The initial freeski and snowboard athlete entry list is in for the Visa Big Air World Cup in Atlanta, and it serves as a true illustration of quality without sacrificing quantity for the two-day event at SunTrust Park.
The Olympic spirit will return to Atlanta this December with an impressive roster of international competitors for the Visa Big Air slated for Dec. 20 and 21. SunTrust Park will host 27 nations represented by an estimated 164 athletes across men’s and women’s snowboard and freeski big air competition. To put that in context, at the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympic Games 30 nations competed in snowboarding and 27 nations competed in freeski and freestyle disciplines. Since founding the event, organizers have stressed the goal of attempting to bring back the Olympic spirit of competition to Atlanta and this elite athletic field sets the scene for exactly that.
Note. Initial athlete entries are subject to change. The list below does not contain all athletes or countries represented on the entry list.
UNITED STATES
- Two-time Olympic medalist Nick Goepper, two-time X Games gold medalist Alex Hall, 2018-19 FIS Slopestyle Crystal Globe Winner Mac Forehand, the Fagan Brothers (Deven and Kiernan), Colby Stevenson, and Willie Borm.
- For the women, 2019 FIS World Championship big air silver medalist Julia Krass, Olympian Caroline Claire, and potentially Maggie Voisin making her debut back from injury.
- Olympic gold medalists Red Gerard and Jamie Anderson, Olympic silver medalist Kyle Mack, and six-time Crystal Globe winner and current FIS World Cup Big Air points leader Chris corning.
- 2016 Fenway Big Air World Cup winner Julia Marino and X Games gold medalist Hailey Langland.
CANADA
- Olympic bronze medalist Alex Beaulieu-Marchand, Dew Tour champion Evan McEachran, inaugural Olympic slopestyle gold medalist Dara Howell, and Megan Oldham.
- Mark McMorris, one of the most decorated competitive snowboarders in history, Darcy Sharpe, Michael Ciccarelli, and six-time X Games medalist and inaugural Olympic big air gold medalist Sebastian Toutant.
- X Games gold medalist Laurie Blouin, Olympian Brooke Voigt, and rising star Sommer Gendron.
SWITZERLAND
- Three-time FIS Crystal Globe winner Andri Ragettli, Kai Mahler, Luca Schuler, and Fabian Boesch
- Swiss female double-cork freeski triple threat of Sarah Hoefflin, Mathilde Gremaud, and Giulia Tanno.
- Snowboard Olympian Michael Schaerer.
NORWAY
- Six-time X Games medalists Johanne Killi and Oystein Braaten, as well as Ferdinand Dahl, Christian Nummedal, and two-time X Games gold medalist Birk Ruud.
- Two-time X Games medalist Mons Roisland.
SWEDEN
- Fan-favorite Henrik Harlaut alongside teammates Jesper Tjader and Oscar Wester.
- X Games gold medalist Sven Thorgren and Niklas Mattsson.
GREAT BRITAIN
- 2019 FIS Freeski Slopestyle World Champion James Woods as well as Olympic bronze medalist Isabel Atkin.
- Snowboard Olympian Katie Ormerod.
AUSTRIA
- Anna Gasser, the first female snowboarder to land a triple cork and is also the inaugural Olympic big air gold medalist. Also, snowboard olympian Clemens Millauer.
- Freeski Olympian Lukas Muellauer.
JAPAN
- Japanese riders Ruki Tobita and Ryoma Kimata.
- 2018-19 FIS Snowboard Big Air Crystal Globe Winner Reira Iwabuchi, Miyabi Onitsuka, Kokomo Murase.
NEW ZEALAND
- Freeski Olympian Finn Bilous and Margaux Hackett.
Tickets on sale now at Braves.com/visabigair
More information at usskiandsnowboard.org/visabigair
EVENT SCHEDULE
Visa Big Air
SunTrust Park, Atlanta, Ga., USA
Snowboard & Freeski Big Air FIS World Cup
December 18-21, 2019
*Subject to change
Friday, Dec 20
12:00 – 10:00 p.m. – Sponsor Village/Entertainment – The Battery
5:30 p.m. – Gates Open
6:00 – 6:45 p.m. – Men’s and women’s snowboard big air finals practice
7:00 – 8:30 p.m. – Men’s and women’s snowboard big air finals
Saturday, Dec 21
12:00 – 10:00 p.m. – Sponsor Village/Entertainment – The Battery
5:00 p.m. – Gates Open
5:30 p.m. – Teton Gravity Research Premiere – “Fire on the Mountain”
6:00 – 6:45 p.m. – Men’s and women’s freeski big air finals practice
7:00 – 8:30 p.m. – Men’s and women’s freeski big air finals
HOW TO WATCH
All times EST
*Same-day broadcast
**Next-day broadcast
SNOWBOARD
Friday, December 20
7:00 p.m. – Visa Big Air World Cup – SunTrust Park, Atlanta, Ga. – NBCSN
Saturday, December 21
4:00 p.m. – Visa Big Air World Cup – SunTrust Park, Atlanta, Ga. – NBC Sports**
FREESKI
Saturday, December 21
7:00 p.m. – Visa Big Air World Cup – SunTrust Park, Atlanta, Ga. – NBCSN
Sunday, December 22
3:00 p.m. – Visa Big Air World Cup – SunTrust Park, Atlanta, Ga. – NBC Sports**