Yampa Valley Athletes Dominate US Ski and Snowboard National Teams

Steamboat Springs —United States Ski and Snowboard has announced its national teams for the upcoming World Cup and World Championship cycles, and the list is heavy with names from the Yampa Valley. For a region that often feels like it feeds talent to the rest of the country, seeing this many Steamboat and Oak Creek athletes on the same roster is a distinct shift in momentum.

Let’s do the math on the local representation. On the snowboard side, Steamboat’s Maddy Schaffrick headlines the Halfpipe Pro Team. That is a significant placement. Adding to that, Ava Lilly and Aimee Wild made the Halfpipe Rookie Team, and Cody Winters was nominated to the Snowboard Cross Pro Team. U.S. Snowboard Sport Director Rick Bower noted that the roster features a mix of established riders and young athletes ready to make their mark. He also highlighted major changes in the coaching staff across all disciplines, promising new energy for each group.

The alpine team offers even deeper local roots. Jett Seymour is on the Men’s B Team. The Women’s C Team includes Logan Grosdidier and Tatum Grosdidier. The Men’s C Team features Jeremy Nolting, Jay Poulter, and Cooper Puckett. U.S. Alpine Director Sasha Rearick described the group as "very determined and impressive," noting that their commitment in summer training and on the snow has set the stage for a World Championship season.

In freeski, two Yampa Valley athletes made the cut. Oak Creek’s Riley Jacobs joined the Women’s Pro Ski Halfpipe Team. Her resume is dense: nine top-10 finishes on the international circuit, a sixth-place finish at her 2024 X-Games debut, and a spot representing the U.S. at the 2026 Milan Cortina Olympic Games. Steamboat Springs’s Cael McCarthy landed on the Men’s Rookie Ski Halfpipe Team. At barely 21 years old, McCarthy brings the title of 2023-2024 and 2025-2026 NorAm Halfpipe overall winner, along with two top-10 finishes during the previous season.

The schedule is tight and the stakes are high. The Snowboard World Championships are set for Montafon, Austria, March 6-21, 2027. The alpine World Championships will take place at Crans-Montana, Switzerland, Feb. 1-14. The circuit is extensive, with 40 women’s races at 20 venues and 43 men’s races at 21 venues for alpine skiing.

Colorado continues to be a hub for these events. Breckenridge will host a slopestyle World Cup competition Dec. 10-13. Copper Mountain is set for a halfpipe competition Dec. 17-19. Aspen will follow with a slopestyle and halfpipe competition Feb. 25-28. The first competition of the season kicks off at Secret Garden, China.

For the folks in the valley, this is more than just a list of names. It is a validation of the training infrastructure and the competitive pipeline that has developed over the last decade. Whether you are watching from the stands at a local event or following the results from overseas, the presence of these athletes puts the region on the map. The season is about to get loud.