Sena Tomita and Yuto Totsuka Take Historic First Wins at The Snow League's Debut at Aspen Snowmass
ASPEN, Colo., March 09, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sena Tomita (JPN) and Yuto Totsuka (JPN) made history by winning The Snow League's inaugural event at Buttermilk at Aspen Snowmass in the women's and men's snowboarding halfpipe competition. Each earned a first-place prize of $50,000 out of a total prize purse of $370,000 for the event. Tomita and Totsuka took the lead in the Snow League World Championship Standings, claiming 100 points each, with three events remaining in Season One.
In addition to the dramatic action in the halfpipe, The Snow League's inaugural event was highlighted by a surprise performance from Sofi Tukker, who took the stage for an energetic halftime performance. The star-studded crowd, including Nina Dobrev, J Balvin, Miles and Keleigh Teller, Julianne Hough, and Pom Klementieff, then watched Big Boi take the stage to close out the first-ever Snow League in style, with athletes, fans, and the Aspen vibe squad joining together to dance the afternoon away.
The Snow League founder, Shaun White, reveled in seeing his vision come to life. White, who was on stage with the athletes to present the inaugural Snow League trophies, designed by Tiffany & Co., said, "I've never been so excited for a competition. There was so much drama, so much excitement," he beamed. "I don't know when I've been this excited for a competition—as a spectator watching the sport I love, it's been so amazing to see."
Today's event at Buttermilk in Aspen, Colorado showcased a completely reimagined halfpipe finals format with eight men and eight women athletes pitted in head-to-head battles.
The women's final saw a dramatic back-and-forth contest between the top athlete from qualifying, Maddie Mastro (USA) and Tomita. Each claimed a winning run in the best of three run format—first Tomita and then Mastro. This led to a third and final run, where Tomita rose to the challenge, overtaking Mastro by a mere 0.5 points to win. Tomita's final run saw her throw a huge 12-foot frontside 1080 tailgrab, into a switch frontside 720, linking up a pair of 540s, finishing strong with a frontside 900 melon grab, and a final Method.
Speaking through a Japanese translator, Tomita shared, "I'm so happy to win the inaugural Snow League event—this feels like the start of something big!" When asked what the victory meant to her, she said, "It's hard to put into words, but this is so awesome!" The 25-year-old was emotional, revealing that it had been a challenging season leading up to the event. Despite the nerves, she delivered when it mattered, claiming the win in front of a cheering crowd in Aspen.
In the third-place matchup, it was 16-year-old Gaon Choi (KOR) claiming the win—Choi had shown a fierce competitiveness earlier in the day, going back-and-forth with Tomita in the semifinals before falling to her in the third run. In her head-to-head battle with Mitsuki Ono (JPN), Choi won both of the first two runs to take third place, with Ono finishing in fourth.
In the men's semifinals, a showdown of a trio of Japanese stars and a rising American battled it out for the top spots on the podium. Ayumu Hirano (JPN), the top qualifier coming into the finals, was relegated to the third-place matchup after losing an exciting semifinal battle against Totsuka. In the other semifinal, 16-year-old Alessandro Barbieri (USA) lost out to Ruka Hirano (JPN), with the Japanese star winning the first two runs to claim victory.
The final featured Totsuka (JPN) going against Ruka Hirano in a matchup that saw both athletes put down immaculate first runs, with Totsuka edging out Hirano. It was in the second run that Totsuka soundly defeated Hirano, posting the highest men's run score of the day at 96.5. Totsuka dropped in on the right side, firing into a nearly 13-foot switch backside double cork 1080 Japan, into a backside 900 mute, and linking up back-to-back 1440s, going frontside triple cork 1440 Indy into a switch frontside triple cork 1440 Indy that had the crowd go wild.
Speaking in his native Japanese, Totsuka said through an interpreter, "To win [the Snow League] in these conditions was incredible." When asked what it was like to be the winner of the first-ever Snow League event, Totsuka said it was an incredible feeling, and the fact that the legend, Shaun White, had created this event and to be able to win it was so much fun.
