U.S. Ski & Snowboard has announced the eight freeski athletes who will represent the United States at the 2024 FIS Slopestyle and Big Air Junior World Championships in Mottolino Livigno, Italy, March 22-30. 

With both top Stifel U.S. Freeski Team members and athletes from clubs across the country, this year’s team consists of heavy hitters who have already made appearances on the World Cup stage along with up and comers looking to prove themselves on an international level. The venue is also the location of the 2026 Olympic Winter Games slopestyle and big air. 

Stifel U.S. Freeski Team’s Kate Gray and Henry Townshend highlight a roster of notables, including Killington Mountain School’s Eleanor Andrews, who earned her first World Cup podium in her first World Cup start at the Toyota U.S. Grand Prix in Mammoth Mountain earlier this season. Joining the athletes in Mottolino Livigno are Stifel U.S. Freeski Team rookie coach Leah Stroud and Wy’East Academy’s Brian McCarthy.

Stifel U.S. Freeski Team’s Walker Woodring and Ellie Derosier were also named, but will not be attending. 

The 2024 FIS Snowboard and Big Air Junior World Championships kicks off freeski competition with slopestyle qualifications on Monday, March 25 with finals to follow on Tuesday, March 26. The event shifts gears to big air competition with qualifications on Friday, March 29, and will conclude with big air finals on Saturday, March 30.

2024 FIS Slopestyle and Big Air Freeski Junior World Championships Team
(Hometown; Club; Birthdate)

Women
Ella Andrews (Killington, VT; Killington Mountain School; 2/23/2007)
Ellie DeRosier (Bend, OR; Stifel U.S. Freeski Team/Park City Ski & Snowboard; 10/24/2006)*
Kate Gray (Crowley Lake, CA; Stifel U.S. Freeski Team/Mammoth Mountain Freeski Team; 06/29/2006)
Marley Leavitt (Park City, UT; Ski & Snowboard Club Vail; 2006)

Men
Hugh MacMenamin (Hudson, WI; Wy’East Mountain Academy; 01/23/2006)
Walker Woodring (Sun Valley, ID; Stifel U.S. Freeski Team/Park City Ski & Snowboard; 3/13/2010)*
Anders Chapman (Hood River, OR; Wy’East Mountain Academy; 10/7/2006)
Henry Townshend (Park City, UT; Stifel U.S. Freeski Team/Park City Ski & Snowboard; 2/16/2006) 

*declined invite due to conflict or injury 

A stellar course and spring-like conditions set the scene for Saturday morning's slopestyle finals at the Tignes World Cup and the Stifel U.S. Freeski Team looked primed and ready to throw down.

The men’s final featured five Americans, including Mac Forehand, Konnor Ralph, Troy Podmilsak, Hunter Henderson and Alex Hall, who took home the Tignes World Cup big air title and 2023-24 big air Crystal Globe just 12 hours prior.

Coming off his Spring Battle win, Henderson was first to drop for the Americans and threw two 1620s to earn him a solid score of 69.15. Podmilsak and Hall, the two Park City natives, nailed their first runs top-bottom and were the first two competitors of the day to crack into the 80s.

After an impressive showing in qualifications, Ralph put down an explosive first run, capping it off with a double cork 18 with a safety grab and noting, “that’s the best run i’ve ever done!” said Ralph to the cameras in the finish. His clean run was rewarded with a 83.95, putting him just behind teammate Podmilsak.

After seeing his teammates throw down, the pressure was on for top American qualifier Forehand to deliver, and the X Games gold medalist put on a show. Forehand’s first run was a masterclass in slopestyle skiing, throwing a massive switch right double cork 1440 safety and a near-perfect switch left double cork 1620 cuban on the first two jumps and nailing a switch left 630 back 270 on the second rail feature. Forehand was ecstatic with his result in the finish as the judges awarded his run an 85.21, which would hold on to be the top-scoring run of the day in Tignes to secure Forehand his first World Cup slopestyle victory since 2019.

“It’s been a long road and I’ve been working super hard this year,” said Forehand in a post-contest interview, “It’s been five years since my last slopestyle win and it just means the world when all the hard work finally pays off.”

Joining Forehand in the top three was teammate Ralph, who earned his first World Cup podium of his career. Norway’s Tormod Frostad took second place, Hall ended his Tignes campaign in fourth and Podmilsak finished the day in fifth. Henderson took 13th.

Rell Harwood represented the Stifel U.S. Freeski Team on the women’s side and finished the day eighth overall.

