YOUR AD HERE »

Results: Day 1 of qualifying gets U.S. Grand Prix underway at Buttermilk

American Mac Forehand grinds a rail during training on Tuesday, Jan. 28, 2025, ahead of the World Cup and U.S. Grand Prix at Buttermilk Ski Area.
U.S. Ski and Snowboard/Courtesy photo

The U.S. Grand Prix and World Cup hosted by Aspen officially kicked off on Thursday with the first qualifiers at Buttermilk Ski Area.

These are the first contests that will count toward U.S. Olympic team qualification ahead of the 2026 Games in Italy. A second day of qualifying is scheduled for Friday, with all finals taking place Saturday and Sunday.

Here’s the rundown on who advanced to the weekend from Day 1:



Men’s halfpipe snowboarding

There were few surprises here, with many of the same stars from X Games last weekend moving on to Saturday. More than 40 athletes were split into two heats, each getting two runs. The top five riders per heat advanced to the 10-man final.

In Heat 1, the Japanese dominated, claiming three of the five spots. Ruka Hirano won the heat with his 91.50, followed by Yuto Totsuka’s 88.25. China’s Ziyang Wang was third (82.25), Japan’s Shuichiro Shigeno was fourth (80.75), and New Zealand’s Campbell Melville-Ives was fifth (80).




Numerous Americans were left just on the outside, including Alessandro Barbieri in sixth (75) and Joey Okesson in seventh (71.25).

In Heat 2, it was Australian Scotty James, fresh off his X Games four-peat, who claimed the top qualifying spot with 92. His top challenger was again Japan’s Ayumu Hirano, the reigning Olympic gold medalist, who qualified second with 86.75. Telluride’s Lucas Foster, who was a career-best fourth at X Games, qualified third with 80.50, and Idaho’s Chase Josey was fourth with 80. Also sneaking in was Japan’s Ryusei Yamada in fifth (78).

Many notable names missed the cut in Heat 2, including Colorado’s Chase Blackwell (sixth, 74.75) and Swiss standout Patrick Burgener (10th, 65.25). The timeless Louie Vito, who now competes under the Italian flag, was 11th (61).

Women’s halfpipe snowboarding

While the women’s qualifier had a few more surprises than the men, there was nothing surprising at the top.

California’s Chloe Kim, fresh off a record-tying eighth halfpipe gold at X Games — she matched Shaun White — scored 95 on her second run to easily qualify first. Japan’s Sara Shimizu, who won bronze at X Games, qualified second with 90.50, and Korea’s Gaon Choi was third with 87.50.

Athletes wait to take part in halfpipe practice on Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025, ahead of the U.S. Grand Prix and World Cup at Buttermilk Ski Area.
Photo courtesy of U.S. Ski and Snowboard

California’s Maddie Mastro, who won X Games silver last week, qualified fourth with 85. Rounding out the eight-woman final will be Japan’s Mitsuki Ono (fifth, 82.25); Japan’s Rise Kudo (sixth, 78.75); California’s Sonny Alba (seventh, 77); and China’s Shaotong Wu (eighth, 76.25).

Notably just missing the cut were Spain’s Queralt Castellet, who was ninth, and Japan’s Sena Tomita, who was 10th. Both are former X Games champions. China’s Xuetong Cai was 12th.

There was only one qualifying heat for the women, with 33 riders whittled down to the final eight over two runs.

Men’s slopestyle skiing

The skiers had first dibs on the slopestyle course on Thursday. Around 60 athletes were split into two heats, each getting two runs, with the top eight per heat advancing to Saturday’s final.

Heat 1 was led by Vermont’s Mac Forehand (92.50), followed in second by Norway’s Birk Ruud (85.50). Also advancing are Canada’s Noah Porter MacLennan, Canada’s Evan McEachran, California’s Cody LaPlante, Sweden’s Oliwer Magnusson, Canada’s Max Moffatt, and Norway’s Vebjoern Graaberg.

Utah’s Alex Hall gets air during training on Tuesday, Jan. 28, 2025, ahead of the World Cup and U.S. Grand Prix at Buttermilk Ski Area.
Photo courtesy of U.S. Ski and Snowboard

Heat 2 was led by Utah’s Colby Stevenson (92.75), followed closely by Switzerland’s Andri Ragettli (91.75) and New Zealand’s Luca Harrington (90.25), one of the breakthrough stars from X Games. Also qualifying to finals are Switzerland’s Fabian Boesch, Utah’s Alex Hall, Montana’s Konnor Ralph, Switzerland’s Gian Andri Bolinger, and New Zealand’s Ben Barclay.

Notable names not to advance include Sweden’s Jesper Tjader from Heat 1 and Austria’s Matej Svancer from Heat 2.

Women’s slopestyle skiing

The women’s qualifier was again one heat, featuring 23 skiers getting two runs each with the top eight advancing to Saturday’s final. French superstar Tess Ledeux qualified first with 79.38, although Park City’s Rell Harwood, who is coming off a breakthrough X Games performance of her own, was a close second with 77.48.

Also advancing are Canada’s Megan Oldham, Finland’s Anni Karava, Germany’s Muriel Mohr, Britain’s Kristy Muir, Killington’s Eleanor Andrews, and China’s Wenhui Xiong.

Two of the biggest names not to advance both officially recorded a “did not start” on the results: Switzerland’s Sarah Hoefflin and China’s Eileen Gu. Both suffered minor falls at X Games and weren’t able to go on Thursday.

Looking ahead to Friday

Day 2 of qualifying on Friday will include men’s and women’s slopestyle snowboarding, and men’s and women’s halfpipe skiing. The action in the pipe will feature many local Roaring Fork Valley athletes, highlighted by two-time Olympic medalist Alex Ferreira, who will be among the gold-medal favorites going into the 2026 Olympics.

Other locals to watch for include Kai Morris, Cassidy Jarrell, Nick Geiser, Tristan Feinberg, and Hunter Maytin. Chris Corning, a Colorado Olympian who formerly trained in Aspen, will compete in snowboard slopestyle.

Absent from the women’s halfpipe skiing qualifier will be Basalt’s Hanna Faulhaber, who injured herself during her first run at X Games last week and had to withdraw. However, set to make her World Cup debut is another local product, Hanna Lamm. She’ll drop in 14th on Friday.

Qualifying begins at 8:40 a.m. on Friday for both women’s events. The first runs of the men’s qualifiers will begin at 11:05 a.m. for both slopestyle and halfpipe. The second run for both is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m.

acolbert@aspentimes.com