Latest news with #SnowLeague
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Colorado Ski Resorts Report Third-Busiest Season on Record
Colorado's 2024-2025 ski season was the third busiest on record, with a projected 13.8 million skier visits, according to a preliminary report from Colorado Ski Country USA (CSCUSA).This number, the ski resort industry trade association said in a press release, 'highlights the ongoing enthusiasm for skiing and snowboarding in Colorado.''This season brought a little bit of everything, starting off strong with solid snowfall in November, followed by weather variability mid-season and a snowy spring that kept many ski areas open well into May,' said CSCUSA President and CEO Melanie Mills, in the press release.'Our member resorts did a great job of adapting to changing conditions while offering a welcoming and enjoyable experience for a broad range of visitors,' she noted several event highlights that took place last winter, generating buzz on Colorado's Snowmass hosted the inaugural Snow League, a halfpipe competition and brainchild of Olympian Shaun White. Arapahoe Basin saw two stops of the International Freeskiers and Snowboarders Association (IFSA) Challenger Tour, where skiers competed for a ticket to the Freeride World Tour (FWT). Copper Mountain welcomed X Games Street Style and the USASA National to keep up with the best stories and photos in skiing? Subscribe to the new Powder To The People newsletter for weekly updates. Infrastructure and operational developments drew attention, too. Eldora opened its new Caribou Lodge. The multi-use facility houses Ignite Adaptive Sports, an organization that helps people with disabilities participate in snow sports. Ski Cooper made affordability a priority, launching $45 midweek lift tickets in a market where lift tickets oftentimes cost five times that. 'Across our member resorts, we saw people carving their first turns, reconnecting with annual traditions, and finding their place on the slopes,' said Mills. 'In a chaotic world, skiing remains a meaningful touchstone for so many.'Notably, one ski resort in Colorado, Arapahoe Basin, remains open for the 2024-2025 announcement from CSCUSA follows a nationwide assessment from the National Ski Areas Association (NSAA), which found that, based on preliminary data, the 2024-2025 ski season was the second busiest on record across the Ski Resorts Report Third-Busiest Season on Record first appeared on Powder on Jun 6, 2025
Yahoo
27-03-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Olympic champion Shaun White is taking a new approach to winter sports – here's how to watch
Three-time Olympic gold medalist Shaun White is bringing a new and exciting twist to the world of winter sports with The Snow League — the first professional winter sports league focused exclusively on snowboarding and freeskiing. The inaugural season kicked off earlier in March in Aspen, Colorado, with a star-studded lineup, featuring 36 of the world's top winter sports athletes, including two-time Olympians Yuto Totsuka (Japan) and Maddie Mastro (United States), reigning Olympic halfpipe champion Ayumu Hirano (Japan), 2022 Olympic bronze medalist Sena Tomita (Japan) and more. This event marked the first of four to take place in China, Aspen, and Switzerland over the next year. If you missed the action or just want to relive the rush and thrill of every skill, NBC's got you covered with an encore presentation of the first Snow League competition. Live coverage begins Saturday at 1 PM ET. See below for details on how to watch the event and the full season schedule for Shaun White's Snow League. How to watch Shaun White's Snow League: When: Saturday, March 29 Where: Aspen, Colorado Time: 1:00 PM ET TV Channel: NBC What is the Snow League? The Snow League is the first professional winter sports league entirely dedicated to snowboarding and freeskiing. In its inaugural season, the league will feature a four-event global competition format, with the inaugural competition kicking off at Aspen Snowmass' Buttermilk Mountain in March 2025, and continuing at top winter resorts worldwide. Advertisement The first season will feature men's and women's snowboard halfpipe competitions at all four events. Freeskiing will be introduced during the league's second event in late 2025, and will be included in all future events. Athletes will compete to accumulate points based on their results from each event to be tallied together at the end of the season to crown The Snow League World Champion. PressBox - Snow League The Snow League, founded by Shaun White, to debut on NBC Sports, Peacock The Snow League is a series of competitions for snowboarders and freeskiers. 2025 Snow League Schedule: Event 1: Snowboard Halfpipe - March 7-8 -Aspen, Colorado Event 2 : Snowboard and Freeski Halfpipe - December 4-6, 2025 - Yunding Secret Garden Resort, China Event 3 : Snowboard and Freeski Halfpipe - February 26-28, 2026 - Aspen, Colorado Event 4: Snowboard and Freeski Halfpipe - March 19-2, 2026 - LAAX, Switzerland How can I watch snow sports on Peacock Sign up here to watch all of our live sports, sports shows, documentaries, classic matches, and more. You'll also get tons of hit movies and TV shows, Originals, news, 24/7 channels, and current NBC & Bravo hits—Peacock is here for whatever you're in the mood for. What devices does Peacock support? You can enjoy Peacock on a variety of devices. View the full list of supported devices here . Follow the latest news and storylines leading up to the 2026 Winter Olympics on OlympicTalk!
