Category: WSPL

Recap Absolut Park Spring Battle & FIS Snowboard World Cup Flachau 2025 – March 09^th – 14^th, 2025, Shuttleberg Flachauwinkl/Kleinarl (Austria)

 

“It was a really big week”. The Spring Battle 2025 Slopestyle Awards go to Zoi Sadowski Synnott (NZL) and Liam Brearley (CAN).

 

Two ideologies should come together: The declared mission was to complement the independent elite snowboard competition, which has existed since 2002, with a FIS Snowboard World Cup. The Spring Battle Award Show marked the culmination of a week of high-level freestyle action in Absolut Park. Zoi Sadowski Synnott from New Zealand and Canadian Liam Brearley made the most of the innovative format, winning the Spring Battle with the best slopestyle runs ever performed. Local hero Anna Gasser took third place in slopestyle and also won the Best Rail Trick. It turned out that Spring Battle 2025 awarded the most WSPL points given in a competition in recent years.

 

“What’s important is that the freedom, flexibility, and innovation we have at Absolut Park and at the Spring Battle are preserved as much as possible. That was the premise for the whole project, and we saw that it works,” summarizes Absolut Park founder Seppi Harml. Even in spring weather, the first part of an intense week at Absolut Park was the Spring Battle. Without a thick rulebook, 100 men and 60 women had four competition days to film their best slopestyle run on video. Filmed with follow cams and high-speed drones, the format enabled freestyle snowboarding at the highest level. The demand for absolute perfection was the driving force for the riders, but it also showed the special challenges: “The Spring Battle is really cool, it’s something different, and you can be more creative. At the same time, it’s not that easy, to be honest, because you’re aiming for perfection and performing at the highest level for four days, constantly trying to improve the run. So it’s also a different kind of stress compared to traditional competitions, where you have to perform in a short time. Here, you’re trying to get the best out of your run for four days,” explains Anna Gasser.

 

 

Zoi Sadowski Synnott is also thrilled with the Spring Battle format: “The format is really sick, it’s different compared to the World Cup or X-Games. It took a while to get it going and I knew some of the other girls had already landed some runs. So once I landed, I was pretty hyped. It’s on your terms and you kind of just go how you’re feeling on that day and kind of give it your best, when you are ready, which is super sick.”

 

And how the 24-year-old New Zealander gave her best: With a Frontside Bluntslide 450 on the High Rail, Cab on to Flip off the Cannon Rail, followed by a Frontside 1080 and Backside 1260 to finish off over the two kickers, Zoi Sadowski Synnott clearly won the women’s slopestyle ranking ahead of Mari Fukada (JPN) and Austria’s Anna Gasser. She also now leads the overall snowboard world ranking WSPL with a perfect score of 1000 points.

 

 

The men’s field was also filled with top riders, with 100 participants, including Olympic champions Red Gerard (USA) and Yiming Su (CHN), 24-time X-Games medalist Mark McMorris and his Canadian colleagues Liam Brearley and Cameron Spalding, as well as the strong Japanese team with Taiga Hasegawa and Hiroto Ogiwara. Nobody wanted to miss the spectacle.

 

Liam Brearley landed his submitted run on the second last day and said: “It’s super sick, you have multiple days to film the line, so everyone comes into the contest thinking they have so much time to film a line. You know, it’s pretty chill, and then it ends up being pretty intense trying to get that line. Super sick to see all the creative and different lines go down. It’s an amazing contest and you are having fun riding with everyone, that’s the best part.”

 

With a 270 to 5-0 Stall on the Wallride, a Backside 180 on to the Cannon Rail with a Cab 7 off, followed by a Switch Backside 1440 double grab and a Cab 1800 on the kickers, 22-year-old Liam Brearley showed the hardest run in the Spring Battle setup and took the win. In addition, the Canadian took the lead in the WSPL ranking. Dane Menzies from New Zealand placed second, ahead of Norwegian Oyvind Kirkhus.

 

 

Not only was there the slopestyle competition, but the Spring Battle Best Rail Trick was also held at the custom-built setup right in front of the Chill House. Many of the riders took the opportunity and tried their skills on the rails after their slopestyle runs, while others focused only on that. Both snowboarders and freeskier were judged. Anna Gasser managed a perfect Switch Lipslide Transfer 270 on her first attempt, winning her the title ahead of Paula Benito (ESP) and Laura Zaveska (CZE). “Winning the rail trick is definitely the highlight of the week for me. A lot of people don’t really see me as a rail rider. It’s cool to be up there with the best,” Anna said about her somewhat unexpected success. In the men’s snowboard category, Petr Ershov (RUS) won closely followed by local hero Clemens Millauer.