The Stifel U.S. Freeski Team heads to Silvaplana for the final slopestyle World Cup of the season. With both overall and discipline-specific Crystal Globes on the line, it will certainly be an entertaining season finale.

Results
Women
Men

Olympic gold medalist Alex Hall rose to the occasion under Friday night lights at the Mountain Shaker World Cup big air final in Tignes, adding another World Cup victory and the 2023-24 big air Crystal Globe to his already impressive resume.

After a disappointing 18.00 first run score, the Park City native was forced to bank his chances on a successful big air season finale showing on his final two runs. Hall attempted the same trick on run two, stomping a right double-cork 1080 bring-back to 900 that scored a massive 90.50 to put him back into podium contention. With a three run, low-score drop format, the pressure was on for Hall to nail his final attempt—and did he deliver.

In front of a rambunctious crowd in Tignes, Hall’s switch left tailbutter 1800 that he premiered at X Games in February made its World Cup debut, earning a monster score of 96.00 to secure Hall the top spot in the final big air competition of the season, as well as the big air Crystal Globe—the first of his career.

After considering pulling out of the final World Cup competitions to focus on personal filming projects, Hall was noticeably surprised with his achievements. “I didn’t really know I was in the running before this. I wasn’t sure,” said Hall. “I’ve been competing a long time but haven't won a Globe, so it feels pretty sick to get one.”

When asked about his gutsy decision to throw the 18 on his third attempt, Hall knew he had to go big in order to beat the likes of Norway’s Leo Landroe and Switzerland’s Andri Ragettli. “Everyone was killing it so I knew I had to throw something down, but I didn’t know if I was going 14 or 18 until about seconds before dropping,” Hall joked. “I was a little unsure of the speed too, but I figured I’d just point ’em from the top and go for it. I’m hype to land that one; it’s one of the better jumps I’ve done for sure.”

Landroe finished second overall in Tignes and Ragettli took third, earning the Swiss the runner-up big air Crystal Globe. Italy’s Miro Tabanelli rounded out the big air World Cup standings, finishing third overall for the 2023-24 season.

Mac Forehand was the only other American to join Hall in men’s finals and finished the day seventh overall as well as earning fifth place in the overall 2023-24 big air World Cup standings. On the women’s side, Rell Harwood represented the Stifel U.S. Ski Team and was just off the podium in fourth place and finished ranked ninth in the world in big air this season. 

Hall, Forehand and Harwood will be joined by teammates Hunter Henderson, Cody Laplante, Troy Podmilsak and Konnor Ralph on Saturday, March 15 for the Tignes Mountain Shaker World Cup slopestyle final. 

RESULTS
Women
Men

Every year at the U.S. Ski & Snowboard Congress awards ceremony in May, U.S. Ski & Snowboard recognizes the work of those behind the scenes and the people and organizations that provide athletes of all ages with opportunities to participate in ski and snowboard competitions.

U.S. Ski & Snowboard members can nominate in many of the award categories, including The Paul Bacon Award for excellent event organization, the John J. Clair Award for outstanding service to national teams and more.

How the process works

• Nominations for these awards are accepted from members who have a valid and current membership for the 2023-24 Season. 
• Each sport committee also submits its own nomination.
• Selection of awards winners is determined by a vote of the U.S. Ski & Snowboard Awards Working Group in early April.
• Winners are announced in May.

How to nominate

• Read through the categories open to public nomination.
• Click on the nomination link for each individual award for which you wish to nominate.
• Complete the nomination paying special attention to highlighting accomplishments required for each award.
• Nominees must also be current members of U.S. Ski & Snowboard.
• Click to submit.
• Remember, you need to submit nominations for each award separately.

DEADLINE TO SUBMIT NOMINATIONS: Friday, March 29, 2024

PUBLIC NOMINATION CATEGORIES

Paul Bacon Award (event organization)

The Paul Bacon Award is given to an individual or group for the greatest contribution to U. S. Ski & Snowboard in the field of race organization during the 2023-24 season. Traditional nominees include local clubs or individuals whose work has made a difference in providing good events for athletes.

PAUL BACON AWARD Nomination Form

John J. Clair Award (service to national teams)

The John J. Clair Jr. Award is given for outstanding service that benefited the U.S. Ski & Snowboard Team in 2023-24. Past recipients have included outside team support personnel, donors, journalists, movers and shakers. Most recipients have been individuals, though some organizations have been recognized. The recipient’s service should be to the national teams.

