Photos and test by Jonathan Suni

The Snow League (TSL), undeterred by drought, returned to Aspen on Feb. 27-28 — bringing the world’s top snowboarders together for a halfpipe competition.

The women’s points leader, Sena Tomita, secures a spot on the podium and battles her fellow Japanese snowboarder, Sara Shimizu, for first place. Photo by Jonathan Suni

Professional snowboarder Shaun White created TSL to give athletes the opportunity to shine and thrive season-long, not just every four years at the Winter Olympics. With the slogan “The future of winter sports competition,” TSL aims to provide a high-stakes, high-energy environment for snowboarding halfpipe competition fans to celebrate their love of the sport. With stops around the world, Olympians headed to Buttermilk Mountain for the penultimate event, just a week after competing in Italy for a weekend of exciting competition.

The creator and owner of The Snow League, Shaun White, watches as athletes make their way down the halfpipe during warm ups. Photo by Jonathan Suni

The world’s greatest snowboarders, including 24 Olympians, battled on the Buttermilk Mountain halfpipe during two days of fast-paced competition. The men’s field was headlined by 2026 gold medalist Yuto Totsuka and featured four Colorado natives, while the women’s field also showcased strong Colorado representation with two athletes from Steamboat Springs. While the Japanese snowboarders continued their halfpipe dominance, USA’s Maddie Mastro earned a spot on the podium alongside Boulder’s own Jake Pates.

The Men’s top three pose in front of the halfpipe, including two 2026 Olympic medalists from Japan and Colorado’s own Jake Pates. Photo by Jonathan Suni

The weekend included musical performances from Neil Frances and Wyclef Jean, along with big-name spectators like Odell Beckham Jr. and Jarrett Stidham. 

Learn more at www.thesnowleague.com

The sun shines over the halfpipe as athletes warm up for two days of competition in Aspen, CO. Photo by Jonathan Suni