Aspen World Cups Serve Up Olympic-Cycle Drama

Blouin Back on Top, Canter Breaks Through & Japan Dominates Halfpipe

As the FIS Snowboard World Cup season kicked into high gear at Buttermilk and Snowmass this January, Aspen delivered a weekend packed with breakthrough performances, dramatic narratives and a clear early taste of what’s to come in the Olympic season.

Laurie Blouin reminded the world why she remains one of snowboarding’s most complete slopestyle riders. The Canadian star returned to the top of a World Cup podium for the first time since 2022, posting a technically sharp second run to take gold in Aspen’s Slopestyle World Cup. Blouin’s run was anchored by a cab double underflip 900 indy and a front double cork 1080 mute, cementing her status among the sport’s elite as the Olympic countdown intensifies.

On the men’s side, American Jake Canter lit up his home crowd with a clutch performance to capture his first World Cup victory. Canter’s win, a breakthrough on the global stage, came against a deep field, establishing him as a rising contender in a discipline where timing and technical precision rule.

Beyond slopestyle, Aspen’s Halfpipe World Cup produced a showcase of Japanese strength and depth that resonated across both finals. In the women’s final, Mitsuki Ono stormed to the top with a commanding winning score, backed by a run packed with amplitude and precision. Teammate Sena Tomita joined the party in third, sandwiched around U.S. standout Madeline Schaffrick, the lone non-Japanese rider in the top six.

The men’s halfpipe final told a similar story of Japanese dominance. Yuto Totsuka delivered a technical masterpiece to claim victory, his third podium of the season, with a run that combined massive airs and trick complexity. His compatriot Shuichiro Shigeno narrowly trailed in second while U.S. teen Alessandro Barbieri landed a strong third place. The result marked Japan’s return to the men’s podium after missing out at Calgary.

What It Means Going Forward

Aspen’s World Cups were more than just wins and podiums, they offered early season benchmarks as riders jockey for positioning ahead of the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games. Blouin’s resurgence underscores her continued relevance in slopestyle’s upper echelon, while Canter’s breakthrough adds a compelling new name to watch. In halfpipe, Japan’s deep squad, producing multiple winners and podiums across both genders, arrives in the Olympic season with momentum and purpose.

With the World Cup circuit now moving on toward Laax , Aspen has provided some very valuable points on the last sprint to collect qualifying points for the Olympics.