Ayumu Hirano faced the young Team USA athlete Alessandro Barbieri in the third-place matchup, who, in a valiant attempt to beat Hirano, put together a run that he had never stomped before. Barbieri said, "Just landing that run was enough for me to throw everything [he threw his helmet and snowboard in excitement]. Even if I didn't win the round, I was still buzzing from it." Hirano answered back to beat Barbieri in both runs to take third place on the podium.
Beyond the prestige of a podium finish, today's Snow League Finals Day presented athletes with a high-stakes opportunity to earn a share of the groundbreaking $1.6 million purse spread across the four snowboarding events. Competitors vied not only for the inaugural Snow League title and critical World Championship Standings points but also a share of the $370,000 prize purse in Aspen, divided equally between genders.
Men and women's podium finishers earned $50,000 for first, $20,000 for second, and $10,000 for third. All finalists earn prize money, with $5,000 for fourth and $2,500 each for fifth through eighth. Additionally, each of the 36 athletes receives a $5,000 appearance fee, further reflecting The Snow League's commitment to advancing snowboarding competition.
The first event of The Snow League in Aspen Snowmass set the bar for the remainder of a groundbreaking first season of competition. Up next will be Event Two at Yunding Secret Garden in China, to be held December 4–6, 2025. The stars of snowboarding will face off again to earn points and challenge for the top spot in the Snow League World Championship Standings. Additionally, Freeskiing will make its debut as the ski athletes are set to join the snowboarders in China, as the future of winter sports competition expands to a new discipline.
Fans can enjoy on-demand replays of the inaugural Snow League event in Aspen available on Peacock and are also invited to watch the Encore Presentation of Event One of The Snow League on the NBC network in the United States on Saturday, March 29 at 1:00 p.m. ET and on Warner Bros. Discovery's linear channels in Europe on Tuesday, March 25, at 8:00 p.m. CET.
About The Snow League
Launched in June 2024, The Snow League is the first professional winter sports league dedicated to snowboarding and freeskiing. Founded by three-time Olympic gold medalist and entrepreneur Shaun White, Season One features a four-event global format boasting a $1.6 million prize purse, with athletes competing to earn points to determine the overall champions. The season kicks off at Buttermilk in Aspen Snowmass (March 7–8, 2025) and then moves to Yund and Secret Garden, China (Dec. 4–6, 2025), where 16 of the world's top freeskiers will join the roster at the Beijing 2022 Olympic venue. The League returns to Aspen (Feb. 26–28, 2026) and concludes at LAAX, Switzerland (March 19–21, 2026), where the first-ever Snow League World Champions will be crowned.
The Snow League is powered by its sponsors, including the three Founding Partners, Marriott Bonvoy, INEOS Automotive and Pacifico®, which are joined in the Snow League family by Hublot and Tiffany & Co.
For more information, please visit www.thesnowleague.com and purchase tickets to the event here. Follow The Snow League on X, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.
PHOTOS: Please credit: Getty Images for The Snow League here.
SNOW LEAGUE MEDIA KIT: Email media@thesnowleague.com for access to The Snow League Media Kit, including high-res images, videos, and results for editorial usage.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250309170336/en/
Contacts
Jen Peros Famous Last Words PRjen@flwpr.com
Annie Fast Alpine Coast Communicationsannie@alpinecoastcommunications.com
Ilana Taub Gold Tree PRilana@goldtreepr.com
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Eater
an hour ago
- Eater
Whoa There Are a Lot of Restaurants Opening in Seattle Right Now
