Ayumu Hirano Headlines Shaun White's Snow League Debut

Ayumu Hirano will compete in Shaun White's Snow League, a professional winter sports circuit featuring snowboarding and freeskiing. The inaugural season includes four global events starting in March at Aspen Snowmass. Athletes will vie for a $1.5 million prize, with the highest scorer named Snow League Champion.

Japan's Olympic champion Ayumu Hirano is set to compete in the first season of Shaun White's newly-launched Snow League circuit, confirmed the organization on Wednesday. This professional winter sports league focuses on snowboarding and freeskiing across four global events, with the inaugural event scheduled for March at Colorado's Aspen Snowmass resort.

The Snow League will feature snowboard halfpipe at all its events next year, while freeskiing will make its debut in the second event by 2025. Joining Hirano are notable athletes like Mitsuki Ono and Sena Tomita, both respected figures in the sport, alongside Spain's Olympic silver medalist Queralt Castellet.

Shaun White praised the lineup as a 'dream roster' of top-tier talent that is advancing the limits of competitive snowboarding. With a field of 20 men and 16 women, participants will compete for a $1.5 million prize pool. They will earn points at each competition, and the top scorer across the events will be crowned the Snow League World Champion.

(With inputs from agencies.)