The competition will feature 16 Snow League athletes divided across four teams: Team North America, Team Europe, Team Asia-Pacific and Team Challengers, the latter showcasing emerging next-generation talent from around the world. Each team will feature one male and one female snowboarder, plus one male and one female freeski athlete.
Rather than competing for individual Snow League standings, athletes will join forces for national and regional bragging rights, adding a completely different dynamic to halfpipe competition. Teams will go head-to-head across men’s and women’s snowboard and freeski disciplines, accumulating points toward the overall World Challenge title.
There’s also a twist designed to reward creativity. Semifinal runs will feature a 720-degree spin cap, encouraging athletes to lean into style, amplitude and originality rather than simply chasing increasingly technical rotations. The restrictions come off for the finals, where competitors can unleash their full progression and biggest tricks.
The result promises to be a fast-paced showcase of both established and emerging talent, with Olympians, World Cup stars and rising names from North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific descending on Cardrona to battle for the first-ever Snow League World Challenge crown.
Athlete Lineup
Team North America
- Women’s Snowboard: Brooke D’Hondt (CAN)
- Men’s Snowboard: Jake Pates (USA)
- Women’s Freeski: Amy Fraser (CAN)
- Men’s Freeski: Hunter Hess (USA)
Team Europe
- Women’s Snowboard: Queralt Castellet (ESP)
- Men’s Snowboard: Jonas Hasler (SUI)
- Women’s Freeski: Kelly Sildaru (EST)
- Men’s Freeski: Jon Sallinen (FIN)
Team Asia-Pacific
- Women’s Snowboard: Gaon Choi (KOR)
- Men’s Snowboard: Cam Melville Ives (NZL)
- Women’s Freeski: Indra Brown (AUS)
- Men’s Freeski: Luke Harrold (NZL)
Team Challengers
- Women’s Snowboard: Sara Shimizu (JPN)
- Men’s Snowboard: Ryusei Yamada (JPN)
- Women’s Freeski: Mischa Thomas (NZL)
- Men’s Freeski: Fin Melville Ives (NZL)
Snow League Schedule
The Snow League World Challenge is bringing more than just world-class halfpipe action to New Zealand, with a week of competition, mountain challenges and fan experiences unfolding across Queenstown, Wānaka and Cardrona.
The action begins on Thursday, September 17, with the Teamwork Challenge presented by Ares at Treble Cone. In a departure from traditional competition, teams will swap judged runs for cameras as they take on a creative, athlete-led challenge to capture their best moment on the mountain using self-shot footage.
With guidance from some of New Zealand’s most celebrated winter athletes, each team will create and present their clip that evening at a special draw ceremony at Rippon Vineyard. The athletes themselves will vote for the winning team — and there’s more than bragging rights on the line. The result will determine the competition bracket and give the winners a strategic advantage heading into the main event.
Friday, Sept. 18
Open Athlete Halfpipe Practice: 9:00 am – 12:00 pm local time at Cardrona Alpine Resort
Mini-Pipe Challenge featuring Shaun White, Snow League athletes, local young skiers and riders: 1:00 pm – 3:30 pm local time at Cardrona Alpine Resort
Saturday, Sept. 19
The Snow League World Challenge: 9:30 am – 1:30 pm at Cardrona Alpine Resort
Awards Ceremony & Apres Set: 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm at the Base Area Plaza