covers Seattle and Portland for Eater. A Seattle native, he's been a journalist for 15 years. Here's a list of notable openings we've clocked in the Seattle area in the last month. If we missed something, please email us: seattle@ GREEN LAKE — Highly anticipated Southern takeout spot Zax Eat 'N Three is no longer anticipated — it's here. It's serving meatloaf, chicken with horseradish sauce, and icebox cakes. CAPITOL HILL — Pitch the Baby, the second-ever women's sports bar in Seattle, is now open. Sister restaurant Condesa, which used to be a popular takeout window before it closed years ago, will reopen soon, but in the meantime you can get Mexican snacks and small plates alongside drinks. QUEEN ANNE — Six months after neighborhood institution Queen Anne Cafe closed, buzzy Capitol Hill Pizzeria Cornelly has opened its second location in the space. Expect lines at peak hours for this no-reservations place. QUEEN ANNE — For a different flavor of pizza in Queen Anne there's Swing. That's a new 'za and sandwiches joint that's notable for its $3.50 slices, which now counts as a bargain in Seattle? SEWARD PARK — There's a new pizzeria within a olive's throw of the water at Seward Park Pizza Co., a casual spot that also serves wings and sandwiches. WEST SEATTLE — Yet more pizza news, though this is a little more on the fancier end: Matt Gorman, formerly of Fremont standout Lupo, now has a takeout window only open on Friday evenings called Pizza Ritual. REDMOND — The fifth Washington location of upscale ice cream chain Salt and Straw opened in Redmond on July 5. MERCER ISLAND — The newest cafe from Macrina Bakery, whose breads and pastries are sold everywhere, just opened near Mercerdale Park. BALLARD — More expansion news: Brown liquor and meat purveyor Radiator Whiskey has opened its second location on Ballard Avenue. BALLARD — Just down the street from Radiator is another meat-focused restaurant, Little Beast, an upscale English-style pub and eatery from Beast and Cleaver owner Kevin Smith. (We're already celebrating its meat pies.) So if you're in Ballard, should you eat at Little Beast or Radiator? That's a real carnivore's dilemma. SOUTH PARK — El Rey Peruvian Restaurant, one of the few restaurants in the Seattle area serving that style of cuisine, is now open in South Park. (There's another restaurant with the same name in Lynwood, but the two appear to be unaffiliated.) WALLINGFORD — The already crowded Japanese food scene in this neighborhood is now even more crowded thanks to Sushi Taiyo. It doesn't have a website but the Seattle Times reports that it's been 'packed.' WALLINGFORD — And there's another new Japanese restaurant in Wallingford, Daruma Sando, which specializes in pork and chicken katsu. CHINATOWN–INTERNATIONAL DISTRICT — And speaking of Vietnamese cuisine, La Ka Saigon, a spot serving street food and milk tea, is now open on Jackson Street. CAPITOL HILL — A lively bar with street, Gol Mok Korean Market Bar has opened on Pike Street in the heart of Capitol Hill. It's owned by the same folks behind nearby Meat Korean BBQ. REDMOND — Japanese restaurant Momoji has opened a second location on the Eastside, in a mixed-used building next to the Downtown Redmond light rail station. As with the Capitol Hill location, it serves a standard selection of Japanese standards like sushi, sashimi, and yakisoba. PIONEER SQUARE — Day Made, a small cafe on the edge of Pioneer Square, is now open and serving the usual coffee drinks (and matcha), alongside primo baked goods from Ben's Bread. ALKI — Taking over the old Locust Cider space is the accurately, if unimaginatively named Seaside Grille, which serves mainly burgers and sandwiches. CAPITOL HILL — Colibri Mexican Kitchen has opened in the former Plum Bistro space, reports Capitol Hill Seattle Blog, with 'large portions and full plates.' Looks like a lot of steak on the menu too. UNIVERSITY VILLAGE — In a move that absolutely makes sense vibes-winse, juice-and-sandwich joint Joe and the Juice is open inside the swanky outdoor shopping complex.
USA Today
2 hours ago
- USA Today
Tatsuro Taira vs. HyungSung Park prediction, pick: Will new star emerge at UFC on ESPN 71?
