Monster Energy Freeski and Snowboard Athletes Claim Victories at the 2025 FIS Snowboard and Freeski World Championships in Switzerland

• 20-Year-Old Kokomo Murase from Japan Takes 1^st Place in Women's Snowboard Big Air
• 24-Year-Old Chloe Kim from Los Angeles Takes World Championship in Women's Snowboard Halfpipe
• 20-Year-Old Monster Army Rider Luca Harrington Becomes Men's Freeski Big Air World Champion, 34-Year-Old Sarah Hoefflin from Switzerland Takes 2^nd Place in Women's Freeski Big Air
• 18-Year-Old Finley Melville Ives Wins Men's Freeski Halfpipe World Championship
• 19-Year-Old Taiga Hasegawa from Iwakura, Japan, Claims 2^nd Place in Men's Snowboard Big Air
• 24-Year-Old Birk Ruud from Oslo, Norway, Places 3^rd in Men's Freeski Big Air
• 32-Year-Old Cassie Sharpe from Comox, Canada, Earns Bronze Medal in Women's Freeski Halfpipe

ENGADIN, Switzerland, March 30, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The 2025 FIS World Championships are a wrap! Monster Energy congratulates its snow sports athletes on claiming victories and podium spots in Big Air and Halfpipe events at the 2025 FIS Snowboard, Freestyle, and Freeski World Championships in Engadin, Switzerland.

In the Women's Snowboard Big Air final on Friday, 20-year-old Kokomo Murase from Gifu, Japan, took the victory. The Men's Snowboard Big Air contest saw 19-year-old Taiga Hasegawa from Iwakura, Japan, rise to second place.

On Saturday, the Women's Snowboard Halfpipe event concluded with 24-year-old Chloe Kim from Los Angeles claiming the World Championship title for the third time in her career. Next, the Men's Freeski Big Air final witnessed 20-year-old Monster Army rider Luca Harrington from Wānaka, New Zealand, become the new World Champion in the discipline. Harrington was joined on the podium by 24-year-old Birk Ruud from Oslo, Norway, in third place. The Women's Freeski Big Air event wrapped with 34-year-old Sarah Hoefflin from Geneva, Switzerland, taking the silver medal.

On Sunday, 18-year-old Finley Melville Ives from Wānaka, New Zealand, took the World Championship title in Men's Freeski Halfpipe. Also claiming a top spot, 32-year-old Cassie Sharpe from Comox, Canada, earned the bronze medal in Women's Freeski Halfpipe.

From March 18-30, the 2025 FIS Snowboard, Freestyle and Freeski World Championships in the Engadin region featured the world elite in snow sports in the Swiss mountains. Sanctioned by the International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS), the event determined World Champions in Big Air and Halfpipe disciplines this weekend on the heels of Slopestyle competitions the previous weekend.

Here's how the action unfolded for Team Monster Energy in Switzerland:

Snowboard Big Air: Monster Energy's Kokomo Murase Claims World Championship Title

The weekend kicked off on a high note for the team in the Women's Snowboard Big Air final on Friday. In an elite field of international competitors, Kokomo Murase earned the trophy as the new FIS World Champion in the discipline.

Murase started strong by finessing a switch frontside 1260 frontside grab on Run 1 for 85.75 points. She proceeded to seal her victory on Run 2 by landing a backside 1080 nose grab for 76.75 points. With a total score of 162.50 points, Murase claimed the victory in the 16^th Snowboard World Championships.

The podium spots continued in the Men's Snowboard Big Air final. When all was said and done Taiga Hasegawa took second place in a close competition.

After difficulty on his first attempt of the final, Hasegawa put down a switch frontside 1800 air for 87.00 points on Run 2. With everything riding on his last trick, the Japanese landed a perfect backside 1800 Weddle for 87.50 points and a total score of 174.50 points for second place in the World Championships.

Prior to competing at Engadin, Hasegawa earned the Crystal Globe trophy in the overall 2025 FIS World Cup Snowboard Park & Pipe rankings.

Snowboard Halfpipe: Monster Energy's Chloe Kim Takes 3^rd Career World Championship

In the Women's Snowboard Halfpipe event on Saturday Chloe Kim dropped in as the favorite. Known as the 'Queen of the Superpipe,' the American most recently claimed gold at X Games Aspen 2025 and won the legendary LAAX Open.

Facing heat from Japan's Sara Shimizu, Kim secured the victory on her first run of the final. A technical routine featuring switch frontside double cork 1080 stalefish, frontside 900 tailgrab, backside 900 Weddle, frontside 720 frontside grab, and switch 1080 stalefish on the final wall earned Kim 93.50 points and the title of Women's Snowboard Halfpipe World Champion.

"I think I am back. I started to find the joy for the sport again and that has been a positive change," said Monster Energy's Kim after winning the World Championship in Switzerland. "Today was a big mental battle for all the ladies. I definitely had a couple of mental breakdowns during practice, so I am just happy that I was able to land something."

Saturday's victory marks the third Snowboard World Championship title for Kim after claiming victories in Utah (2019) and Aspen (2021). Kim is a two-time Olympic gold medalist.