NBC Sports
27-03-2025
- Sport
- NBC Sports
Olympic champion Shaun White is taking a new approach to winter sports – here's how to watch
Three-time Olympic gold medalist Shaun White is bringing a new and exciting twist to the world of winter sports with The Snow League — the first professional winter sports league focused exclusively on snowboarding and freeskiing. The inaugural season kicked off earlier in March in Aspen, Colorado, with a star-studded lineup, featuring 36 of the world's top winter sports athletes, including two-time Olympians Yuto Totsuka (Japan) and Maddie Mastro (United States), reigning Olympic halfpipe champion Ayumu Hirano (Japan), 2022 Olympic bronze medalist Sena Tomita (Japan) and more. This event marked the first of four to take place in China, Aspen, and Switzerland over the next year. If you missed the action or just want to relive the rush and thrill of every skill, NBC's got you covered with an encore presentation of the first Snow League competition. Live coverage begins Saturday at 1 PM ET. See below for details on how to watch the event and the full season schedule for Shaun White's Snow League. How to watch Shaun White's Snow League: When: Saturday, March 29 Where: Aspen, Colorado Time: 1:00 PM ET TV Channel: NBC What is the Snow League? The Snow League is going global‼️ 🌏 Season one dates and locations are locked — We're headed to the best halfpipes in the world, with the best athletes in the world. Season 1 Info: The Snow League is the first professional winter sports league entirely dedicated to snowboarding and freeskiing. In its inaugural season, the league will feature a four-event global competition format, with the inaugural competition kicking off at Aspen Snowmass' Buttermilk Mountain in March 2025, and continuing at top winter resorts worldwide. The first season will feature men's and women's snowboard halfpipe competitions at all four events. Freeskiing will be introduced during the league's second event in late 2025, and will be included in all future events. Athletes will compete to accumulate points based on their results from each event to be tallied together at the end of the season to crown The Snow League World Champion. Nick Zaccardi, 2025 Snow League Schedule: Event 1: Snowboard Halfpipe - March 7-8 -Aspen, Colorado Event 2: Snowboard and Freeski Halfpipe - December 4-6, 2025 - Yunding Secret Garden Resort, China Event 3: Snowboard and Freeski Halfpipe - February 26-28, 2026 - Aspen, Colorado Event 4: Snowboard and Freeski Halfpipe - March 19-2, 2026 - LAAX, Switzerland How can I watch snow sports on Peacock? Sign up here to watch all of our live sports, sports shows, documentaries, classic matches, and more. You'll also get tons of hit movies and TV shows, Originals, news, 24/7 channels, and current NBC & Bravo hits—Peacock is here for whatever you're in the mood for. What devices does Peacock support? You can enjoy Peacock on a variety of devices. View the full list of supported devices here. Follow the latest news and storylines leading up to the 2026 Winter Olympics on OlympicTalk!