JOHN J. CLAIR JR. AWARD Nomination Form

Bud & Mary Little Award (service to FIS or USOPC)

The Bud & Mary Little Award is a lifetime achievement award presented to an individual who has contributed significantly through a long-term involvement with the International Ski & Snowboard Federation or U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee. Recipients are eligible to receive the award only once. Achievement should be lifetime; it is not specific to this past year.

BUD & MARY LITTLE AWARD Nomination Form

Buddy Werner Award (sportsmanship)

Have you seen any great acts of sportsmanship this past year? Nominations should be based on actions from the 2023-24 season. It is only open to individuals.

BUDDY WERNER AWARD Nomination Form

Russell Wilder Award (service to youth)

The Russell Wilder Award recognizes the most outstanding effort during 2023-24 in focusing the interests of American youth on the sports of skiing or snowboarding. It can be awarded to an individual or an organization.

RUSSELL WILDER AWARD Nomination Form

OFFICIALS NOMINATION AWARD CATEGORY*

West Family Award (outstanding official)

The West Family Award is a lifetime achievement honor, recognizing an outstanding certified official at any level.  Nominations come from the pool of current U.S. Ski & Snowboard Officials membership.

WEST FAMILY AWARD Nomination Form

*Nominations only open to those who hold a current U.S. Ski & Snowboard Officials membership. 

FIS TECHNICAL DELEGATE NOMINATION AWARD CATEGORY^

Westhaven Award (outstanding FIS technical delegate)

The Westhaven Award is a lifetime achievement award, recognizing an outstanding FIS technical delegate for his or her service over time. Nominations come from the pool of current FIS TDs.

WESTHAVEN AWARD Nomination Form

^Nominations only open to those who hold a current U.S. Ski & Snowboard Technical Delegate membership. 

Alex Ferreira did what no other freeskier has done before, winning seven out of the seven halfpipe events on Saturday. He took his seventh victory at the men’s freeski superpipe at the 2024 Dew Tour to cement his place in the record books, lacing together the most dominant season in freeski history.

Along with a perfect World Cup season where he won all five events he entered, Ferreira’s X Games victory in February put him in the position to accomplish the 7/7 feat. With history on the line, Ferreira dropped into the Dew Tour superpipe under sunny skies and in front of a crowd of excited fans hoping to witness the seemingly impossible.

Ferreira seemed to have history locked in after only run one, scoring a huge 92.66, ending with his signature pole swing. But in typical Ferreira fashion, he had more tricks up his sleeve and one-upped himself on run two, scoring a 94.33 in what would ultimately be the history-making run. 

“The season started with a dub and ended with a dub,” said Ferreira, “I can’t believe it, perfect season? I’m in awe and just so grateful. Best day of my life.”

Ferreira was unable to land a double-cork 18 on his final run, a trick that has never been done in freeski halfpipe competition, but the attempt left an impression, showing he has no signs of slowing down heading into the 2024-25 season.

2013 Dew Tour freeski slopestyle champion Nick Geopper earned his first Dew Tour halfpipe podium with a second place finish, scoring a 91.00 to put him just behind teammate Ferreira. Sporting his signature pair of Lucky jeans, Geopper debuted a new final hit to earn himself a spot on the Dew Tour podium to end his highly anticipated comeback season.

Stifel U.S. Freeski Team teammates Hunter Hess, Tristan Feinberg and Dew Tour legend David Wise joined Ferreira and Goepper in the field of eight competitors. Hess finished fifth, Feinberg landed in sixth and Wise rounded out the field in eighth.

RESULTS
Men's superpipe

It was déjà vu at Friday night's 2024 Dew Tour Men's Ski Streetstyle competition, with defending champion Colby Stevenson reclaiming the top spot and Stifel U.S. Freeski Team teammate Alex Hall taking third for the second year in a row. American Tucker Fitzsimons, brother of Hydro Flask U.S. Snowboard Team's Sean Fitzsimons, defended his second place position from last year's contest. 

In route to the title, Stevenson qualified in the top spot out of heat three, took out USA's Andrew Egan in a close round of duals and won the final with a high score of 96.00. 

The atmosphere was electric, with DJ Ship Wrek performing right next to the course to hype up fans and spectators. 

"Honestly, this is one of the best crowds we get. I was feeding off the energy for sure," said Stevenson. "With everyone chanting, I was stoked. 

"This is such a sick event, Dew Tour is one of the biggest in our sport so this means a lot to have everyone out here to support."

The 20th year of Dew Tour continues Saturday, March 9, with the men's ski superpipe, women's snowboard superpipe, women's ski streetstyle and men's snowboard streetstyle. The women's ski superpipe, originally scheduled for Friday afternoon, was postponed to Sunday morning, March 10.