 

 

During the week at Absolut Park, not only did two snowboard worlds collide, but the weather couldn’t have been more different. After spring during the Spring Battle, winter returned for the FIS Snowboard World Cup Flachau. Snowfall and poor visibility made it impossible to hold the men’s contest, so there was a final result only for the women’s competition. Zoi Sadowski Synnott (NZL) struck again and won the World Cup ahead of Annika Morgan (GER) and Mari Fukada (JPN).

 

The Spring Battle Award Show on Friday evening seamlessly transitioned into the afterparty at the new Dips&Drops Sports Hotel in Flachau, where the beats of scene DJ Stylewarz played throughout the night. 

 

The Spring Battle 2025 is now history, but the 25-year success story of Absolut Park in Flachauwinkl is far from over. To see all the runs and tricks in detail again, it’s best to check out the replay of the Spring Battle Award Show on the Absolut Park YouTube channel.

 

More information and full results: www.absolutpark.com.

 

 

Photo-Credits: Markus Rohrbacher – Absolut Park, Markus Fischer – Absolut Park

The inaugural season spans three continents and takes place in world-class winter sports resorts during 2025-26: Buttermilk Mountain in Aspen Snowmass, USA; LAAX, Switzerland; and Yunding Secret Garden, China.

 

The Snow League, the first professional winter sports league dedicated exclusively to snowboarding and freeskiing, has officially announced the schedule and locations for its debut global contest series. Founded in June 2024 by three-time Olympic halfpipe champion Shaun White, the league aims to redefine competitive winter sports in these iconic ski resorts across three continents.

 

On March 7-8, 2025, 36 world-class halfpipe snowboarders will inaugurate the league at Aspen Snowmass Buttermilk Mountain in Aspen, Colorado, USA. The next stop takes place on December 4-6, 2025, at Yunding Secret Garden, China, the site of the 2022 Olympics, where 16 of the world’s top freeski athletes will join the competition for the remainder of the inaugural season.

 

After the 2026 Winter Olympics, the league will return to Buttermilk Mountain in Aspen from February 26-28, 2026. The season will culminate in the iconic LAAX Halfpipe in Switzerland from March 19-21, 2026, where the first-ever Snow League World Champions will be crowned.

 

Reto Gurtner, Chairman of LAAX, stated: “Innovation and progress are deeply rooted in LAAX’s DNA—both in snowboarding and in how we celebrate and develop freestyle sports and their communities. We are excited to host The Snow League and continue pushing the boundaries together.”

 

 

Shaun White, founder of The Snow League and three-time Olympic halfpipe champion, added: “The Snow League brings to life the kind of global competition format I could only dream of during my career. We’ve assembled the best athletes, and now we are delivering on our promise to hold world-class events in elite resorts. Each stop has been carefully selected to meet the needs of the riders. As for the halfpipes, I’ve had the personal pleasure of riding in all of them over the years.”

 

Sandy Macdonald, Sports Director, emphasized the world-class caliber of these venues: “A true world champion deserves a championship-worthy stage. These resorts feature the best halfpipes in the world, built by the industry’s top shapers. Their commitment to maintaining competition-ready, state-of-the-art facilities sets the standard for excellence—exactly what The Snow League demands.”

 

 

With a record-breaking prize pool of $1.6 million, The Snow League is setting new benchmarks for professional snowboarding and freeskiing competitions. Each event will award $370,000 to the competitors, including a $5,000 participation fee for every athlete, plus an additional $160,000 for The Snow League World Champions.

 

Athletes will earn points at each event based on their contest results. At the end of the season, these points will determine The Snow League World Champions in halfpipe snowboarding and freeskiing.

 

The Snow League Events – Inaugural Season:

Event 1: March 7-8, 2025
Buttermilk Mountain in Aspen Snowmass, USA
Discipline: Snowboard Halfpipe

Event 2: December 4-6, 2025
Yunding Secret Garden, China
Disciplines: Snowboard and Freeski Halfpipe

Event 3: February 26-28, 2026
Buttermilk Mountain in Aspen Snowmass, USA
Disciplines: Snowboard and Freeski Halfpipe

Event 4: March 19-21, 2026
LAAX, Switzerland
Disciplines: Snowboard and Freeski Halfpipe

 

About The Snow League

Founded in June 2024, The Snow League is the first professional winter sports league dedicated exclusively to snowboarding and freeskiing. Established by three-time Olympic halfpipe champion and entrepreneur Shaun White, the league’s inaugural season features a global competition format with four events. The debut event takes place on March 7-8, 2025, at Buttermilk Mountain in Aspen Snowmass, followed by stops at premier winter sports destinations worldwide. In its first season, all four events will feature men’s and women’s snowboard halfpipe competitions. Starting from the second event in late 2025, freeski halfpipe will be introduced and remain an integral part of the league. Athletes accumulate points at each event, with the highest scorers being crowned The Snow League World Champions at the end of the season.