Yahoo
11-03-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Monster Energy's Ayumu Hirano and Gaon Choi Claim Podium Spots at the Inaugural Snow League Competition in Aspen Snowmass
26-Year-Old Hirano from Japan Takes 3rd Place in Men's Snowboard Halfpipe 16-Year-Old Choi from South Korea Claims 3rd Place in Women's Snowboard Halfpipe ASPEN, Colo., March 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Monster Energy congratulates Ayumu Hirano on taking third place in Men's Snowboard Halfpipe at the Snow League competition in Aspen Snowmass. In the snowboard contest hosted by snow sports icon Shaun White, the 26-year-old from Murakami, Japan, claimed a podium spot in an elite field of invited riders. Also rising to the podium, 16-year-old Gaon Choi from Seoul, South Korea, took third place in the Women's Snowboard Halfpipe competition. From March 7-8, Buttermilk Resort hosted the first installment of the new Snow League snowboard halfpipe contest series created by snowboard icon Shaun White. For two action-packed days, the event featured 36 riders from across the globe battling for the top spots and tour points in a global ranking system. Contested on the Superpipe on Buttermilk Mountain, the competition was broadcast in 90 countries. Fans tuning in across the United States could follow the event live on Peacock via NBC Sports. In the Men's Halfpipe final, Ayumu Hirano competed in a field of eight finalists from Friday's qualifiers. The finals pitted athlete against athlete in a best two of three run, head-to-head format. According to Snow League rules, each athlete must drop into both the right and left-hand walls of the halfpipe in their first two runs. The first athlete to win two runs will advance to the next round, and ultimately, the rider that wins each of their head-to-head matchups claims the win. In the battle for third place, Hirano faced American Alessandro Barbieri. Hirano put down a perfect run featuring his signature frontside triple cork 1440, Cab 1440, huge method crippler, and backside 1260 and frontside double cork 1080 to claim third place. The Women's Halfpipe final saw Gaon Choi claim her podium spot in the battle for third place against Ono Mitsuki from Japan. Standout tricks, including switch backside 900 Weddle, Cab 720, and frontside 1080 earned Choi the upper hand in the head-to-head battle for third place. What's next? Additional Snow League events will be contested at China's Secret Garden (4-6 December 2025), Aspen (26-28 February 2026), and Switzerland (19-21 March 2026). At the end of the season, rankings will determine the first Snow League World Champion. Stay tuned! For more on Ayumu Hirano, Gaon Choi, and the Monster Energy snow sports team, visit Follow Monster Energy on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, X, and TikTok for exclusive updates from the 2025 snow sports season. For interview or photo requests, contact Kim Dresser C: (949) 300-5546 E: About Monster Energy Based in Corona, California, Monster Energy is the leading marketer of energy drinks and alternative beverages. Refusing to acknowledge the traditional, Monster Energy supports the scene and sport. Whether motocross, off-road, NASCAR, MMA, BMX, surf, snowboard, ski, skateboard, or the rock and roll lifestyle, Monster Energy is a brand that believes in authenticity and the core of what its athletes and musicians represent. More than a drink, it's the way of life lived by athletes, bands, believers, and fans. See more about Monster Energy including all of its drinks at Download Photos for Editorial Use View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Monster Energy
Associated Press
09-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Associated Press
Sena Tomita and Yuto Totsuka Take Historic First Wins at The Snow League's Debut at Aspen Snowmass
Sena Tomita (JPN) and Yuto Totsuka (JPN) made history by winning The Snow League's inaugural event at Buttermilk at Aspen Snowmass in the women's and men's snowboarding halfpipe competition. Each earned a first-place prize of $50,000 out of a total prize purse of $370,000 for the event. Tomita and Totsuka took the lead in the Snow League World Championship Standings, claiming 100 points each, with three events remaining in Season One. In addition to the dramatic action in the halfpipe, The Snow League's inaugural event was highlighted by a surprise performance from Sofi Tukker, who took the stage for an energetic halftime performance. The star-studded crowd, including Nina Dobrev, J Balvin, Miles and Keleigh Teller, Julianne Hough, and Pom Klementieff, then watched Big Boi take the stage to close out the first-ever Snow League in style, with athletes, fans, and the Aspen vibe squad joining together to dance the afternoon away. The Snow League founder, Shaun White, reveled in seeing his vision come to life. White, who was on stage with the athletes to present the inaugural Snow League trophies, designed by Tiffany & Co., said, 'I've never been so excited for a competition. There was so much drama, so much excitement,' he beamed. 