It was a historic Saturday night in Calgary as the 2023-24 freeski halfpipe World Cup season came to a close at the Winsport Canada Olympic Park. Alex Ferreira concluded his momentous World Cup campaign with his fifth win of the season out of the five World Cups, making history as the first male freeskier to put together a perfect season and took home the Crystal Globe. Teammate Svea Irving grabbed her first World Cup podium with a third-place finish.

Irving found herself in fifth place after run one and looked poised to up her position in the rankings before taking a fall on her final hit on an otherwise flawless run two. Visibly determined to end her season on a high note, the pressure was on as she dropped in for her final run of the season. Irving was seemingly unphased as she linked together an incredibly clean run three, earning her a spot in the nineties club and knocking Canada's own Amy Fraser out of the top three to grab her first career World Cup podium.

“Tonight was unbelievable. I’m so hyped,” said Irving. “I had kinda a rough go at the last comp and fell every single run, so I just put it all out there and am so stoked I was able to get on the podium for the first time.”

Irving’s podium is particularly bittersweet, having returned to competition this season after an unfortunate accident in the backcountry last April left her with a dislocated shoulder, torn bicep tendon, fractured rotator cuff and torn joint capsule. It was an emotional night for the entire team, watching Irving take her first career podium with brother and teammate Birk Irving cheering from the crowd.

Joining Irving on the women’s side were Stifel U.S. Freeski Team teammates Riley Jacobs and Kate Gray, who each put down a solid performance under the lights to finish their World Cup campaigns in fifth place and sixth place respectively. Sierra at Tahoe’s Piper Arnold made her first World Cup finals appearance, finishing the night in eighth place.

Ferreira completed the most dominant season in men’s halfpipe history, going five for five in World Cup victories on the season, a feat that has never been achieved in men’s halfpipe history. Factoring in his win at X Games, Ferreira’s winning streak extends to six competitions throughout the 2023-24 halfpipe season. When asked about continuing his streak at Dew Tour, Ferriera joked, “I mean that’s the goal, I’m gonna do my absolute best and not change anything, I’m just gonna do me.” 

Besides his second Calgary Snow Rodeo halfpipe win of the weekend, Ferreira was also awarded the coveted Crystal Globe, recognizing him as the leader in World Cup points for the FIS halfpipe season. Joining him on the podium for the overall World Cup halfpipe standings was teammate Hunter Hess, who landed on the podium with Ferriera for the majority of the season despite missing out on qualifying for Saturday’s finals in Calgary. 

Stifel U.S. Freeski Team domination continued with the rest of the men’s field of finalists, with Americans taking up 60% of the field of finalists. Dropping in wearing his signature pair of jeans, Olympian Nick Goepper entertained the crowd with an impressive second run that earned him a score in the coveted 90s and landed him in fifth place. Teammate Aaron Blunck continued to show consistency throughout the competition, stringing together all three of his runs and scoring an 89.75 to take home sixth. Dylan Ladd, Tristan Feinberg and Matt Labaugh rounded out the field of Americans, speaking to the depth of the Stifel U.S. Freeski Team in the halfpipe discipline.

With the FIS World Cup freeski halfpipe season done and dusted, the squad will return home for some well-deserved rest and recovery before a few members head to Copper Mountain for the Dew Tour in early March.

RESULTS
Women
Men

It was a night of victory for the Stifel U.S. Freeski Team in the first of two World Cup finals at the Snow Rodeo freeski halfpipe World Cup with Alex Ferreira writing his name in the FIS history books with his fourth straight freeski halfpipe World Cup podium, a new FIS World Cup record. 

Controversial scoring combined with a squirrely second hit that took many riders victim made for an entertaining Thursday night final at the World Cup double header in Calgary. Riley Jacobs was the top performer for the Stifel U.S. Freeski Team women, putting down three solid runs that consistently scored in the high seventies. After sitting in podium position the majority of the night, she was knocked out of the top three by Canada’s own Amy Fraiser, who stepped up under pressure in front of her home crowd and put down a final run worthy of a spot on the podium. Jacobs was joined by teammates Svea Irving and Kate Gray, but both were unable to string together a complete run. China’s Eileen Gu took the top spot on the women’s side, adding to her lead in the overall freeski halfpipe World Cup standings and once again proving why she is dubbed the “Snow Princess.”

