Junior Freeride Championships
April 6-13, 2025 - The Junior Freeride Championships brought the heat to Kirkwood, CA with some of the top young Freeride athletes in North America gathering to compete on some of the most iconic terrain in the world. Representing Sugar Bowl Academy, a talented group of skiers and snowboarders took on the challenge, showing heart, skill, and true Freeride spirit all week long. Being invited to JFCs is an honor in itself, and SBA was proud to have a strong roster across the U12, U15, and U19 age groups.
The week kicked off with the U12 athletes, who faced tough conditions on Monday as they competed in qualifiers on Eagle Bowl. Rain and fog didn't deter the young skiers and riders, and when the weather broke into blue skies for finals on Tuesday (ski) and Wednesday (snowboard), they rose to the occasion on Hell’s Delight. The U12 SBA roster included Maya Shah, Evan Fletcher, Myles Forrest, Rio Wigglesworth, Arianna Stevens, Riley Slaughter, Carson Dubansky, Charlie Beck, Davis Slaughter, and Elan Tanhoff. This crew brought vision and great energy to a stacked field. Notably, Elan Tanhoff delivered a standout performance, earning a 6th place finish in the U12 ski finals. Our snowboarders all rode with flow and style, with U12 Snowboard Boys, Finn Cullerton landing on the podium in 3rd place. Justin LaBar represented SBA well in the U15 Snowboard Boys category, placing 4th at JFCs and ending the season ranked 7th in the Western Hemisphere. Tessa Cullerton shredded the tricky venue in the marginal conditions and rounded her season out with a 9th place in the overall rankings! Way to go U12 and snowboarder teams!
With more bluebird weather on tap, the SBA U15 & U19 skier crew arrived ready to shred with a stacked group of invited athletes. The full SBA roster of invited U15 and U19 athletes included: Liam Coyle, Baker Cashel, Tucker Althof, Lily Cutler, Ava Fox, Eva Barkin, Henry Cutler, Gordon Crawford-Currie, and Ewan Jedlic —a remarkable group of athletes who each earned their spot among the best freeriders in the world.
On Thursday, April 10, the U15 skiers took over Hell’s Delight for their qualifier runs. SBA athletes Liam Coyle (7th), Tucker Althof (9th), and Baker Cashel (22nd) all laid down strong lines to advance to finals. Eva Barkin and Ava Fox tackled qualifiers with courage and style, and Ava Fox threw down one of the biggest airs of the day.
Friday brought the U19 qualifiers to the mountain, with Lily Cutler punching her ticket to finals with a 21st-place finish. The U19 boys skied fearlessly, but after a few unfortunate crashes failed to advance to finals.
Finals took place Saturday on the infamous Chicken’s—an immense, exposed, and steep venue that demanded confidence and commitment. SBA athletes delivered big airs and bold lines across the board. Liam Coyle capped off the week with a powerful performance, earning 6th place on the day and finishing 7th overall in the Western Hemisphere. Lily Cutler rounded out her season with a 16th place finish in the season rankings after a rowdy finals run stacked with huge airs.
From the youngest riders to the veterans of the U19 category, it was an incredible celebration of freeride. We are proud of every SBA athlete who competed, supported each other, and showcased the grit and joy that defines this sport.