'I don't know when I've been this excited for a competition—as a spectator watching the sport I love, it's been so amazing to see.' Today's event at Buttermilk in Aspen, Colorado showcased a completely reimagined halfpipe finals format with eight men and eight women athletes pitted in head-to-head battles. The women's final saw a dramatic back-and-forth contest between the top athlete from qualifying, Maddie Mastro (USA) and Tomita. Each claimed a winning run in the best of three run format—first Tomita and then Mastro. This led to a third and final run, where Tomita rose to the challenge, overtaking Mastro by a mere 0.5 points to win. Tomita's final run saw her throw a huge 12-foot frontside 1080 tailgrab, into a switch frontside 720, linking up a pair of 540s, finishing strong with a frontside 900 melon grab, and a final Method. Speaking through a Japanese translator, Tomita shared, 'I'm so happy to win the inaugural Snow League event—this feels like the start of something big!' When asked what the victory meant to her, she said, 'It's hard to put into words, but this is so awesome!' The 25-year-old was emotional, revealing that it had been a challenging season leading up to the event. Despite the nerves, she delivered when it mattered, claiming the win in front of a cheering crowd in Aspen. In the third-place matchup, it was 16-year-old Gaon Choi (KOR) claiming the win—Choi had shown a fierce competitiveness earlier in the day, going back-and-forth with Tomita in the semifinals before falling to her in the third run. In her head-to-head battle with Mitsuki Ono (JPN), Choi won both of the first two runs to take third place, with Ono finishing in fourth. In the men's semifinals, a showdown of a trio of Japanese stars and a rising American battled it out for the top spots on the podium. Ayumu Hirano (JPN), the top qualifier coming into the finals, was relegated to the third-place matchup after losing an exciting semifinal battle against Totsuka. In the other semifinal, 16-year-old Alessandro Barbieri (USA) lost out to Ruka Hirano (JPN), with the Japanese star winning the first two runs to claim victory. The final featured Totsuka (JPN) going against Ruka Hirano in a matchup that saw both athletes put down immaculate first runs, with Totsuka edging out Hirano. It was in the second run that Totsuka soundly defeated Hirano, posting the highest men's run score of the day at 96.5. Totsuka dropped in on the right side, firing into a nearly 13-foot switch backside double cork 1080 Japan, into a backside 900 mute, and linking up back-to-back 1440s, going frontside triple cork 1440 Indy into a switch frontside triple cork 1440 Indy that had the crowd go wild. Speaking in his native Japanese, Totsuka said through an interpreter, 'To win [the Snow League] in these conditions was incredible.' When asked what it was like to be the winner of the first-ever Snow League event, Totsuka said it was an incredible feeling, and the fact that the legend, Shaun White, had created this event and to be able to win it was so much fun. Ayumu Hirano faced the young Team USA athlete Alessandro Barbieri in the third-place matchup, who, in a valiant attempt to beat Hirano, put together a run that he had never stomped before. Barbieri said, 'Just landing that run was enough for me to throw everything [he threw his helmet and snowboard in excitement]. Even if I didn't win the round, I was still buzzing from it.' Hirano answered back to beat Barbieri in both runs to take third place on the podium. Beyond the prestige of a podium finish, today's Snow League Finals Day presented athletes with a high-stakes opportunity to earn a share of the groundbreaking $1.6 million purse spread across the four snowboarding events. Competitors vied not only for the inaugural Snow League title and critical World Championship Standings points but also a share of the $370,000 prize purse in Aspen, divided equally between genders. Men and women's podium finishers earned $50,000 for first, $20,000 for second, and $10,000 for third. All finalists earn prize money, with $5,000 for fourth and $2,500 each for fifth through eighth. Additionally, each of the 36 athletes receives a $5,000 appearance fee, further reflecting The Snow League's commitment to advancing snowboarding competition. The first event of The Snow League in Aspen Snowmass set the bar for the remainder of a groundbreaking first season of competition. Up next will be Event Two at Yunding Secret Garden in China, to be held December 4–6, 2025. The stars of snowboarding will face off again to earn points and challenge for the top spot in the Snow League World Championship Standings. Additionally, Freeskiing will make its debut as the ski athletes are set to join the snowboarders in China, as the future of winter sports competition expands to a new discipline. Fans can enjoy on-demand replays of the inaugural Snow League event in Aspen available on Peacock and are also invited to watch the Encore Presentation of Event One of The Snow League on the NBC network in the United States on Saturday, March 29 at 1:00 p.m. ET and on Warner Bros. Discovery's linear channels in Europe on Tuesday, March 25, at 8:00 p.m. CET. About The Snow League Launched in June 2024, The Snow League is the first professional winter sports league dedicated to snowboarding and freeskiing. Founded by three-time Olympic gold medalist and entrepreneur Shaun White, Season One features a four-event global format boasting a $1.6 million prize purse, with athletes competing to earn points to determine the overall champions. The season kicks off at Buttermilk in Aspen Snowmass (March 7–8, 2025) and then moves to Yund and Secret Garden, China (Dec. 4–6, 2025), where 16 of the world's top freeskiers will join the roster at the Beijing 2022 Olympic venue. The League returns to Aspen (Feb. 26–28, 2026) and concludes at LAAX, Switzerland (March 19–21, 2026), where the first-ever Snow League World Champions will be crowned. The Snow League is powered by its sponsors, including the three Founding Partners, Marriott Bonvoy, INEOS Automotive and Pacifico®, which are joined in the Snow League family by Hublot and Tiffany & Co. Famous Last Words PR [email protected] Fast Alpine Coast Communications [email protected] Taub SOURCE: The Snow League Copyright Business Wire 2025. PUB: 03/09/2025 06:08 AM/DISC: 03/09/2025 06:07 AM
