Featured Image: Coby Grant-Krenz | Skier: Alex Ferreira
Saturday, December 21st marked the U.S. Grand Prix at Copper Mountain, Colorado. The FIS Halfpipe World Cup circuit has seen stark competition recently, with three stops already in the books this year. But despite the abundance of talent, there’s no mistaking the names at the top of the leaderboard. Both Eileen Gu and Alex Ferreira walked away with wins in the women’s and men’s fields, respectively. The two have been on an insane tear, as Gu secured a historic 17th World Cup win and Ferreira reaffirmed his dominance after nearly winning each of the previous events this season.
Perhaps the most staggering part is that each of these riders has been able to shine and find a way to win despite competing in the deepest talent pool the sport has ever seen. On the women’s side, Zoe Atkin and Cassie Sharpe put on a hell of a show, with Sharpe returning to the podium for the first time since becoming a mother. Her husband, professional snowboarder Darcy Sharpe, and their baby daughter were both in attendance.
But it was Gu who was able to outperform her counterparts in more ways than one, as she also took gold in the new X Games Street Style Pro event later in the evening. Two gold medals in two different disciplines all in one day; what can’t she do?
In the men’s field, Ferreira’s battle back to the top was hard fought. He scored second in the two previous World Cup events this season, finally earning gold with two 1620’s packed into his best run. This marks his 10th World Cup win. Even as several other riders continue to chip away at the golden bib, Ferreira delivered a strong reminder that he is the current leader for good reason.
The man in the jeans, Nick Goepper, snatched third, inching his way closer to achieving his goal of reaching the 2026 Winter Olympics after coming out of retirement and switching from slopestyle to halfpipe last year. Canadian Brendan Mackay was able to secure second place. The young gun is a great example of the many competitive riders on the current halfpipe circuit.
Check out the full videos below for the best halfpipe runs from Copper, and stay tuned for more World Cup updates as the competition season rolls on.
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