Freeski Big Air: Monster Army Rider Luca Harrington Wins Men's Title, Sarah Hoefflin Takes 2^nd Place in Women's

Also on Saturday, the Men's Freeski Big Air final marked another victory for the rising star in the discipline: Monster Army rider Luca Harrington soared above the competition to claim the World Championship.

Harrington started the session on a strong note by posting a rightside triple cork 1980 safety grab for 92.00 points on Run1. Maintaining his momentum, he followed up with his signature move, switch rightside triple cork 1800 esco grab, for 96.75 points to put himself beyond the rest of the field.

Taking his final run as a victory lap, Harrington upped the ante by landing an even more massive rightside triple cork 1980 safety grab for 95.25 points to end the night with an exclamation point. A total score of 192.00 points earned Harrington the Men's Freeski Big Air World Championship title.

"The tricks that we're doing are unbelievable, and we've definitely pushed the sport so much this season," said Monster Energy's Harrington, adding: "I'm definitely looking forward to what's next."

This concludes a breakout season for Harrington: Raised in the Monster Army amateur support program, the young Kiwi team rider made his X Games debut at Aspen 2025 by claiming Slopestyle gold and Big Air silver. Harrington also earned the 2024/25 FIS Crystal Globe in Freeski Big Air, making history as the first skier from New Zealand to earn the trophy.

Harrington was joined on the podium by Birk Ruud in third place. Ruud barged into the final by blasting a switch left triple cork 1980 mute for 93.50 points on Run 1. He then followed up by spinning a left double bio 1800 mute grab for 89.50 points. With a total score of 183.00 points, Ruud earned the bronze medal.

The Women's Freeski Big Air competition concluded with another podium spot for the team: In an intense showdown Sarah Hoefflin took the silver medal.

Dropping into the final as the top qualifier, Hoefflin put down a switch rightside double cork 1080 mute grab on Run 1 for 90.50 points. On her second attempt, the Swiss Olympic medalist landed a leftside double 1080 safety grab for 80.25 points and the silver medal with a total score of 170.75 points.    

Freeski Halfpipe: Monster Energy's Finley Melville Ives Claims Men's World Championship, Cassie Sharpe Takes Bronze Medal in Women's

The Snowboard World Championships ended with a surprise victory on Sunday: Newly minted Monster Energy team rider Finley Melville Ives took the World Championship title in Men's Freeski Halfpipe.

In a field of multiple X Games gold medalists and Olympic champions, the 18-year-old rose all the way to the top with a perfect run. On his first attempt, Melville Ives put down a technical routine that no other skier could match: Putting together switch right double cork 1080 Japan, left  double cork 1620 mute, left alley-oop double flatspin 1080 mute, switch left double cork 1080 Japan, and right double cork 1620 safety on the final wall earned the young kiwi ripper 96.00 points and the World Championship title.

"I honestly am in shock; I can't believe that I landed my run," said Monster Energy's Melville Ives, adding: "I'm so hyped; the pipe is so good. I'm so thankful the weather was good."

The new team rider most recently earned his first FIS World Cup win during the season finale in Calgary and took fourth place at X Games Aspen 2025.

The team earned the final podium spot in the Women's Freeski Halfpipe final. In a field featuring the world elite of the sport Cassie Sharpe took the bronze medal.

Sharpe secured her medal on Run 2 by landing rightside cork 900, leftside cork 900, rightside 1080, switch leftside 360 mute, rightside flair 540 safety and leftside 1080 on the final wall for 88.00 points and third place.

Before earning her podium spot at Engadin, Sharpe returned to competition with a gold medal performance at X Games Aspen 2025.

Quick recap from the previous weekend: Zoi Sadowski-Synnott from Wānaka, New Zealand, earned the title of World Champion in Women's Snowboard Slopestyle in the 16^th Snowboard World Championships. In the 20^th Freestyle World Ski Championships, 24-year-old Birk Ruud from Oslo, Norway, claimed the title in Men's Freeski Slopestyle for the second time in his career. Congratulations to the team on this successful event!

For more on Kokomo Murase, Chloe Kim, Luca Harrington, Finley Melville Ives, Taiga Hasegawa, Sarah Hoefflin, Birk Ruud, Cassie Sharpe, and the Monster Energy snow sports team, visit www.monsterenergy.com. Follow Monster Energy on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, X, and TikTok for exclusive updates from the 2025 snow sports season.

For interview or photo requests contact Kim Dresser.

About Monster Energy

Based in Corona, California, Monster Energy is the leading marketer of energy drinks and alternative beverages. Refusing to acknowledge the traditional, Monster Energy supports the scene and sport. Whether motocross, off-road, NASCAR, MMA, BMX, surf, snowboard, ski, skateboard, or the rock and roll lifestyle, Monster Energy is a brand that believes in authenticity and the core of what its athletes and musicians represent. More than a drink, it's the way of life lived by athletes, bands, believers, and fans. See more about Monster Energy including all of its drinks at www.monsterenergy.com.

CONTACT: Kim Dresser C: (949) 300-5546 E: [email protected]

SOURCE Monster Energy