Kundalini Rising: Burton x Nychos x Blue Tomato
Designed by Street Artist Nychos, Burton is dropping a new limited edition
The opening weekends of the 2025/26 FIS Snowboard Park & Pipe World Cup Big Air season saw Chinese slopes and atmosphere dominate — first at Secret Garden, then at the iconic Olympic venue in Beijing’s Shougang Park. Over the two-weekend stretch, a mix of home-snow heroes and rising international stars delivered a display of high-tech tricks, dramatic finals and a clear signal: the early season outgoing Big Air roster is more competitive than ever.
The season opener at Secret Garden saw tidy domination from Japan on the women’s side, while Chinese men made the most of home advantage.
On the men’s side, Su Yiming (CHN) reclaimed the top spot, powered by a backside 1980 nosegrab and a clean switch backside 1980 melon. His compatriot Ge Chunyu finished second marking his first World Cup podium in his first finals appearance, while Japan’s Ryoma Kimata rounded out the podium.
The women’s competition was swept by Japan: Mari Fukada took the win, followed by Reira Iwabuchi and Miyabi Onitsuka — a strong display of national dominance at the Big Air level.
For Su, the victory marked his first Big Air World Cup win in two years — a welcome return to form after a difficult 2024/25 season.
“This one means so much to me … I’ve been away from the podium for a couple of years.” – Su Yiming
That result turned heads: multiple Chinese riders on a Big Air podium for the first time under the current World Cup system, and confirmation that home snow still carries weight.
One week later in Beijing, at the former Olympic Big Air venue, the season continued — and the stakes only got higher. The predictions of home-snow advantage proved well-founded.
On the women’s side, Mia Brookes (GBR), last season’s Big Air and overall Park & Pipe Crystal Globe champion, kicked off her campaign with a statement victory. A second-run switch frontside 1440 stalefish scored high, vaulting her to a winning total.
“This one’s really crazy, I’m super hyped. I just wanted to come and put down back 12 and cab 14 and I did that, so I’m really stoked.” – Mia Brookes
17-year-old Austrian Hanna Karrer secured her first career World Cup podium in second place, while 18-year-old Japanese rider Momo Suzuki took third — her third Big Air bronze in as many seasons.
On the men’s side, Su Yiming once again demonstrated why he remains the rider to beat. Answering a late surge by Japan’s Kira Kimura — who rose into the lead with a switch backside 1980 — Su landed his own switch backside 1980, boosting his total and reclaiming gold.
Meanwhile, Finland’s Rene Rinnekangas landed a nosebutter backside rodeo 1440 tailgrab — a trick reportedly never before landed in competition — and posted the highest-scored run of the final, earning him a surprising and well-deserved third place.
Brookes’ win after skipping the season opener — combined with Su’s second home-snow triumph — makes Beijing feel like a proving ground again. For Brookes, the victory signals that her Crystal Globe form from last season has carried into 2025/26. For Su, it confirms he remains the benchmark — even when the pressure is high and the crowd is home.
The fact that two different Chinese-snow venues hosted consecutive Big Air events so early in the season seems to have — so far at least — worked in favour of riders comfortable with home conditions. Su Yiming’s two wins mark him as the only man to take multiple Big Air World Cup victories on Chinese snow.
But international competitors are pushing hard: Brookes’ commanding win in Beijing after skipping Secret Garden shows that a strong season opener isn’t a prerequisite for dominance — and that the field remains deep and diverse in 2025/26.
The emergence of young podium-getters — like Hanna Karrer and Momo Suzuki — is especially notable on the women’s side, raising the level of competition and hinting at a generational shift.
As the tour now shifts to the next stop in Steamboat, all eyes will be on whether this early-season momentum holds up — and whether the mix of established stars and hungry newcomers can keep delivering the trick progression and high-stakes drama, to position themselves before Olympics and avoiding injurues at all cost.
Photos by Chad Buccholz/ @fisparkandpipe
Designed by Street Artist Nychos, Burton is dropping a new limited edition
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