The 2025–2026 Freeski Park & Pipe season kicks off this weekend with the opening slopestyle event in Stubai, Austria.
Australia will be represented by NSWIS skiers Abi Harrigan and Daisy Thomas in the women’s competition, while Joey Elliss will make his World Cup slopestyle debut in the men’s event.
This year marks the ninth time the season opener has taken place at the Stubai Zoo terrain park on the glacier. The event is one of three slopestyle Olympic qualifying competitions this season, with Aspen and Laax still to come before the qualification deadline on January 18.
Harrigan captured her first World Cup medal last season with a silver in Tignes, France, while Thomas posted her best slopestyle finish to date, placing eighth in the same event. Harrigan wrapped up the season ranked 11th overall, with Thomas in 21st on the World Cup standings.
For Elliss, Stubai marks his World Cup slopestyle debut after competing in big air World Cups and both slopestyle and big air at last season’s World Championships.
Looking ahead to the Olympic season, Thomas said she is eager to make an impact:
"Super excited for the first world cup of the season this weekend” said the 18-year-old from Sydney.
"We have already had a great start to the season in terms of preparation and I am feeling very confident and comfortable to get this show on the road!
"I’ve been in Austria for 2-3 weeks now having spent a week at Banger Park getting my tricks dialed and perfected. I have also spent a week on the World Cup course already learning new tricks for the rest of the season as well as get my competition run sorted. With all that in mind I’m here to put down my smartest run and score a result i’m proud of."
Australia will be represented by NSWIS skiers Abi Harrigan and Daisy Thomas in the women’s competition, while Joey Elliss will make his World Cup slopestyle debut in the men’s event.
This year marks the ninth time the season opener has taken place at the Stubai Zoo terrain park on the glacier. The event is one of three slopestyle Olympic qualifying competitions this season, with Aspen and Laax still to come before the qualification deadline on January 18.
Harrigan captured her first World Cup medal last season with a silver in Tignes, France, while Thomas posted her best slopestyle finish to date, placing eighth in the same event. Harrigan wrapped up the season ranked 11th overall, with Thomas in 21st on the World Cup standings.
For Elliss, Stubai marks his World Cup slopestyle debut after competing in big air World Cups and both slopestyle and big air at last season’s World Championships.
Looking ahead to the Olympic season, Thomas said she is eager to make an impact:
"Super excited for the first world cup of the season this weekend” said the 18-year-old from Sydney.
"We have already had a great start to the season in terms of preparation and I am feeling very confident and comfortable to get this show on the road!
"I’ve been in Austria for 2-3 weeks now having spent a week at Banger Park getting my tricks dialed and perfected. I have also spent a week on the World Cup course already learning new tricks for the rest of the season as well as get my competition run sorted. With all that in mind I’m here to put down my smartest run and score a result i’m proud of."
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