The Best Moments from the Copper Superpipe Showdown
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The 22nd-foot walls of the Copper Mountain superpipe hosted the 2025 Toyota U.S. Grand Prix this past weekend and the world’s best freeskiers and snowboarders battled flat light and stiff winds. With the 2026 Milano Cortina Olympics on the horizon, the pressure was at an all-time high.
Ferreira’s Dominant Three-Peat
In men’s freeski, Alex Ferreira continued his tear through the competitive circuit, securing his third victory at Copper Mountain. Ferreira locked in the win on his second run, stomping a switch double cork 1080 into a double cork 1260 and finishing with a massive right-side double cork 1260 for a score of 91.50. This win extends his historic World Cup podium streak to 12 consecutive events. Teammate Hunter Hess followed closely in second with an 89.00, solidifying his position as a top Olympic hopeful.
Snowboard Standouts and Comeback Stories
The snowboard halfpipe saw 17-year-old Gaon Choi of South Korea take the top spot for the women with a commanding 94.50, while Japan’s Ryusei Yamada earned his career-first World Cup win in the men’s division.
For Team USA, the story of the weekend was Bea Kim. Returning from a year-long injury hiatus, the 18-year-old put down a stunning final run, including a switch back 9 and a crippler 7, to secure a third-place podium finish. Chase Blackwell led the American men with a solid fifth-place finish in front of his home crowd.
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Olympic Implications
While Alex Ferreira has already mathematically secured his Olympic quota place, the battle for the remaining U.S. spots remains fierce.
- Hunter Hess is now the World Cup points leader, putting him in a prime position for automatic nomination.
- Bea Kim’s podium finish gives her a massive boost toward qualifying for Milano Cortina.
- Two-time gold medalist Chloe Kim withdrew from the finals after a training crash but had previously topped the qualifying round, confirming her status as the one to beat when healthy.
