The 2024/25 FIS Snowboard Big Air World Cup season is set to begin this weekend at the Big Air Chur festival, with an action-packed day of competition scheduled for Saturday. Men’s qualifications will commence bright and early at 8:50 CET, followed by the women’s qualifications at 13:30. The excitement will culminate with the finals under the lights at 20:00 local time, featuring the top eight women and ten men.
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As the first qualification campaign for the upcoming Milano-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games kicks off, this season promises to showcase some of the most talented snowboarders in the world. Let’s take a closer look at the standout competitors to watch for both the men’s and women’s events.
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Women to Watch
Kokomo Murase is undoubtedly the name to watch as the season begins. The 19-year-old from Japan made a significant impact in the previous season by stomping three different triple corks, winning the Copper Mountain big air World Cup, and nearly becoming the first woman to land a triple cork 1620 at the X Games. Although she didn’t quite land the 16 at the X Games, she did make history by being the first woman to land a frontside 1440 in that competition. Coupled with her achievements of executing a backside triple cork 1440 and a cab triple cork 1440 at Copper, Murase has firmly established herself as a formidable force in women’s snowboarding.
Adding to the impressive roster of Japanese female snowboarders is Mari Fukada, who is also a name to watch this season. The 17-year-old burst onto the scene with a win at her very first World Cup event at Copper in the 2022/23 season. Although she has only one other podium finish since then, her recent preseason footage suggests she is ready to make significant strides this year. With teammates like Reira Iwabuchi, Miyabi Onitsuka, and the younger Murase sibling, Yura, the Japanese team is equipped with a powerhouse lineup that poses a serious threat to competitors worldwide.
Mia Brookes from Great Britain claimed the big air crystal globe last season, making her another contender to watch. Brookes achieved three podium finishes and a fourth-place finish across her four season starts. Known for her stylish approach, she combines originality with smooth technicality, making her one of the most exciting riders to watch on the big jump.
Also in the mix is Anna Gasser from Austria, who remains a consistent podium threat at the age of 33. As a two-time reigning Olympic gold medalist and the reigning big air world champion, Gasser shows no signs of slowing down and is always a contender.
A wildcard this season is Zoi Sadowski-Synnott of New Zealand, widely regarded as one of the most versatile and talented riders in the sport. Sadowski-Synnott missed a significant portion of last season due to injury but made her mark when she became the first woman to successfully land a switch backside 1260 in competition during the Edmonton Style Experience.
Other notable names to keep an eye on include Laurie Blouin and Jasmine Baird from Canada, Australia’s Tess Coady, Hailey Langland from the USA, and Annika Morgan from Germany, all of whom have the potential to make waves in the competition.
Men to Watch
As with the women’s competition, the men’s field is dominated by a strong Japanese contingent. Last season’s men’s big air crystal globe was awarded to Kira Kimura, a 20-year-old talent who secured his victory in his first full World Cup campaign, highlighted by two podium finishes and a fifth-place showing.
Taiga Hasegawa, the reigning World Champion at just 18 years old, is also a standout athlete to watch. He won the Edmonton competition last season and finished third in the overall big air rankings, showcasing his growing prowess in the sport.
The Japanese team’s strength is evident, as Hiroto Ogiwara, Kimura, and Takeru Otsuka swept the podium at the Big Air Chur season opener last year. This season, the talent pool is so deep that Otsuka has found himself out of the lineup. Last season, seven out of the twelve available men’s big air podium spots went to Japanese riders, indicating their dominance in this discipline.
Su Yiming, the reigning Olympic big air gold medalist, remains a significant contender outside of Japan. He made a powerful statement last season, winning on home soil in Beijing. Known for his explosive riding style, Su is expected to be a top challenger to the Japanese dominance in the upcoming season.
While the Japanese riders are making headlines, other heavyweights in the field include Marcus Kleveland from Norway. Regarded as one of the most talented snowboarders ever, Kleveland has an impressive resume, including eight X Games gold medals and two World Championship titles. After facing an injury-plagued season last year, his performance this season will be highly anticipated.
His teammate Mons Roisland has been more successful in recent years, claiming a bronze medal at the Beijing 2022 Olympics and a silver medal at the 2023 World Championships in Bakuriani.
The USA’s contingent, including Red Gerard, Brock Crouch, Judd Henkes, Sean Fitzsimons, and Chris Corning, are all exceptional athletes. However, the past season has been challenging for the nation, with only Gerard making it to the top three in the big air World Cup standings.
On the Canadian front, Liam Brearley and Cameron Spalding have been making their mark over the last couple of seasons. Brearley earned the slope crystal globe last season, while Spalding kicked off the 2024/25 season with his first career victory at Cardrona in New Zealand.
Other names to keep an eye on this season include Valentino Guseli of Australia, last year’s big air crystal globe winner, along with Sam Vermaat and Niek van der Velden from the Netherlands, Ian Matteoli from Italy, and Chaeun Lee from Korea.
Conclusion
With such a talented pool of athletes and the stakes high as they compete for Olympic qualification, the 2024/25 FIS Snowboard Big Air World Cup season is shaping up to be one for the books. As the snowboarders take to the jumps in Chur this weekend, fans can expect to witness breathtaking performances and the evolution of the sport as these incredible athletes push the limits of what’s possible on snow.