Industry News
The U.S. Freestyle team had a fantastic day at the Halfpipe FIS World Cup event in Copper Mountain, Colorado, on Friday, December 15, 2023, with the top five spots in the Men’s event going to U.S. competitors. The Men’s Halfpipe event saw seven U.S. athletes advance to the Final, with Alex Ferreira claiming the victory and teammates, Hunter Hess and Birk Irving joining him on the podium for second and third place respectively. Nicholas Goepper came in fourth and David Wise in fifth, while Dylan Ladd and Aaron Blunck finished in eighth and tenth place respectively.
Athletes gathered on the massive 22-foot tall superpipe in Copper, where two-time Olympic medalist Alex Ferreira took home the win with a smashing run with a switch left 1080 tail, right double 1620 safety, left 1080 tail, switch right double 1080 Japan, and left double 1620 safety, scoring him a smashing 97.00 points. Hunter Hess scored his third career World Cup podium with 95.00 points, while Birk Irving claimed his seventh career World Cup podium with 92.50 points. Irving was the 2022/23 Halfpipe Crystal Globe winner.
“It’s epic to be in my home state of Colorado and just down the road from Aspen. All these other guys are all so young and so talented and I’m the old guy in the field now so I’ve just got to keep working super hard and keep doing my absolute best and honestly just keep having fun. The sport of skiing is growing. It’s getting better and everybody is insanely talented these days, so to just to be in the mix is an absolute blessing.”
— Alex Ferreira
The Women’s Halfpipe was won by U.S./Chinese freestyle skier Eileen Gu with an incredible 95.75 points. Stifel U.S. Freestyle Team member Hannah Faulhaber, the reigning world champion, landed in second place, clinching her fourth career World Cup podium. In her winning run, she threw straight air tail, left cork 900 safety, flair 540 safety, left 720 mute, switch right cork 720 Japan into a left 1080 safety. Third place went to Zoe Atkin from Great Britain. U.S. skiers Riley Jacobs and Svea Irving also qualified for the Final and finished in sixth and seventh place respectively.
“I’m so happy with the whole team today,” said Stifel U.S. Freeski Team halfpipe team head coach, Mike Riddle. “To have 10 athletes advance to finals is amazing and they all threw down in the contest. Huge congrats to Alex Ferreira for staying undefeated this season and Hanna and Hunter on their second podium of the year. Big congrats to Birk for putting it down when it counts on his third run to take third. Goepper made his debut in the halfpipe scene and walked away with fourth, showing he has what it takes. I’m a very proud coach every day, but especially today!”
