19 Most Important Snowboarding Tournaments

Snowboarding, an exciting winter sport, has grown immensely in popularity and now boasts a variety of prestigious competitions for professionals and amateurs alike.

Here is an overview of the most important snowboarding events and tournaments worldwide.

Most Important Snowboarding Tournaments:

World Championships
Winter X Games
Winter Olympic Games
Dew Tour
FIS Snowboard World Cup
Air & Style
New Zealand Winter Games
World Rookie Finals
Burton European Open
Arctic Challenge
Natural Selection Tour
Grand Prix
The Reels Awards
U.S. Open Snowboarding Championships
TTR World Snowboarding Championships
The North Face Masters of Snowboarding
Canadian Open Snowboarding Championships
Super Girl Snow Pro
Red Bull Double Pipe

#1 World Championships

📍 Location: Varies globally
📅 Established: 1993 (for snowboarding)
Held: Biennially
👥 Teams: Individual athletes from various nations

The FIS Snowboard World Championships, governed by the International Ski Federation (FIS), features athletes from around the world competing in various snowboarding disciplines, such as halfpipe, slopestyle, and parallel events.

The competition showcases the highest level of the sport, with the winners earning the title of World Champion. Notable riders like Shaun White and Hannah Teter have emerged as dominant forces in the championships.

#2 Winter X Games

📍 Location: Primarily in Aspen, Colorado, USA
📅 Established: 1997
🔄 Held: Annually
👥 Teams: Individual athletes and teams from various nations

The Winter X Games, organized by ESPN, serve as the pinnacle of extreme sports competition, with snowboarding featuring prominently.

The event showcases high-caliber athletes competing in thrilling events like big air, slopestyle, and superpipe. The X Games have played a significant role in popularizing snowboarding and launching the careers of star athletes such as Shaun White and Kelly Clark.

#3 Winter Olympic Games

📍 Location: Varies globally
📅 Established: 1924 (snowboarding added in 1998)
🔄 Held: Every 4 years
👥 Teams: National teams from various countries

Snowboarding became an Olympic sport in 1998, further cementing its place in the world of competitive athletics. The Winter Olympics feature various snowboarding events, including halfpipe, slopestyle, snowboard cross, and more.

The event brings together the world’s best athletes, resulting in compelling rivalries and unforgettable moments, like when Shaun White won his third gold medal in 2018.

#4 Dew Tour

📍 Location: Varies, primarily in the USA
📅 Established: 2005
🔄 Held: Annually
👥 Teams: Individual athletes from various nations

The Dew Tour, organized by Mountain Dew, is a popular snowboarding competition that combines both winter sports and action sports culture, attracting top riders from across the globe.

The event includes various disciplines like slopestyle, superpipe, and streetstyle, providing athletes a chance to showcase their unique skills. The Dew Tour has become a significant platform for emerging talent and influential snowboarders.

#5 FIS Snowboard World Cup

📍 Location: Varies globally
📅 Established: 1994
🔄 Held: Annually
👥 Teams: Individual athletes from various nations

The FIS Snowboard World Cup, governed by the International Ski Federation, serves as a season-long competition featuring the best snowboarders in the world.

With events held in various countries, athletes compete in multiple disciplines like parallel events, snowboard cross, slopestyle, and more. The World Cup is an essential platform for riders to showcase their skills, and it greatly impacts the sport’s evolution and athlete rankings.

#6 Air & Style

📍 Location: Innsbruck, Austria; Beijing, China; Los Angeles, USA
📅 Established: 1993
🔄 Held: Annually
👥 Teams: Individual athletes from various nations

Air & Style is an international snowboarding competition that combines big air events with music festivals, creating a captivating and entertaining atmosphere.

Founded by snowboarding legend Andrew Hourmont, the event attracts top athletes who compete in a head-to-head format. Air & Style has produced many memorable performances, with riders like Travis Rice and Mark McMorris making significant impacts on the competitive scene.

#7 New Zealand Winter Games

📍 Location: New Zealand
📅 Established: 2009
🔄 Held: Annually
👥 Teams: National teams from various countries

The New Zealand Winter Games is a multi-sport event that includes snowboarding as one of its main attractions. The competition features athletes from around the world competing in various disciplines, such as halfpipe, slopestyle, and big air.

The Winter Games showcase emerging talents from various nations and serve as a key platform for athletes to develop their skills and make their mark on the international snowboarding scene.

#8 World Rookie Finals

📍 Location: Varies globally
📅 Established: 2005
🔄 Held: Annually
👥 Teams: Individual junior athletes from various nations

The World Rookie Finals is a prestigious snowboarding competition exclusively for young athletes. Organized by the World Snowboarding Federation, the event serves as a platform for the future stars of the sport to showcase their skills and gain valuable competition experience.

The World Rookie Finals has been instrumental in discovering new talents and paving the way for the careers of numerous professional snowboarders.

#9 Burton European Open

📍 Location: Laax, Switzerland
📅 Established: 1999
🔄 Held: Annually
👥 Teams: Individual athletes from various nations

The Burton European Open, sponsored by snowboard company Burton, is a prestigious snowboarding event that takes place in Laax, Switzerland.

The competition features both amateur and professional riders, competing in various disciplines such as slopestyle and halfpipe. The event is known for its progressive course designs and high level of competition, contributing to the evolution and growth of snowboarding globally.

