Industry News
Crested Butte Mountain Resort, Colorado, last week hosted four of the world’s top snowboarders for the YETI Natural Selection DUELs. The Natural Selection Dules are a series of head-to-head competitions that determine who will advance to the next stages of the Natural Selection Tour in Revelstoke, British Columbia. Jamie Anderson and Emma Crosby faced off in CBMR’s famed extremes, while Red Gerard and Austin Sweetin competed on Eleven Experience’s terrain on Scarp Ridge in Irwin, CO. YETI Natural Selection DUELS are designed to bring out riders’ creativity and highlight competitors’ diverse styles. All the best action and winners of Natural Selection DUELs will be unveiled in edited shows that will premiere starting February 27 on Red Bull TV.
The athletes spent time during their stay exploring all that Crested Butte Mountain Resort (CBMR) has to offer, in addition to scouting the venue and riding for their DUELs. They took laps with athletes from both CBMR and Western Colorado University’s Mountain Sports Teams, met with resort leaders, and attended our CBMR Natural Selection Concert on the snow featuring Black Joe Lewis and the Honeybears.
Photos from last week’s competitions and events can be found HERE. Please credit the photographer listed.
ABOUT THE ATHLETES
These athletes bring with them plenty of accolades. Anderson has 21 X Games medals and was the first female snowboarder to win multiple Olympic gold medals with her victories in the women’s slopestyle at the 2014 and 2018 Games. Crosby is a versatile rider who tackles rails and slopes with style. Having spent the last few winters farther off-piste, she hopes to solidify her place in all-mountain riding at CBMR. Gerard, a Colorado native, competed in slopestyle and big air events in the 2018 Olympics, winning gold in slopestyle. Sweetin has a long history riding on-screen and stepped into the competition world with his participation in the Natural Selection Tour in 2021.
ABOUT THE YETI NATURAL SELECTION DUELS
In DUELS, 12 challenger riders from across the global snowboarding spectrum compete for six remaining rider spots available in Revelstoke: two for women and four for men. In addition to the two Crested Butte-area DUELs, other DUELs locations include Vail Resorts’ own Andermatt+Sedrun+Disentis in Switzerland; RED Mountain Resort in Rossland, BC; Purgatory Snowcat Adventures in Durango, CO; and at a location to be determined in Japan.
Of the 24 riders convening in Revelstoke, 18 riders are returning with tickets punched straight to the weather window opening on March 10, 2024. These invited riders include the 12 who are pre-qualified through their performances at the 2023 YETI Natural Selection Revelstoke: Mikkel Bang, Mikey Ciccarelli, Dustin Craven, Jared Elston, Kimmy Fasani, Ben Ferguson, Hailey Langland, Elena Hight, Torstein Horgmo, Blake Paul, Zoi Sadowski-Synnott and Travis Rice. Six more invited riders will be announced throughout the winter. Stay tuned to Natural Selection and Crested Butte Mountain Resort’s social media accounts for updates as the big DUELs premiere on Februar 27 draws closer.
