Ayumu Hirano Wins Men's Snowboard Halfpipe

Ending the year on a high note! Monster Energy congratulates team rider Ayumu Hirano on claiming first place in Men’s Snowboard Halfpipe at the FIS World Cup at Copper Mountain, Colorado, this weekend. In Friday’s dramatic final, the 26-year-old from Murakami, Japan, rose to the top on his last attempt.

Hirano was joined on the all-Japanese Men’s Snowboard Halfpipe podium by 23-year-old Yuto Totsuka from Yokohama in second place.

The Men’s Freeski Halfpipe final saw 27-year-old Brendan Mackay from Alberta, Canada, take second place in an international field. In the Women’s Freeski Halfpipe competition, 32-year-old Cassie Sharpe from Comox, Canada, claimed third place.

From December 18-21, the 2024 Toyota U.S. Grand Prix at Copper Mountain attracted the world’s premiere freeski and snowboard athletes. Sanctioned by the International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS), the event marked the second FIS Halfpipe World Cup competition of the 2025 season.

In Friday’s Men’s Snowboard Halfpipe final, Monster Energy’s Hirano had trouble stringing together a flawless run. After two failed attempts, the decorated snowboarder found himself far outside podium contention with a mere 37.75-point score for Run 1.  

With everything riding on his last attempt, Hirano landed a run for the ages: Opening with his signature triple cork 1440 Weddle, he put together Cab 1440 Weddle, frontside double cork 1260 frontside grab, backside double cork 1260 Weddle, and frontside 1080 frontside grab on the final hit for 97.00 points and the win.

Friday’s victory marks the seventh win at a FIS World Cup competition for the 2022 Olympic gold medalist, who also owns two Olympic silver medals (2014, 2018) in the discipline. Hirano now holds second place in 2025 FIS Snowboard Halfpipe World Cup rankings with 150.00 points.

Before Hirano’s breakthrough run, Monster Energy’s Totsuka held the top spot until the last attempts of the final. After previously winning the season opener at Secret Garden, China, the 23-year-old returned to top form by putting together a perfect routine stacked with difficult tricks. Combining switch backside double cork 1260 Weddle, Cab 1440 Weddle, frontside double cork 1260, backside double cork 1260 Weddle and frontside double cork 1440 tailgrab earned Totsuka 94.75 points and second place in an all-Japanese podium.

Friday’s second-place finish marked the twentieth FIS World Cup podium finish for Totsuka. After two FIS Snowboard World Cup events, Totsuka now holds first place in the discipline with 180.00 points in 2025 season rankings. 

The podiums continued in the Men’s Freeski Halfpipe competition on Saturday. In an elite field, Brendan Mackay took second place with a perfect run and some of the highest aerials of the weekend.

On his highest-scoring attempt, Mackay strung together switch left double cork alley-oop 900, switch left 1080 Japan, back-to-back double 1260s, and a flat 540 poked mute grab for 91.25 points and second place.

Mackay currently holds third place in 2025 FIS Freeski Halfpipe World Cup rankings with 230.00 points.

In the Women’s Freeski Halfpipe competition, Cassie Sharpe claimed third place. In her best run, Sharpe finessed back-to-back 900s left and right, air to fakie Japan, switch 360 mute, huge flair, and a left 1080 tailgrab for 89.00 points. With only a 1.5-point difference between third and first place, this was one of the closest halfpipe World Cup contests in recent history.

Sharpe now holds eleventh place in halfpipe World Cup season rankings with 120.00 points.