On the men’s side, all eyes were on two-time Olympic medalist Ferreira, who repped the yellow bib to signify his top spot in the World Cup overall standings. He continued his dominant season with his fourth win in a row to reset a FIS record. 

“I’m amazed, I didn’t even know that,” joked Ferreira in a post-competition interview. “I’m just so grateful. I have a wonderful team around me. Thank you Calgary for a great atmosphere, what a great city to compete in front of. I’m so thankful.”

Ferreira was joined by teammates Hunter Hess, Dylan Ladd, Birk Irving and Olympic gold medalist David Wise, displaying the dominance of the American men in the halfpipe this World Cup season, with 50% of the field of finalists composed of Stifel U.S. Freeski Team athletes.

Despite falling on his first run, Hess continued his impressive season, scoring in the 90s on his second two runs but ultimately landing in fifth place. Ladd finished the night in seventh with an impressive first run score of 82.25, speaking to the high level of competition in the pipe for the men. Irving and Wise ended the night in eighth and ninth respectively.

The Stifel U.S. Freeski Team has another chance in the halfpipe with the second round of World Cup qualifications in Calgary on Friday morning. The freeski halfpipe season will wrap up Saturday night with the second round of finals at the Snow Rodeo freeski halfpipe World Cup.

RESULTS
Women
Men

After waiting out weather at Mammoth Mountain, the Stifel U.S. Freeski Team athletes finally kicked off their contest on the last day of the Toyota U.S. Grand Prix. Olympic champion Alex Hall took home the win with Olympic silver medalist Colby Stevenson in second place in the men’s event, while Eleanor Andrews was second and Jay Riccomini third in the women’s event.

Moving forward with the contest was due to the hard work of the Mammoth Park Crew. With two feet of snowfall and high wind gusts, the conditions were unsafe and not in the athletes’ favor coming out of X Games. One of the biggest challenges is always the travel; getting from Aspen to Mammoth is always tricky. With only a day or two turnaround, many of these athletes competed battling exhaustion, soreness and anticipation with a schedule constantly changing.

For athletes like Hall and Stevenson, who both scored medals at X Games, the momentum from Aspen carried straight into this year’s Toyota U.S. Grand Prix. Both of these contests bring together the best athletes in the world and they continue to push the boundaries. Hall did a switch Tokyo 270 on pretzel k-fed on first rail, slid the whole down flat down with a backseat pretzel 2, and finished his run with a signature right double cork 10 safety bring back 9. Stevenson did a switch disaster 4 on the dfd into dub 16 lead Japan, into both way switch double 14s on the bottom two jumps, lacing them both.

“It was a really tough week!” said Hall. “We showed up right from X Games so we were pretty smoked… Really stoked for all the homies who laid one down and the skiing was incredible for how tough it was out there. Also huge shoutout to the park crew because it snowed like two feet two days ago and they dug the whole thing out so I don’t even know how the course is standing.”

Mac Forehand also had a solid day, taking fourth place after throwing a switch 4 disaster pretzel 2 on the flat down into 2 on front cork 6, ending his run with double cork 9 lock with mute. 

Rounding out the U.S. men, Konnor Ralph was ninth and Troy Podmilsak 15th.

The women’s qualification round was canceled and they were only able to compete in finals due to weather. With only one round and variable conditions, they need to be extremely consistent.

In her first ever World Cup, Andrews stepped on the podium in second place. She did a front swap pretzel front 2 out of the first rail into switch 270 disaster on the flat down. On the jumps, she did a switch 5 mute into right cork 7 safety into left cork 7 mute, with style. She competes for the Killington Mountain School and is coming out of Youth Olympic Games in Gangwon, South Korea, where she received fifth place in freeski big air last week.

Jay received third place, his second podium in as many events after snagging third in LAAX. He did a switch 2 disaster on the flat down, into a misty 450 out of the cannon rail, ending his run with a cork 7 tail grab, lacing it.

Mathilda Gremaud out of Switzerland finished in first place. Behind the podium, Elaina Krusiewski was sixth and Rell Harwood was eighth.

After podiuming in the last slopestyle, Riccomini sits in second overall in the slopestyle standings with Hall and Forehand tied for first in the overall. It will be a tight race for the Crystal Globe going into the final two slopestyle events of the season.

Eleanor Andrews and Alex Hall both also received a national champion awards for this season.

The next stop for the slope athletes is Calgary for the next World Cup or staying in Mammoth for Revolution Tour. With another incoming storm, hopefully athletes get to celebrate with some storm riding and extra freshies in the meantime.

RESULTS
Women’s slopestyle
Men’s slopestyle