New Zealand’s Luke Harrold honed his skills on the freestyle features at Cardrona Alpine Resort. He had already shown his potential with two World Cup podiums before making his Snow League debut, but it was on The Snow League stage that the young skier made his breakthrough, capturing the Season One freeski championship title.
At freeskiing’s debut at Yunding Snow Park in China on December 4–5, 2025, the then 17-year-old advanced through a stacked field to reach the finals, defeating three-time Olympic medalist David Wise before posting what would become the competition’s highest single-run score, a 92.25, in his semifinal matchup against Olympic medalist Gus Kenworthy. The score secured Harrold’s place in the final against Canada’s Brendan Mackay.
Each athlete put up a winning run, leading to a tiebreaker. Harrold put everything on the line, but ultimately washed out in his run, leaving Mackay to capitalize with a clean run to take the win in China.
Reflecting on the demanding head-to-head format after the event, Harrold said, “I skied seven runs today. That’s like doing three World Cups in one day. The amount of runs is pretty crazy. It’s definitely holding on by the end.”
That loss would prove to be the only one of Harrold’s debut Snow League season. He returned with renewed determination and fitness for the final event at LAAX, Switzerland held March 21-23, 2026, once again advancing through the bracket and setting up a rematch with Mackay, now a freshly-minted Olympic bronze medalist, in the final.
And again, the two took it to a third-run tiebreaker, but this time it was Harrold emerging victorious and earning the first professional win of his career. The victory also secured the inaugural Snow League freeski championship title.
Reflecting on the rematch with Mackay, Harrold had nothing but respect: “There’s no one else I’d want to have that battle with. He’s an amazing guy and skied super amazingly throughout all the events.”
All eyes will be on Harrold and Mackay as their rivalry continues into Season Two, where they’ll face off across three events alongside a deeper field of contenders.
Harrold says he’s excited for the new season. The kiwi, who is completing his final year of school in Wānaka, has continued training throughout the off season at his home resort of Cardrona, where he competed in The Snow League Team Challenge on Team Asia Pacific, finishing second in freeski.
Harrold says he plans to hit the reset button ahead of this season and come into Season Two with “a new lens.”
SEASON ONE WORLD CHAMPIONS