Can unbeaten Park pull off flyweight upset in short-notice headliner? MMA Junkie analyst Dan Tom goes in-depth to break down the biggest fights in the UFC. Today, he takes a closer look at the UFC on ESPN 71 main event between former middleweight champion Tatsuro Taira and HyunSung Park. Tatsuro Taira UFC on ESPN 71 preview Staple info: Supplemental info: HyunSung Park UFC on ESPN 71 preview Staple info: Supplemental info: Tatsuro Taira vs. HyunSung Park point of interest: Flyweight fisticuffs The main event on ESPN features an impromptu flyweight fight between Tatsuro Taira and HungSung Park. Park was initially slated to face Steve Erceg in the same arena the following week, but with Amir Albazi being forced to withdraw from this weekend's main event just one week out, the UFC – as they often do to fill their relentless schedule – was forced to pivot with this last-minute schuffle. It's unfortunate that the first event headlined by Asians in the UFC happened accidentally, but this should be a solid matchup, all things considered. Taira, who was originally scheduled for this Saturday, has steadily been improving his striking game. Fighting to his frame and stylistic sensibilities, Taira will typically look to play all the way in or all the way out when it comes to his operating range. At distance, Taira looks to set up long straight shots off his in-and-out movement. When feeling in stride, Taira will attach solid kicks to his combinations (particularly off of his lead side). Taira has also demonstrated a solid ability to strike into collar ties, which provides him opportunities to land knees and elbows in close. That said, the Japanese fighter will need to respect the power of Park. A decent-sized flyweight who fights from a more compact boxing stance, Park displays a solid striking acumen when standing. Whether Park's utilizing his underrated low kicks or is launching a steady dose of jabs, the Korean fighter seems very comfortable in the pocket. And when feeling in stride, Park is good about catching shots with his parries and returning in combination. When Park can punch his way into collar tie situations, "Peace of Mind" is quick to feed knees and uppercuts into the equation, typically to the midsection. Park's propensity for bodywork should serve him well against Taira, but it's the wrestling that'll likely be the crux of this fight. Tatsuro Taira vs. HyunSung Park point of interest: Winning the wrestling Considering both the stylistic dynamic and the fighting terrain, winning the wrestling will arguably be paramount for both parties this weekend. A talented back-taker who is steadily rounding out his surrounding skill set, Taira appears to have no illusions as to where his bread is buttered. Not only is Taira patient when it comes to setting up his shots, but the Japanese fighter does not seem easily discouraged when failing on his first attempt. Akin to great MMA grapplers like Khabib Nurmagomedov, Taira looks to be perfectly content with using his first shot to drive his opposition toward the octagon walls. From there, Taira will chain to and from single-legs to trip takedowns that allow him to drag the fight into his world. However, I'll be curious to see how Taira's takedowns stack up with Park's wrestling. Despite not coming from a traditional wrestling base and having a more limited sample size than his counterpart, I've been very impressed by what I've seen from Park, thus far. Defensively, Park's head appears to be in the right place regarding his responses. From underhooks and hand fighting to the awareness of his hips, Park appears to be very well-trained. Offensively, Park – akin to a lot of Korean fighters – prefers to fish for his takedowns from the clinch. The 29-year-old looks incredibly strong in closed quarters and shucks by to the back like it's second nature. Usually utilizing energy-efficient takedowns, Park is good about immediately transitioning to mount positions by executing incredibly tight chair sits. And once Park has the back on his opponent, he shows little fat in his finishing process as far as his submission game goes. Park also seems to be very conservative when it comes to giving back exposure, but those sensibilities will be tested to another level this Saturday. Taira may still be developing large parts of his game, but the 25-year-old's back-taking abilities are potent beyond his years. Whether Taira is looking for rear-naked chokes or baiting escapes that lead to armlocks, the native of Japan will be extremely dangerous anytime he attaches himself to Park. Tatsuro Taira vs. HyunSung Park odds The oddsmakers and the public are favoring the Japanese fighter, listing Taira -355 and Park +270 via FanDuel. Tatsuro Taira vs. HyunSung Park prediction, pick Between the hype on Taira and the fact that Park is stepping in on short notice, I can totally understand the betting spread listed above. That said, I suspect that this fight will be more competitive than the odds indicate. Even though Park wasn't training for a 25-minute fight, he was already in town and prepped to face a top flyweight on the August 9th card the following week. And when I strip out the intangible noise and just look at the fight from a style's perspective, I see Park potentially presenting some real problems for everyone's favorite Japanese prospect. Don't get me wrong: Taira is the deserved favorite, and him handing Park his first pro defeat should surprise no one. However, if Park's wrestling and submission defense is as good as I suspect, then I believe he can make this a close and competitive fight. When two back-takers meet (a la Kevin Lee vs. Michael Chiesa), I typically side with the better wrestler, not the better back-taker, to win. It's an unpopular pick that has a high chance of making me look more foolish than usual, but I can't go against what my eyes are seeing in this spot. I'll take a flier on Park to survive the early storm and pull away down the stretch via superior striking and bodywork. Prediction: Park by decision Tatsuro Taira vs. HyunSung Park start time, how to watch As the main event, Taira and Park are expected to make their walks to the octagon at approximately 11:30 p.m. ET. The fight broadcasts live on ESPN and streams on ESPN+.
