New Zealand’s top halfpipe athletes to compete alongside international stars as The Snow League comes to Cardrona Alpine Resort on September 18 – 19, 2026
NEW YORK, NY – (August 11, 2026) – The Snow League is gearing up to bring the world’s top halfpipe snowboarders and freeskiers to Cardrona Alpine Resort, New Zealand this September, with an elite international field headlined by a strong contingent of New Zealand athletes competing on their home snow.
Season Two will begin with the inaugural Snow League World Challenge at Cardrona, a first-of-its-kind international event which will bring together top halfpipe athletes from around the world.
The event will feature 16 Snow League athletes representing four teams: Team North America, Team Europe, Team Asia-Pacific, and Team Challengers – emerging next-generation talent from multiple regions – with each team represented by one male and female snowboarder, alongside one male and female freeski athlete.
This first-ever, team-based format highlights the global depth of snowboarding and freeskiing while creating a new competitive dynamic separate from the league’s individual season standings. Teams will compete across men’s and women’s snowboard and freeski disciplines in a fast-paced head-to-head format. The unique competition features creative semifinal rounds with a 720-degree spin cap before opening the finals to full progression, with team points accumulated to crown the inaugural Snow League World Challenge champions.
The international roster spans four teams representing North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific and the Challengers, bringing together Olympians, World Cup competitors and rising stars from across the globe:
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)
Fans are invited to experience The Snow League action throughout the weekend, with opportunities to watch athletes train, participate in fan experiences and witness world-class competition:
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
The Snow League World Challenge will deliver an action-packed week of competition and fan experiences across Queenstown, Wānaka and Cardrona, bringing together the world’s best snowboarders and freeskiers for a unique international team event.
Competition officially gets underway on Thursday, September 17, with the Teamwork Challenge presented by Ares at Treble Cone in Wānaka, where teams will take on a creative, athlete-led content challenge, capturing their best moment on the mountain using self-shot footage. Guided by some of New Zealand’s most celebrated winter athletes, teams will present their clips that evening at a special draw ceremony at Rippon Vineyard, where competitors will vote for the winning team. In addition to bragging rights, the result will determine the competition bracket and provide a strategic advantage heading into Saturday’s World Challenge.
The headline event takes place on Saturday, September 19, at Cardrona Alpine Resort’s world-class 22-foot halfpipe. The celebrations continue after the event with an awards ceremony and live entertainment on the mountain.
“We’re thrilled to bring The Snow League to New Zealand for the inaugural Snow League World Challenge,” says Omer Atesmen, CEO of The Snow League. “New Zealand has a deep connection to snow sports, a passionate winter sports community, and a long history of producing world-class athletes, making it the perfect setting for this event. Beyond the competition, we’re looking forward to welcoming fans of all ages to experience an unforgettable weekend which celebrates the sports, connects communities and showcases the next chapter of The Snow League’s global growth.”
The Snow League World Challenge is proudly supported by the New Zealand Government.
“Cardrona provides a spectacular backdrop for world-class competition, and hosting this event reinforces New Zealand’s reputation as a premier snow sports nation. The event will showcase our spectacular alpine landscapes, celebrate sporting excellence, and strengthen New Zealand’s brand as a destination for world-class winter experiences,” says Tourism and Hospitality Minister Louise Upston.
The New Zealand event will stream live on The Snow League’s YouTube channel on Friday, September 18 beginning at 5:30 pm ET (Saturday, September 19 at 9:30 am NZST) followed by a one-hour encore presentation on Sunday, December 27, 2026 at 2:00 pm ET on NBC.
Following the World Challenge, which serves as the league’s preseason competition, The Snow League regular season slate begins with three marquee events across Aspen, Park City, and LAAX. The season opens at Buttermilk at Aspen Snowmass, a cornerstone venue for the league now entering its third consecutive winter as host, on January 7–9, 2027. Competition then moves to Park City Mountain on January 21–23, 2027, as the iconic resort joins the schedule as a new host venue. The largest ski resort in the United States and venue for the Utah 2034 Winter Olympics, Park City Mountain will debut an upgraded 22-foot halfpipe for the competition, raising the bar from its traditional 18-foot build. It marks the first time a halfpipe of that size will exist at Park City Mountain since the 2019 FIS World Championships. The season concludes in LAAX, Switzerland, on March 11–13, where the 2027 Snow League World Champions will be crowned.
Founded by three-time Olympic gold medalist Shaun White, The Snow League has quickly established itself as the premier global platform for snowboarding and freeskiing. Its head-to-head format, season-long standings, athlete-first approach, and emphasis on progression and performance have reimagined competitive halfpipe events.
ABOUT THE SNOW LEAGUE
The Snow League is the first professional winter sports league dedicated exclusively to snowboard and freeski halfpipe competition. Founded by three-time Olympic gold medalist Shaun White, the league brings together the world’s top athletes through a global, season-long competition format designed to elevate progression, storytelling, and fan experience. Season One featured four events across Aspen, China, and LAAX, with athletes competing for a $2.2 million purse and the inaugural Snow League World Championship titles. The league crowned its first-ever champions in 2026: snowboarders Sena Tomita and Yuto Totsuka, and freeskiers Eileen Gu and Luke Harrold.
The Snow League continues to expand its global footprint in Season Two, while building a year-round competition circuit and progression pathway for the next generation of snowboarders and freeskiers.
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