The 16 athletes will represent either North America, Europe or the Asia-Pacific region, with a fourth team of emerging next-generation from multiple regions. Every team will feature a male and female athlete in both freeski and snowboard halfpipe.
China’s Eileen Gu (left) and New Zealand’s Luke Harrold (right) with Snow League founder Shaun White after winning the season one freeski titles. Photo / The Snow League
The event will be getting funding from the Government’s Events Attraction Package – the invitation-only pool which also helped to fund such events as the World Surf League Championship Tour event in Raglan, the Linkin Park, Robbie Williams and Post Malone concerts, and the upcoming New Zealand International Football Festival which will see English Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur take on A-League champions Auckland FC.
The Snow League announced the New Zealand event this morning as they confirmed their second-season calendar.
The new campaign will feature an additional regular-season stop at Park City Mountain in Utah alongside season-one hosts Buttermilk in Aspen, Colorado, and Laax in Switzerland.
“Season one set the foundation. With Season two, we’re expanding and creating new ways for athletes to compete and for fans to engage,” White said.
“From launching The Snow League World Challenge to returning to some of the most iconic venues in the sport, fans should be really excited for what’s in store for season two.”
Winning the inaugural season, Kiwi Harrold automatically requalified for season two, while snowboarder Cam Melville Ives also made the cut for an automatic return by finishing fifth in season one. Skier Mischa Thomas also featured in season one, finishing eighth in the women’s competition.
Reigning freeski halfpipe world champion and crystal globe winner Fin Melville Ives was also signed for the inaugural campaign but was unable to compete in either event.
The athlete lineup for season two is set to be confirmed in the coming weeks, but it is expected all four Kiwi athletes will return.
The league will also expand its freeski fields for the new campaign, jumping from 16 to match the snowboard field of 24.
That will see an extra day added to the events, which will be held over three days in season two, to allow both disciplines to run qualifying sessions before the head-to-head elimination match-ups on finals day.
The Snow League season two calendar
The Snow League World Challenge: Cardrona Alpine Resort, New Zealand. September 18–20, 2026.
Event one at Buttermilk at Aspen Snowmass, CO, USA. January 8–10, 2027.
Event two at Park City Mountain, UT, USA. January 22–24, 2027.
Event three at LAAX, Switzerland. March 12–14, 2027.
All dates above are in New Zealand time.
Christopher Reive joined the Herald sports team in 2017, bringing the same versatility to his coverage as he does to his sports viewing habits.