The Snow League, the world's first professional ski league for both snowboarding and freestyle skiing, has reached a historic milestone: 16 world-class freeskiers (8 men and 8 women) have officially joined its inaugural season, marking the dawn of a new era for professional skiing.

These elite freeskiers will make their league debut at Yunding Snow Park, an iconic venue of the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games, in Chongli, China, from December 4-6. This event will also serve as the second stop of the league's inaugural season. Previously, 36 snowboard athletes kicked off the league's first competition at the Buttermilk stop in Aspen Snowmass this March.

The strong lineup features 12 Olympic medalists who have collectively won 13 Olympic medals, led by global superstars—including Olympic champions Eileen Gu (China), Cassie Sharpe (Canada), and David Wise (USA), alongside Olympic medalists Nicholas Goepper (USA), Rachael Karker (Canada), and Gus Kenworthy (UK).  

The complete women's roster includes: Eileen Gu (China), Rachael Karker (Canada), Cassie Sharpe (Canada), Zoe Atkin (UK), Hanna Faulhaber (USA), Amy Fraser (Canada), Svea Irving (USA), and Li Fanghui (China).

The men's roster consists of: Nicholas Goepper (USA), Gus Kenworthy (UK), David Wise (USA), Luke Harrold (New Zealand), Hunter Hess (USA), Birk Irving (USA), Brendan MacKay (Canada), and Finley Melville Ives (New Zealand).

The Freeski Halfpipe competition will take place on Saturday, December 6. The initial quarter-finals will adopt a group dual meet format. Athletes are seeded based on their world rankings and will compete in a best-of-three runs elimination format to advance. According to The Snow League's unique competition structure, athletes must alternate starting from opposite sides of the halfpipe wall during their first two runs. The first athlete to win two dual meets will advance to the semi-finals and ultimately the finals, where they will compete for the inaugural The Snow League Freeski podium honors, prize money, and crucial points towards the title of The Snow League World Champion.

The Snow League CEO Omer Atesman stated, "The addition of these 16 world-class freeskiers marks a significant milestone for our league. These athletes represent the pinnacle of talent, creativity, and ambition in freestyle skiing. Now, they will shine on a global stage that matches their goals and mission. Together, we are pioneering a new era—where the world's top athletes compete against each other, inspire millions of fans, and relentlessly push the boundaries of winter sports."

Following the China stop, the freeski discipline will enter a hiatus due to the 2026 Milan-Cortina Olympic Winter Games, before resuming for the ultimate showdown of The Snow League's first season from March 19-21 at the European snow venue of LAAX, Switzerland. There, the inaugural overall World Champions will be officially crowned.

The total prize purse for this first freestyle skiing event in The Snow League is USD $580,000, to be split equally between Chongli Yunding Snow Park in China and LAAX in Switzerland, with equal amounts for men and women. The prize pool per stop for each gender is USD $85,000, distributed as follows: Champion $50,000, Runner-up $20,000, 3rd Place $10,000, and 4th Place $5,000 (this distribution applies to both stops). Additionally, the season's overall champions will receive an extra USD $80,000 championship bonus, to be shared among the top three ranked athletes in each gender.

The Snow League consistently upholds an "athlete-first" philosophy. For this event, each of the 52 freeski and snowboard athletes will receive a USD $5,000 appearance fees, amounting to a total single-stop expenditure of USD $260,000. This pioneering support system reflects a profound commitment to athlete rights within professional skiing competitions, and The Snow League is proud to be leading the way with this innovative initiative.