NBC Sports
2 hours ago
- NBC Sports
Japan's Miyu Yamashita and Rio Takeda pull away from field at AIG Women's Open
Relive the biggest moments and top shots from second-round action at the 2025 AIG Women's Open at Royal Porthcawl Golf Course, the LPGA Tour's final major of the season. PORTHCAWL, Wales — Miyu Yamashita started and finished with short birdie putts and was flawless in between as she posted a 7-under 65 on Friday to build a three-shot lead over Rio Takeda going into the weekend of the AIG Women's Open. The Japanese players, both among the top 15 in the women's world ranking, played in the same group at Royal Porthcawl and put on a show in the second round, matching great shots and big putts along the way that left the rest of the field far behind. Takeda was the only player within seven shots of Yamashita. Nelly Korda (72) and rising English star Lottie Woad (70) were among the top 10 on the leaderboard and still nine shots behind at the halfway point. Woad was on the cusp of contention until a triple bogey on the par-4 16th. 'There was a lot more good in it than bad,' Woad said. 'Played really well for 17 holes, just that one hole cost me a bit.' Yamashita was bogey-free and did most of her damage with four birdies in a five-hole stretch around the turn as she took advantage of an early start before stronger wind arrived. 'I didn't make any particular adjustments to my swing, but the wind was strong, so I think shots are important, as well as club selection and the direction I aim at the target,' Yamashita said. 'So things like that are important, so I played while keeping in mind the image I've been practicing so far.' Takeda, whose two LPGA titles include the Toto Japan Classic last year before she was a member, was slowed by a pair of bogeys. Takeda atoned for that with a superb approach into the par-5 ninth that settled within tap-in range for eagle. She shot 69. 'I was able to play calmly today, and I hope to focus on my game and play calmly again tomorrow,' Takeda said. Yamashita, who celebrates her 24th birthday on Saturday, was at 11-under 133. Chiara Tamburlini of Switzerland and Pajaree Anannarukarn of Thailand each shot 69 and were tied for third at 4-under 140, along with American Lindy Duncan (70). The cut was shaping up to be at 2-over 146. Brooke Henderson of Canada was right on the cut line until missing a 4-foot par putt on the windblown 17th, and then failing to make birdie on the par-5 closing hole. Also missing the cut were world No. 4 Ruoning Yin (77), Rose Zhang (76) and U.S. Women's Open champion Maja Stark (78). Korda remains the No. 1 player in women's golf despite not winning this year, and she now faces a tall order with a nine-shot deficit for the last 36 holes. 'Honestly didn't really capitalize on anything in the calmer conditions on the front nine, then kind of got really windy on the back,' Korda said. 'Made a few more mistakes but bounced back with some birdies. Overall, I'm not going to complain with even par.' Golf Channel Staff, Woad made the best run at the Japanese duo until one swing and one nasty lie cost her. She had a 3-wood for her second shot into a strong wind on the par-4 16th. It sailed to the right into thick grass. Her first hack moved the golf ball only a few inches. She had to take a penalty shot for an unplayable lie, got that one on the green and two-putted for a triple bogey. She closed with two pars for a 70, a score that otherwise would seem satisfactory. 'I'd certainly take it now, but not when I was standing on the 16th tee,' Woad said with a smile. 'Yeah, just got to try to play well over the weekend. It's pretty packed, so I can move up a bit.' Everyone is chasing Yamashita, who led the Japan LPGA money list in 2022 and 2023 while winning five times in each of those seasons. She also finished one shot out of a playoff for the bronze medal in the Paris Olympics last year. For now, she is thinking only about keeping her rhythm in the wind. 'I haven't particularly worried about expected scores until now. I'm always thinking about competing for a high ranking in each tournament, and I just played with my day in mind,' Yamashita said. 'So I'm glad that my score and ranking worked out.'
