Sara Shimizu and Ryusei Yamada claim Event Four wins under the lights at historic LAAX halfpipe; Yuto Totsuka and Sena Tomita become first-ever season Snow League champions
Following an intense first season of Snow League competition, the inaugural World Championship snowboard titles were officially awarded to Yuto Totsuka (JPN), the 2026 Olympic gold medalist, and Sena Tomita (JPN) at the final event of the season in LAAX, Switzerland. Both athletes have led the championship standings throughout all four competitions of Season One.
Shaun White, three-time Olympic Champion and Snow League founder, presented the Snow League World Championship trophy, designed by Tiffany & Co. He said, „To see the Snow League vision come to life, and even surpass what we imagined in Season One, has been incredible. It exceeded every expectation, from the level of riding to the enthusiasm from fans and the progression across both snowboard and freeski. What we’ve built in year one is just the beginning, and I couldn’t be more excited about where we’re headed in Season Two.“
Due to inclement weather concluding the event’s action early, Event Four results were based on the last completed full round of competition: the women’s semifinal round and the men’s quarterfinal round. The podium was determined by the highest scores in those rounds from the athletes who advanced in their matchups.
The winners at Event Three in Aspen were once again atop the podium in LAAX, with Olympic bronze medalist Ryusei Yamada (JPN) and 16-year-old Sara Shimizu (JPN) continuing their winning streaks in LAAX, Switzerland.
Snowboard quarterfinals were held under sunny skies in the afternoon, with the men’s and women’s field reduced to eight athletes set to compete under the lights in the legendary halfpipe at LAAX.
The women’s field competed through a full evening semifinal round before the weather became an issue, with crowds lining the walls of the halfpipe. The resulting all-Japanese podium was led by Shimizu, who earned the top score of the round to take the win, followed by another 16-year-old, Rise Kudo (JPN), improving on her third-place finish in China to take second, and five-time Olympian Xuetong Cai (CHN) earning her first Snow League podium.
The men’s result was decided based on the leading scores in the quarterfinals. The all-Asian podium saw Yamada (JPN) earn the top score to advance and secure his second-consecutive Snow League victory. Totsuka delivered the second-highest advancing score, resulting in a second place finish mirroring his recent Aspen result. And Chaeun Lee (KOR) earned the third-highest score to claim third and his first Snow League podium.
Two additional awards were handed out, with the Jeep Biggest Air winners going to 14-year-old Patti Zhou who blasted 13′ 0″ (3.96 meters) on a Cab 720 in the women’s quarterfinals, and Yamada, airing 21′ 4″ (6.50 meters) on a McTwist in quarterfinals.
The winners of Event Four each earn a first-place prize of $50,000 USD out of a total prize purse of $370,000 for the event with payouts extending through the top eight finalists.
In addition, the top 3 overall Snow League snowboard athletes share $160,000 in championship awards: Sena Tomita and Yuto Totsuka are each awarded $50,000 each, with second-place finishers receiving $20,000 and third-place earning $10,000.
The Snow League Season One Women’s Championship
Sena Tomita (JPN), 277 points
Mitsuki Ono (JPN), 264 points
Maddie Mastro (USA), 227 points
The Snow League Season One Men’s Championship
Yuto Totsuka (JPN), 355 points
Ryusei Yamada (JPN), 334 points
Ruka Hirano (JPN), 230 points
The Snow League Event Four at LAAX Women’s Podium
Sara Shimizu (JPN)
Rise Kudo (JPN)
Xuetong Cai (CHN)
The Snow League Event Four at LAAX Men’s Podium
Ryusei Yamada (JPN)
Yuto Totsuka (JPN)
Chaeun Lee (KOR)
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