Shaun White’s new halfpipe competition, known as the Snow League, is set to kick off next week in Aspen, Colorado, and will soon make its way to China, where White concluded his illustrious career at the 2022 Beijing Olympics.
On Monday, the Snow League revealed its full schedule for the inaugural season, which includes a December event at the Secret Garden snowpark in Zhangjiakou, China’s Olympic venue. Following the second stop, the league will return to Aspen in February 2026, culminating with a season finale set for Laax, Switzerland, after the upcoming Milan-Cortina Olympics.
The opening event is slated for March 7-8 at Buttermilk, just outside Aspen. White’s last appearance in competition was at the Secret Garden, where the three-time Olympic gold medalist finished in fourth place during an emotionally charged halfpipe event at his fifth Olympics.
Upon retiring, White sought to establish a league that connects the world’s top riders in a sport that has historically lacked a structured competition circuit and sufficient prize money at major events.
The Snow League has announced a significant prize pool of $1.6 million, offering $370,000 for each individual event and an additional $160,000 awarded to the league champions after all competitions.
Among the 16 competitors invited to next week’s event is defending Olympic champion Ayumu Hirano, along with his younger brother, Kaishu. Also participating will be Ruka Hirano, the second-ranked rider, alongside American competitors Chase Josey and Chase Blackwell.
In the women’s category, Olympic silver and bronze medalists Queralt Castellet and Sena Tomita are confirmed participants, along with fellow Americans Maddie Mastro and Maddy Schaffrick.
A distinctive feature of the league’s finals includes a head-to-head, best-of-three bracket-style format, where riders will take their first two runs dropping in from both sides of the halfpipe.
Freeskiing will also be incorporated into The Snow League, starting with the event in China, although specific participant names have yet to be announced for these competitions.
Eileen Gu made headlines at the Beijing Olympics, winning medals across all three freeskiing disciplines, including gold in the halfpipe and Big Air, along with a silver in slopestyle.
Shaun White’s upcoming league to visit Aspen and the Chinese mountain where he wrapped up his professional career.
