Top Norwegian Snowboarder Øyvind Kirkhus Joins Team Red Bull

Last week was a busy one for Red Bull. The popular energy drink brand held its own private terrain park session at The Stomping Grounds Park in Saas-Fee, Switzerland, bringing in some of the team’s top riders to throw down at one of the world’s best parks. The brand also added 16-year-old Australian snowboarder Ally Hickman to the team, presenting her with the signature Red Bull helmet. And now, another top rider has his wings.

Top Norwegian snowboarder Øyvind Kirkhus officially got his roster spot on Team Red Bull last week. Now, rocking the Red Bull helmet, the 24-year-old slopestyle specialist joins an exclusive network of some of the most elite action sports athletes in the world.

Kirkhus celebrated the accomplishment in style: sipping a Red Bull upside down after hitting a massive Saas-Fee jump.

“Super stoked to join the Red Bull family,” Kirkhus wrote in his Instagram post. 

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For Kirkhus, his spot on Team Red Bull was a long time coming. He grew up in Norway, riding at the Tryvann Ski Resort near his hometown of Oslo. He was surrounded by Norwegian legends, like Torstein Horgmo, who inspired Kirkhus with his prowess in competition and bottomless bag of insane tricks.

Kirkhus moved his way through the FIS ranks, making his World Cup debut in 2019 at Mammoth Mountain, California. His first big victory came in the European Cup in 2022, where Kirkhus took first place in slopestyle in Götschen, Germany. But it wasn’t results that put Kirkhus on the map. Instead, it was a single trick.

At the 2025 Swatch Nines event in Schilthorn, Switzerland, Kirkhus made history. He landed the world’s first switch backside quad-cork 1620 — a trick consisting of four flips and four-and-a-half 360s. When he landed it, even he couldn’t believe.

“I was in disbelief when I was riding away,” the Norwegian said in a Reuters article. “I didn’t think that I would actually manage to do it, but I did it.”

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Since that moment, Kirkhus has been on a tear. He qualified for the inaugural Rockstar Energy Open last year via the Video Qualifying Series, where he put together a video montage showcasing his best tricks. Kirkhus was among hundreds of applicants and was ultimately chosen to compete in the event. And the decision proved to be the right one. Kirkhus finished second overall in slopestyle, beating some of the top names in the sport like Red Gerard and Mark McMorris.

Kirkhus continued his strong 2025-26 campaign at the Laax Open. He finished fourth overall in slopestyle, just missing out on the podium. The result pushed him over the threshold for Olympic qualifying, and Kirkhus made his Olympic debut at the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Games. He was one of three Norwegians competing in slopestyle and big air, competing alongside legends Marcus Kleveland and Mons Røisland. Kirkhus went on to finish 16th overall in slopestyle, missing out on the finals round.

Kirkhus ended his 2025-26 season on a high note, taking first place in both slopestyle and big air at the Norwegian National Championships.

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Now, as a Red Bull athlete, Kirkhus will enjoy dozens of elite perks. Not only will Kirkhus receive a bottomless supply of energy drinks, but he will also enjoy a comprehensive sponsorship package that includes financial compensation and access to the brand’s world-class training and rehab facilities. With bigger features and more eyes on snowboard competitions, training and rehabbing is important for an athlete competing on the biggest stages. Red Bull’s facilities and trainers will help Kirkhus prepare for contests, and will be sure to take care of him if any injuries happen to occur.

With the 2026-27 competition season nearly here, Kirkhus now has a sweet new lid to show off when he’s ready to drop in. As a member of Red Bull’s team, the Norwegian has access to everything from energy drinks to training, ensuring he is energized and ready for each competition. And after a strong 2025-26 season, Kirkhus will look to continue his hot streak in 2026-27.