Featured Image: Jenny Lang, The Snow League | Skier: Luke Harrold
The Snow League dropped its schedule and roster for the kickoff event in New Zealand this weekend and if you're anything like us, you're chomping at the bit to watch freestyle skiing and snowboarding competitions again. As a teaser to our northern hemisphere winter and the official Snow League Season Two stops in 2027, the Cardrona World Challenger goes down this weekend, September 18-20.
Set up as a one-off teams event, the World Challenger does not count toward individual scores at the official Season Two World Championship stops . Instead, four teams comprised of four riders each—one male and female skier, one male and female snowboarder—will compete in a series of competitions throughout the weekend, livestreamed on The Snow League's YouTube starting Friday, September 18 at 5:30pm ET.
NBC will also air a one-hour encore presentation on Sunday, December 27, 2026 at 2pm ET.
Photo: Dean Blotto Gray, The Snow League | Skier: Mischa Thomas
Photo: Dean Blotto Gray, The Snow League | Skier: Mischa Thomas
Day one for the athletes actually starts Thursday, September 17, with a behind-the-scenes content creation challenge. As a team, riders will scour Treble Cone Ski Area, guided by local legends like Ben Richards, to collect their absolute best clip. At The Draw ceremony later that evening, athletes will present their clips to be voted on by each other. The winning team earns a strategic advantage in the brackets for Saturday's competition.
Day two of the World Challenger on Friday, September 18, marks the first day of live on-hill action with a closed practice in the morning and an Open Pipe Challenge in the afternoon. Local riders and aspiring Snow League competitors are invited to the open session to ride with Shaun White and all of The Snow League athletes to celebrate the next generation of winter sport phenoms.
Day 3, September 19, is the main event—or September 20, if weather does not cooperate. The day starts with the semifinal competitions, which will determine who moves on to the finals in the afternoon. Athletes will go head-to-head in a best two-of-three format, with a 720-degree-rotation cap in the semifinals to encourage creativity. Athletes must also drop in from both sides of the halfpipe and if there is a tie after two runs, it becomes a sing-hit showdown. The winning team from each semifinal matchup will then compete in the finals, with the same rules except the 720 cap is lifted.
New Zealand Event Schedule
Friday, September 18
9:30am-12pm: Team Halfpipe Practice at Cardrona Alpine Resort
1-3:30pm: Mini Pipe Challenge with Shaun White
Saturday, September 19
9am: Mixed Team Warm Ups
9:40-10:40am: Freeski Semifinals
10:55-11:50am: Snowboard Semifinals
12:10-12:35pm: Freeski Finals
12:55-1:20pm: Snowboard Finals
2:20-4pm: Awards Ceremony & Après Musical Entertainment
