Monster Energy's Ayumu Hirano and Brendan Mackay Earn Victories at The Snow League Halfpipe Competition in China
- 27-Year-Old Hirano from Japan Claims 1st Place and $50,000 in Men's Snowboard Halfpipe
- 28-Year-Old Mackay from Canada Takes 1st Place and $50,000 in Men's Freeski Halfpipe
- British-American Rider Gus Kenworthy Returns to Competition with 3rd Place in Men's Freeski Halfpipe
CHONGLI, China, Dec. 6, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Halfpipe action at its best! Monster Energy congratulates team rider Ayumu Hirano on claiming first place in Men's Snowboard Halfpipe at The Snow League competition in Chongli, China, this weekend. In the second event of the current season, the 27-year-old from Murakami, Japan, took the win and $50,000 in prize money against the world elite of the sport at Yunding Snow Park.
On Saturday, the first Men's Freeski Halfpipe contest of the series concluded with 28-year-old Brendan Mackay from Calgary, Canada, taking the win and $50,000 in prize money. Mackay was joined on the podium by 34-year-old Gus Kenworthy from Telluride, Colorado, in third place.
From December 4-6, The Snow League contested its second event after the series kicked off in Aspen Snowmass this March. Created by professional snowboarder Shaun White, The Snow League is an invite-only contest series focused on intense head-to-head battles between top international snow sports athletes. The action from China was broadcast live to fans in more than 175 countries.
In the Men's Snowboard Halfpipe contest, Monster Energy's Hirano emerged from Thursday's qualifiers as the top finalist with the day's highest qualifying score of 96.00 points. The Olympic gold medalist earned his lead by landing tricks including switch backside 900 Weddle, Cab double cork 1440, and his signature frontside triple cork 1440.
When the action moved to finals day on Friday, the top eight riders faced off in head-to-head duels to determine the winner. In his quarter-final showdown, Hirano edged ahead of Shuichiro Shigeno from Japan by landing a perfect run.
In the semi-final, Hirano bested American Alessandro Barbieri to advance to the final against fellow Japanese rider Yuto Totsuka. The showdown between Hirano and Totsuka delivered the level of intensity that The Snow League was created for: On the first run of three, Ayumu gained the upper hand with a flawless run after his opponent failed to put down a full run.
But when Ayumu took a fall on Run 2, deciding the winner came down to the third and final run of the final. No stranger to high-stakes duels, Hirano sealed his victory on Run 3 by putting together a switch backside 900 Weddle into a Cab double cork 1440 Weddle, two consecutive 900s both ways, and frontside double cork 1080 truck driver on the final hit for 81.33 points over Totsuka's 59.33 points.
"It was like we were competing in the Olympics, it was a real battle," said Monster Energy's Hirano upon claiming the win at The Snow League China on Friday.
This marks the first win for Hirano at The Snow League, after claiming third place at the inaugural event in Aspen Snowmass in March. Hirano now commands second place in World Championship Standings with 177 points.
The Snow League competition continued on Saturday with the first freeski competition of the series. In the Men's Freeski Halfpipe event, eight of the world's top athletes in the discipline faced off during intense battles.
For his quarter-final matchup, Mackay faced American Hunter Hess and edged ahead with consistency and technical tricks. Maintaining his momentum, Mackay won the semi-final battle against Team USA's Nick Goepper and earned his way into the final showdown for the win.
In the best-of-three final, Mackay faced a tough adversary in Kiwi ripper Luke Harrold, who proceeded to win the first run. Facing pressure to win the second run, Mackay needed to beat Harrold's score of 88.50 points, and he did with a perfect run featuring four aerials above the 15-foot mark! Landing a perfect run featuring switch left alley-oop double 900 critical, switch left double 1080 double Japan, left alley-oop flat spin 540 mute, left double 1620 safety, and right double 1260 safety on the final wall earned Mackay 89.00 points and the chance to win the final in Run 3 as the tiebreaker.
The decisive third run took a dramatic turn with Harrold losing the handle on his fourth trick, leaving the door open for Mackay to sweep the victory with a clean run stacked with technical tricks performed at high altitude.
"To walk away on top is incredible, and I'm so stoked," said Monster Energy's Mackay upon claiming the win at The Snow League in China, adding, "It helps when the pipe is perfect and the day is perfect. It's easier to push yourself when everything is just amazing."
Speaking on the head-to-head competition format, Mackay said: "It was really cool competing in this format. There's a lot of strategy, and also a lot of luck with who you're up against, whether you can conserve energy or if you have to put it all out there in quarters. I feel super grateful to have put down my runs. I'm so stoked!"
Also rising to the podium, Monster Energy's Kenworthy performed in Chongli in his first competition since the 2022 Beijing Olympics. Kenworthy started his campaign in the quarter final, where he was slated to face reigning FIS Freeski Halfpipe World Champion and fellow Monster Energy team rider Finley Melville Ives from Wānaka, New Zealand. But as Ives dropped out of the contest at the last second, Kenworthy moved on to the next round.
In the semi-final, Kenworthy put on a strong showing against New Zealand's Luke Harrold. With technical tricks including 1440s both ways, Kenworthy stoked the crowd but lost the round to Harrold.
In the battle for third place, Kenworthy was supposed to compete against American Nick Goepper. But after Goepper suffered a crash in the semi-final, leaving him unable to continue, Kenworthy could claim third place uncontested. The podium spot in China is a milestone for Kenworthy after recently coming out of retirement to make a run at a fourth Olympics participation.
Stay tuned as the season continues in Aspen (February 26-28, 2026) and Switzerland (March 19-21, 2026). At the end of the season, rankings will determine the first Snow League World Champion.
For more on Ayumu Hirano, Brendan Mackay, Gus Kenworthy, 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 2025/26 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]
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