owens met  Australia’s Britteny Cox, Cox blew out and Owens moved to the Round of Eight.

Giaccio met Johnson in the Round of Eight, with Johnson having a slight advantage on speed. Johnson sustained a nasty crash, losing contact and both skis in her tumble, but fortunately is okay and was able to slide down the course. “Some of the fastest skiing of the day were those runs against my teammates,” Giaccio said. Owens met Anthony and pushed her speed down the course, but her feet got away from her in the bottom air and Anthony took the advantage.

Owens finished sixth, Johnson eighth, Soar 10th, and Kauf 12th. Madison Hogg finished 30th and Morgan Schild 42nd. 

On the men’s side, two Americans qualified for the Round of 16: Brad Wilson and Dylan Walczyk. 

Wilson met Canada’s Mikael Kingsbury in a duel that came down to inches. Wilson kept Kingsbury on his toes the entire way down, but landed in a tough spot in the bottom air and Kingsbury took the advantage. “Brad skied a hell of a run against Mik, Mik was able to just get him there in the end,” said Gnoza. Wilson finished the day in eighth

Kingsbury won the event for the men, Japan’s Ikuma Horishima came in second and Sweden’s Ludvig Fjallstrom came in third. 

Walczyk finished in sixth, Cole McDonald in 20th, and Nick Page 33rd. 

Sunday marks the final day in Scandinavia for the Moguls crew. Everyone is looking forward to a change of scenery and some sunshine. 

“I’ll be focusing on continuing to compete the best that I can,” said Giaccio. “Being really precise in my skiing and jump execution. Continuing to use parts of my run that has been working really well and make adjustments to make my run the best it can possibly be. I am really grateful to have the opportunity to be able to perform on World Cup. I can’t wait to see what the rest of the season brings."

Moguls heads next to Alpe d’Huez, France, for another double event weekend. “We have a really quick turnaround time, we start training again in France on Tuesday,” said Gnoza. “We’re motivated to continue this push and excited to see the course in Alpe d’Huez, and the sun.”

RESULTS
Women’s Dual Moguls
Men’s Dual Moguls

Mikaela Shiffrin scored her second super-G podium in two days in St. Moritz, taking third place on Sunday. Breezy Johnson also skied into the points, finishing 24th.

The Italians filled the rest of the FIS World Cup super-G podium, with Federica Brignone and Elena Curtoni going one-two. Alice Robinson, the young upstart from New Zealand, was fourth. Notably missing from the podium was Lara Gut of Switzerland, who was ahead in the splits on her run, but went too straight and crashed hard through two layers of fencing in a difficult compression. After a few tense minutes, she got up and skied to the finish full of cheering Swiss fans.

While the sun came out for Sunday’s super-G after a dark day on Saturday, the conditions remained challenging with whipping winds blowing the women around the terrain-heavy course. The gusts were too strong, in fact, that the start had to be moved down to the reserve start and the race was delayed 40 minutes. “It was a bit tricky today!” said Shiffrin. “Especially with some wind, you get these pushes from behind and you speed up like crazy and it’s a little unexpected… I just tried to push my line and trust it and make good turns and stand strong on my skis.”

Shiffrin also battled nerves—wearing bib two meant she didn’t get much of a course report—but she used her knowledge of the terrain from a long course inspection and the feeling from her skis to ski intelligently down the course. The race gave her a second super-G podium in two days (translating to 120 more valuable points in the overall standings), and her seventh career World Cup super-G podium in only 18 starts. Four of those podiums have been in St. Moritz.   

Breezy Johnson also scored points for the second time in the weekend, taking 24th. Jackie Wiles finished 39th, Nina O’Brien 40th, and Tricia Mangan 43rd. AJ Hurt, Isabella Wright, and Keely Cashman did not finish, but all three are thankfully OK.

Shiffrin leads the overall World Cup standings, with 525 points ahead of Italy's Sofia Goggia (435 points), and Slovakia's Petra Vlhova—who has opted to focus on tech events this year (340 points). Johnson is currently sitting in sixth in the standings, with 213 points. 

The women’s speed team next heads to Val d’Isere, France for a downhill and super-G December 18-19, while the tech team will train for two giant slalom races in Courchevel, France December 21-22.

RESULTS
Women’s super-G

STANDINGS
Women's World Cup overall
Women’s World Cup super-G

HOW TO WATCH
*ALL TIMES EST.

4:30 p.m. FIS Alpine World Cup Women’s Super-G - same-day broadcast, St. Mortiz, SUI, Broadcast NBCSN

Current television broadcast and streaming schedules for all sports are available here. For more information on how to watch broadcasts and streaming, visit our full "how to watch" breakdown.

Please note: Streaming services and apps are third-party services and subject to such parties’ terms of use and data privacy. U.S. Ski & Snowboard disclaims any and all liability for use of third-party services and apps.

Follow the U.S. Alpine Ski Team:
Instagram: @usskiteam
Facebook: @usskiandsnowboard
TikTok: @usskiandsnowboard
Twitter: @usskiteam

2014 Olympian Taylor Gold was the top U.S. finisher today at the Toyota U.S. Grand Prix finals, earning fifth place in the Woodward Copper superpipe. This was the first Olympic halfpipe qualifying event of this season. 

“That was the run I wanted to do coming into today and after slamming on my first run, It was really nice to land that second one,” said Gold. “The riding is just insane these days so I’m always happy to be up there. Top five is great, of course I want to be on the podium and that’s what I keep striving for but I’m happy.”

U.S. Snowboard Team rider and 2018 Olympian Chase Josey finished in sixth, followed by three-time Olympic Gold Medalist Shaun White in eighth at the Toyota U.S. Grand Prix finals.

Looking ahead to the Dew Tour next week, which is also an Olympic qualifier in this same halfpipe at Woodward Copper, Gold says, “The pipe is really good. I’m going to need a day off at least, maybe two,” referring to his harrowing crash on his first hit mid-McTwist. “After that I’ll feel fresh again and be ready to go. It’ll be nice to get a few more days in here, that’ll be a good time to maybe add in some more of these tricks that I want to add but I’m happy with that first attempt.”

U.S. Ski & Snowboard Halfpipe Coach JJ Thomas says that after taking that huge crash, he was expecting Gold to take a safety run to get back into it, but two minutes before dropping into his second run, says JJ, “He just laced probably the best run he’s ever done and that just made my day. To come back after that crash and put down that run, I told him that was one of the sickest athletic performances I’ve ever seen in my life. That was so boss.”

Josey and White also put down two great runs each, but weren’t able to break into the podium.

Japan’s Ruka Hirano took first, followed by Switzerland’s Jan Scherrer and Japan’s Yuto Totsuka in third. Japan’s Raibu Katayama went down hard during finals, and we are sending our thoughts out for a quick recovery. 

In the women’s field China’s Cai Xuetong took first, followed by Japan’s Sena Tomita and Spain’s Queralt Castellet in third.

The next Olympic halfpipe qualifier is the Dew Tour right here at Copper Mountain, Colo. Dec. 16–19. The packed U.S. Snowboard Team roster will include Chloe Kim, who’s coming into this event following a podium trifecta sweep last winter, including at the Aspen U.S. Grand Prix Olympic tryout event, along with teammate Maddie Maestro, who graced the X Games Aspen and World Championship podiums earning silver medals at each. Mastro and Kim are two of the best women’s snowboard halfpipe athletes in the world right now and are forces to be reckoned with coming into the Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022. 

Final Results 

Men's Snowboard Finals 

Women's Snowboard Finals