Featured Image: Courtesy of Natural Selection Ski
After the inaugural showing of Natural Selection Ski last winter, we were left wondering how it could possibly get better. Now we know. To the joy of skiers everywhere, NST announced the addition of a new event for winter 2026 called Super Sessions, which is to take place at the one-and-only Palisades Tahoe, California. As many would call the birthplace of modern freeskiing, Palisades is the perfect venue for such an event.
At NST Ski Super Sessions, eight riders (four men and four women) will battle to secure a spot at finals in Alaska this April. They'll be taking on the top half of last year's finalists, who've already secured their AK invite, as well as a few Wild Cards who have yet to be announced.
The eight Super Sessions skiers were hand-picked by the Natural Selection Ski Advisory Council: Chris Benchetler, Michelle Parker, Markus Eder, Mike Douglas, Candide Thovex, Sammy Carlson and Kristi Leskine. So if you have any qualms with who was selected, you can take it up with this list of very unqualified nobodies of freeskiing.
There are certainly names we would have loved to see at Super Sessions, but by no means are we disappointed in who was selected. You'd have a hard time boxing any of these riders into a single mold. Each brings an extremely unique style to the table, from technical hard-charging capabilities to creative trick selection and everything in between, and that's exactly what NST was created for.
So who made the cut? Take a look below to find out, and keep your eyes peeled for more news on the event, scheduled to premiere on Red Bull TV on March 17.
Parkin Costain
Montana-native Parkin Costain has a stack of film accolades with Teton Gravity Research for years, and his ability to ski the supposedly unskiable cannot be understated. Massive spines, bewildering pillow lines, you name it, Costain can make it his way down it. Look to his appearance as a Wild Card at last year's Kicking Horse stop on the Freeride World Tour for a taste of what he might bring.
Ana Eyssimont
As the 2025 Queen of Corbet's Couloir, Eyssimont has been on the rise for several seasons now. Her strict training is balanced by a carefree style that oozes expression and joy. She has a fantastic balance between freestyle and freeride, and we're stoked to see what she'll bring to Palisades Tahoe this March.
Connery Lundin
Who better to represent the Tahoe freeride scene than Connery? The long-time Blizzard rider exemplifies what strong, creative freeride skiing looks like. It will be interesting to see how much home court advantage plays a role in his line selection for the competition, as there's a good chance he's skied every face of the mountain, twice over.
Elisabeth Gerritzen
As a Freeride World Tour veteran, Gerritzen is as comfortable in a competition setting as she is touring for big lines with the Faction crew in front of the camera. She's long been a favorite of ours to watch, putting down one of the cleanest turns around. Her line selection has always been an important differentiator, and will surley be a big key to a win in California.
Jonah Williams
Jonah Williams... in a freeride competition? We never thought we'd see the day, but what a good day it is! Williams is one of the most well rounded skiers on the scene, and if you need more evidence go watch his recent film with Andrew Mildenberger, "Seeing Flowers." He flows effortlessly over big terrain like water moving down the mountain, but you can sure he'll rely on his deep bag of tricks to set him apart in Tahoe.
Indy Boyer
The Tahoe freeride scene is packed with rising talent, but few like Indy Boyer. The young gun punches well above her class. We got to see this first hand at Sugar Bowl's Silver Belt freeride competition last April, where Boyer took the win as the fan-voted FREESKIER People's Choice winner!
Teal Harle
Pemberton's finest Teal Harle is no stranger to the comp scene. The two time X Games medalist can throw down on a kicker with the best of them, but a freeride competition will test all aspects of his riding. We have no doubt he'll hold his own with the crew, it will just be a question of whether he relys on more complex tricks to win the judges' favor or opts for a more technical approach. Either way, we're fired up for Harle on course.
Hannah Epsteyn
Another Tahoe local, Epsteyn is one of the best young riders in California and far beyond. At just 17, she can already stomp dub backflips and more. She'll be among familiar terrain at Palisades, like both Lundin and Boyer. Even though she's the youngest rider in the field, there's no doubt she'll be able to put down a fantastic run in front of her home crowd.
