We’ve got a new King and Queen… of Corbet’s Couloir that is.
The sixth iteration of the event brought out some old faces, but Tim McChesney and Ana Eyssimont, two skiers, won the event for the first time each.
On the snowboard side of things, Yuki Kadono took home a first place finish for the men, while Sarka Pancochova took home first for the women.
Fresh off of competing at the Baker Banked Slalom, Pancochova and her coach almost missed their flight from Seattle and only just got into Wyoming the day before the contest kicked off. She called the contest “the most intense competition I have ever done.” She fell on her first run, then took the go-run into her line and exemplified some smooth freeriding on her second run.
Meanwhile, Jackson Hole transplant Kadono channeled his inner skier and back-slapped the landing on his final run to cap off an insane showing.
Jed Sky finished in second for the snowboarding men, and Spencer Whiting finished in third. On the women’s side, former queen Madison Blackley came in second place, while Erika Vikander finished in third.
I wasn’t there, but I watched from my couch. Here are some of my takeaways from the Jackson Hole contest.
1. Gimbal God’s Tribute to Jason Robinson Was Wild
Gimbal God (Spencer Whiting) shimmied down a chimney chute before throwing a pair of methods, first off of a natural feature, and finally off of the crowd pleaser cheese wedge.
Whiting dropped through the chute as a nod to rider Jason Robinson, who completed in the 2021 contest.
2. The Landing Was Not Easy
Blame it on the whiteout conditions. Blame it on this contest being the first time Corbet’s Couloir was open all season. Blame it on the packed-in snow. Whatever the reason, landing in the couloir was really hard for the skiers and riders this year.
3. The Drone Shots Weren’t Cutting It
I realize that drone follow cameras are used in nearly every sort of action sports broadcast these days, but cutting the camera feed to a drone shot halfway through a skier or rider’s jump just isn’t it. Consistency is needed to make this type of camera work pay off, and for much of the Kings and Queens broadcast, it wasn’t paying off.
4. Irie Jefferson Is a True ATV (and a Rockstar)
On February 22, 2025, Jefferson will be competing on the steel in Boston, at Red Bull Heavy Metal. When he dropped into Corbet’s, he attempted a switch back rodeo, and proceeded to drop squarely on his back. It’s a slam that would have taken most riders and skiers out, but he managed to get back to his feet, continue to freeride down the mountain, and throw a 900 off of the crowd pleaser jump at the end. He lost his helmet and goggles on that last trick, then proceeded to grab a silver can of Ranier beer from a member of the crowd and chug it.
Party on, Irie.
5. We Need More Hybrid Events
I rarely watch pro skiing, unless it’s either forced upon me by being included in a snowboard film, it’s the Olympics, or it’s Henrik Harlaut. Some of these skier folks are pretty rad though. I would love another combined event to see Colby Stephenson, Piper Kunst (above) and Veronica Paulsen go huge against the top snowboarders.