2020-21 U.S. Freeski Team Announced

Twenty-three pro-level and 15 rookie freeskiers are ready to take on a season that will look different from years past. Ski fans and athletes across the world are ready for snow and the return to competition. The U.S. Freeski Team is prepared to give the people what they want as they take on the world’s best with an all-star roster.

In an unfamiliar world, there will still be familiar faces such as Olympic medalists David Wise, Alex Ferreira, Brita Sigourney, Nick Goepper, Devin Logan, as well as 2020 X Games medalists Alex Hall, Colby Stevenson, and Maggie Voisin. With a hungry group of rookies that continue to push their boundaries, the team dynamic is as strong as ever.

Although training opportunities were challenging to come by due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, there was tremendous success in running training camps at official training sites of Timberline Lodge and Ski Area, Ore., The Stomping Grounds Park in Saas Fee, Switzerland, and Copper Mountain, Colo. this off-season. With last season cut short, these opportunities were critical to get athletes on snow and comfortable ahead of entering the competition environment.

“Our teams are super grateful to have so much solid skiing under our belts from Timberline this summer as well as October on the glaciers in Europe,” said U.S. Freeski and Snowboard Head Coach Mike Jankowski. “We will be starting the competition season off next week back in Stubai, Austria and could not be more excited to get it going. With this being a World Championship season and having the opportunity to compete at the Olympic venues in China, it adds another layer of stoke across the team.”

The U.S. Freeski Team will kick off their season in Stubai, Austria, Nov. 20-21 with the FIS World Cup slopestyle competition. From there, both the slopestyle and halfpipe teams plan to make their way to Copper Mountain, Colo. for training as well as the first domestic World Cup of the season. The 2020-21 Land Rover U.S. Grand Prix is expected to celebrate its 25th anniversary with halfpipe athletes set to compete from Dec. 16-19 at Copper Mountain, Colo. pending local and state approvals. The second annual Visa Big Air presented by Land Rover is also planned for Copper Mountain from Dec.17-19, pending local and state approvals.

From Feb. 3-6, the Land Rover U.S. Grand Prix is set to return to Mammoth Mountain Ski Area, Calif. and the famed Unbound Terrain Parks for slopestyle and halfpipe competition, pending local and state approvals. It’s only fitting that on it’s 25th anniversary, there is something special about the grand prix series. The Grand Prix at Mammoth will serve as the first U.S. Freeski Olympic Tryout Event and provides a pathway towards qualifying for the 2022 U.S. Olympic Freeski Team.

“We are incredibly fortunate to have the opportunity to host events on home soil this season,” said U.S. Freeski and Snowboard Director Jeremy Forster. “We are thankful to our Grand Prix host resorts, Copper Mountain and Mammoth Mountain, for their dedication and commitment in working with numerous stakeholders as we continue to navigate this landscape.”

The U.S. Freeski Team will also head to Zhangjiakou, China Feb. 18-28 for the 2021 FIS Freestyle, Freeski, and Snowboard World Championships. Athletes will have the chance to compete at the site of the 2022 Beijing Winter Games as the pinnacle event of the season. At the 2019 edition of the FIS Freestyle, Freeski, and Snowboard World Championships held in U.S. Ski & Snowboard’s home state of Utah, Aaron Blunck claimed his second consecutive halfpipe title, alumnas Julia Krass earned silver in big air, as well as Nick Goepper and Brita Sigourney taking bronze in slopestyle and halfpipe respectively.

NBC’s new streaming platform, Peacock Premium, will live stream the 2020-21 FIS Freeski World Cup this season. NBC, NBCSN, Olympic Channel: Home of Team USA and NBC Sports’ digital platforms will also air World Cup coverage all season. Freeski broadcast and streaming listings, including the Land Rover U.S. Grand Prix and Visa Big Air, will be available throughout the season at USSkiandSnowboard.org.