 

For more information, visit www.thesnowleague.com and follow The Snow League on X, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.

 

#TheSnowLeague

 

Photo-Credit: (c) Ruggli, Stadler

 

All eyes are now on the PenkenPark in Mayrhofen. This is where the 3rd Zillertal VÄLLEY RÄLLEY Tourstop hosted by Blue Tomato will take place on 8 and 9 March 2025. With a unique combination of international snowboard slopestyle competitions, coaching sessions and side events, the VÄLLEY RÄLLEY is one of the leading junior series for young snowboarders from all over Europe. A special highlight on Sessions Day is the Blue Tomato presents: Penken FunCross Battle, where everyone can get involved. Registration for the contest and coaching sessions is now open at https://valleyralley.at/.

 

The PenkenPark in Mayrhofen is the ‘home park’ of the Ästhetiker Snowboard Crew. As one of the most popular freestyle parks in the Zillertal, it is also one of the top 5 snow parks in Europe. At the 3rd Zillertal VÄLLEY RÄLLEY tour stop, the programme includes the open snowboard slopestyle competition as well as many side events. On contest day, snowboarders of all ages will be competing on the advanced and medium line. Plenty of medals and prize money await the day’s winners. The best trick will also be rewarded with a prize from Horsefeathers.

 

 

Depending on weather conditions, the competition will take place on Saturday or Sunday, with coaching and Penken FunCross Battle on the other day. The Ästhetiker crew will announce the final schedule by Thursday before the event. On both days, Blue Tomato will be catering for the well-being of all participants in the Riders Lounge with free hot dogs, snacks and drinks. With the third of four contest results, the tension in the VÄLLEY RÄLLEY Overall Ranking will finally rise in Mayrhofen. The overall tour winners will be crowned the new Zillertal VÄLLEY RÄLLEY royal family after the fourth and final tour stop at Hintertux Glacier in the beginning of May. By participating in the Mayrhofen-Hippach holiday region, snowboarders will collect valuable points on the international World Snowboard Point List (WSPL) to qualify for European Cups and World Cups. The tour stop is a recognised ASA (Austrian Snowboard Association) Austria Cup and rookies (U18) are credited points in the World Rookie Ranking. The two leading rookies in the Overall VÄLLEY RÄLLEY Ranking each win a WildCard for the World Rookie Finals.

 

Further information on the international points system can be found at http://www.powdern.com.

More about the event: https://valleyralley.at/

 

 

Photo-Credit: (c) Gustav Hersmann

 

 

 

 

 

Absolut Park website.

 

Photo-Credits: (c) Markus Fischer

 

 

Photo-Credit: (c) Playground Westendorf

The 2nd Zillertal VÄLLEY RÄLLEY Tourstop hosted by Blue Tomato is scheduled for 25 and 26 January 2025 at the Actionpark Kreuzwiese in the Zillertal Arena near Zell am Ziller. With its unique combination of internationally recognised snowboard competitions and many side events, the VÄLLEY RÄLLEY has grown into one of the most important junior tours for up-and-coming snowboarders from all over Europe in the last decade. 

 

The Uniqueparks team around park designer Manfred Brandacher has once again done a great job and conjured up a versatile setup in the Actionpark Kreuzwiese in the Zillertal Arena. The park is already open and freestyle enthusiasts can hone their tricks every Tuesday from 11.00 am at the free coaching sessions with the Ästhetiker Shred School. On 25 and 26 January, the Actionpark Kreuzwiese will be the venue for the 2nd Zillertal VÄLLEY RÄLLEY Tourstop 2024/2025. The organisers of the snowboard club ‘die Ästhetiker’ will announce the day of the competition and when the free coaching and style sessions will take place on the Thursday before the event. Plenty of medals, prize money and prizes await the day’s winners in all 8 categories, while the best trick from Horsefeathers will be honoured with an additional award. Participants can also win vouchers from Blue Tomato at the Social Media Awards by presenting their best videos from the VÄLLEY RÄLLEY weekend.

 

 

With the second of four contest results, the cards will be reshuffled in the Zillertal Arena. The snowboarders will receive new points in the overall ranking for their participation. The overall tour winners will be crowned the new Zillertal VÄLLEY RÄLLEY royal family after the fourth and final tour stop at the Hintertux Glacier at the beginning of May. Points on the international World Snowboard Point List (WSPL) will also be awarded for participation in the amateur level competitions of the World Snowboard Federation. The tour stop in Zell am Ziller is a recognised ASA (Austrian Snowboard Association) Austria Cup and rookies (U18) collect points in the World Rookie Ranking.