#10 Arctic Challenge

📍 Location: Norway
📅 Established: 1999
🔄 Held: Annually
👥 Teams: Individual athletes from various nations

The Arctic Challenge, founded by legendary snowboarder Terje Håkonsen, is an invitation-only event that brings together top riders from around the world.

The competition focuses on showcasing innovative and progressive riding in various disciplines, including halfpipe and slopestyle. The Arctic Challenge has played a significant role in defining the future of snowboarding, pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in terms of tricks, style, and progression.

#11 Natural Selection Tour

📍 Location: United States and Canada
📅 Established: 2021
🔄 Held: Annually
👥 Teams: Individual athletes from various nations

The Natural Selection Tour, founded by snowboarding icon Travis Rice, is a unique competition focusing on backcountry and all-mountain snowboarding. The event highlights the importance of incorporating natural terrain and features, providing an exciting and innovative experience for both the riders and the audience.

The Natural Selection Tour has garnered significant attention in the snowboarding community and is poised to continue shaping the direction of the sport in years to come.

#12 Grand Prix

📍 Location: United States
📅 Established: 1995
🔄 Held: Annually
👥 Teams: Individual athletes from various nations

The U.S. Grand Prix, organized by U.S. Ski & Snowboard, has been a staple event in the world of competitive snowboarding. Comprising multiple disciplines such as halfpipe, slopestyle, and big air, the competition often serves as a qualifying event for major competitions like the Winter Olympics and World Championships.

The Grand Prix has been vital in raising the bar for competitive snowboarding and showcasing the best athletes from around the globe.

#13 The Reels Awards

📍 Location: Annecy, France
📅 Established:2012
🔄 Held: Annually (until 2015)
👥 Teams: Film crews and individual athletes

The Reels Awards, also known as The Reels Festival, celebrated outstanding achievements in snowboard filmmaking.

The event not only showcased the creative side of snowboarding, but also awarded those who produced outstanding videos featuring breathtaking snowboarding footage. The Reels Awards provided an unconventional form of competition, promoting the sport’s artistic and cultural aspects.

#14 U.S. Open Snowboarding Championships

📍 Location: Vail, Colorado, USA
📅 Established: 1982
🔄 Held: Annually
👥 Teams: Individual athletes from various nations

The U.S. Open Snowboarding Championships, organized by Burton Snowboards, is one of the longest-running and most prestigious snowboarding events in the world.

The competition has been instrumental in pushing the progression of the sport, with notable moments like Terje Håkonsen’s legendary 7.5-meter air in 1995. The U.S. Open consistently attracts top athletes and has been a breeding ground for new talents and groundbreaking performances.

#15 TTR World Snowboarding Championships

📍 Location: Varies globally
📅 Established: 2012
🔄 Held: Biennially (until 2016)
👥 Teams: Individual athletes from various nations

The TTR World Snowboarding Championships, governed by the World Snowboarding Federation, was aimed at crowning the best snowboarders in slopestyle and halfpipe disciplines.

Although only held twice — in 2012 and 2016 — the event showcased the highest level of competitive snowboarding and helped to further elevate the sport’s global appeal.

#16 The North Face Masters of Snowboarding

📍 Location: United States
📅 Established: 2008
🔄 Held: Annually (until 2013)
👥 Teams: Individual athletes from various nations

The North Face Masters of Snowboarding was a renowned big mountain snowboarding competition that ran annually from 2008 to 2013.

The event focused on athletes showcasing their skills in challenging backcountry terrain and served as a platform for snowboarders to push their boundaries in big mountain riding. The competition’s legacy continues to inspire and push the limits of snowboarding in the backcountry.

#17 Canadian Open Snowboarding Championships

📍 Location: Canada
📅 Established: 2004
🔄 Held: Annually (until 2011)
👥 Teams: Individual athletes from various nations

The Canadian Open Snowboarding Championships provided a platform for both professional and amateur snowboarders to compete in various snowboarding disciplines such as halfpipe and slopestyle.

The event attracted talents from around the world and played a significant role in showcasing Canadian snowboarding talent and venues. Notable snowboarders like Sebastien Toutant and Spencer O’Brien were among the event’s top performers.

#18 Super Girl Snow Pro

📍 Location: United States
📅 Established: 2007
🔄 Held: Annually
👥 Teams: Individual female athletes

The Super Girl Snow Pro is a unique snowboarding event that focuses exclusively on female athletes.

The competition, conceived by pro snowboarder Lindsey Jacobellis, aims to empower and inspire the next generation of female riders while providing them with a platform to showcase their talents. The event features a friendly, supportive environment and includes disciplines like slopestyle and big air.

#19 Red Bull Double Pipe

📍 Location: Aspen, Colorado, USA
📅 Established: 2014
🔄 Held: Annually (until 2015)
👥 Teams: Individual athletes from various nations

The Red Bull Double Pipe was an innovative snowboarding contest that debuted in 2014 and featured two halfpipes joined together with additional features between the pipes.

The event pushed riders to think creatively and showcase new combinations of tricks. Although short-lived with only two editions held, Red Bull Double Pipe left its mark on the snowboarding community as a boundary-pushing competition that expanded the limits of what was possible on a halfpipe.

Quiz your knowledge on the sport, including facts about major tournaments, by taking our snowboarding quiz.