 

Further information at www.valleyralley.at.

Photo-Credits: (c) Gustav Hersmann

What a freestyle festival! The 10th edition of the LAAX OPEN (Jan. 14 – 18) culminated in brilliant final days. Thrilling live music acts alternated between breathtaking tricks in the park and pipe. Three new and three proven champions raised their trophies in the clear air at Crap Sogn Gion.

 

In Snowboarding, the pipe queen is and remains Chloe Kim, who won the LAAX OPEN for the fifth time, followed by Scotty James, who has four victories at the night finals in the superpipe. The young snowboard slopestyle riders Mia Brookes and Cameron Spalding took the coveted LAAX OPEN titles for the first time. All of them pocketed the lion’s share of the CHF 210,000 prize money.

 

However, the biggest winner was freestyle. Freestyle culture, which has been lived and celebrated in LAAX for over 30 years and at the 10th LAAX OPEN presented by Zalando. The (social) media world is full of it and the celebratory mood and enthusiasm of the thousands of spectators is like an endless flower, blossoming each time they think of the LAAX OPEN 2025 experience.

 

Watch the Wrap Up Edit.

 

 

RECAP HALFPIPE: 

 

Chloe Kim and Scotty James win again the LAAX OPEN Halfpipe Titles

 

Style, style, style — rules at the jaw-dropping night final, flabbergasting a 12,000-strong crowd of spectators and raising the roof! All on the Crap Sogn Gion above LAAX. Spotlights on the world’s 20 best halfpipe riders and 70.000 CHF prizemoney FIS Snowboard World Cup.

 

2017, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2025 — Chloe Kim, the American 24-year-old grande dame of the halfpipe who has won everything there is to win, awes without exception and takes her fifth LAAX OPEN title with her first run, scoring 96.50 points. “I’ve been coming here since I was 9 years old, to be back in 2025 and take home the win feels really special. The progression of the sport and to be part of it means everything to me.”

 

Behind her, US team-mate 24-year-old Maddie Mastro finishes in second place, making snowboarding history as the first woman to land two double corks in one run. Booyah! The Korean 16-year-old Gaon Choi secures third place and stands on the LAAX podium for the first time. Defending champion Mitsuki Ono misses out on the podium in fourth place.

 

2019, 2020, 2024, 2025 — Australian Scotty James shows nerves of steel in the men’s event. “The atmosphere here in LAAX is always unmatched, the crowd is incredible and the pipe is always phenomenal.” The 30-year-old halfpipe veteran dazzles on an incredible second run with a cab triple cork 1440 frontside grab, for which he scores 95.75 points and righteously beams from the podium as the winner for the fourth time. As so often before, his main rivals are the forces-to-be-reckoned-with Japanese Ruka Hirano just behind him in second place, and compatriot Ayumu Hirano, 2022 Olympic champion and two-time LAAX OPEN winner (2016, 2022) completing the top three.

 

 

RECAP SLOPESTYLE

 

Mia Brookes & Cameron Spalding are the champions

 

Mia Brookes and Cameron Spalding are the LAAX OPEN 2025 Slopestyle champions at the FIS Snowboard World Cup in Laax, pocketing the lion’s share of the CHF 70,000 prize money.

 

What a birthday present: Mia Brookes wins the prestigious LAAX OPEN in slopestyle! Accompanied by the roaring applause of thousands of spectators along the course and in front of a unique 360° mountain panorama, she scoops her first LAAX OPEN title and as the youngest ever.

 

Olympic champion Zoi Sadowsky-Synnott jumps into second place, Japan’s Kokomo Murase secures third place with just under a point ahead of Anna Gasser, who finishes just off the podium in LAAX for the first time in years.

 

Cameron Spalding also wins the men’s event for the first time. After third place last year, he is at the top in 2025. The winner’s picture is completed by 2018 Olympic champion Red Gerard (USA) in second place and Noah Vicktor from Team Germany, who, for the first time, finishes in the top three at a World Cup. “The course is awesome. I love LAAX, every year. It’s a course that’s anything but basic. The Snowpark LAAX crew always give it their special touch. It’s fantastic.” A top result for Jonas Hasler (5^th/SUI).

 

Mia Brookes lives temporarily in Laax, is a LAAX rider and a snowboarder through and through. The victory in Laax is a dream result for both the young Brit and the organisers. Olympian Zoi Sydowski-Synnott compliments Mia Brookes, who turns 18 on Sunday: “Mia is on fire right now, riding so smooth and stylish.”

 

Results, news and livestream are available at laax.com/open.

 

Photo-Credits: (c) Stadler, Lämmerhirt