Urness secures maiden World Cup victory in Steamboat as Podmilsak claims second win
Dec 13, 2025·Freeski Park & Pipe
Canada’s Naomi Urness won her first career Big Air World Cup in Steamboat on Saturday as Troy Podmilsak (USA) topped the men’s field to claim his second win of the 2025/26 season.
Twenty-one-year-old Urness took an early lead in the women’s final on Saturday with a first run score of 83.25 for a right double cork 1080 safety.
Urness then followed that performance with a second run score of 73.00 for a switch right 1080 mute to put the Canadian ahead of the field on 156.25.
The win in Steamboat is the Canadian’s third consecutive World Cup podium in what was just her fifth start since her World Cup tour debut in February.
In November the 21-year-old was runner-up at her first Big Air World Cup in Secret Garden, and was third at last week’s Beijing World Cup.
Urness admitted she never expected to be atop the 2025/26 Big Air and women’s overall Park & Pipe standings after three events.
“I was just out here to prove to myself that I could compete on the World Cups and I’m just happy that skiing is talking for itself. I couldn’t be happier,” she said.
Kateryna Kotsar (UKR) trailed Urness on 155.0 to claim her not only her first World Cup podium finish, but also the first World Cup podium in FIS Freeski history for a Ukrainian athlete.
The women’s podium was rounded out by China’s Yang Ruyi was third on 148.50.
Yang’s performance on Saturday is the 20-year-old’s first Big Air podium place and her second career World Cup podium after she was runner-up at the Stoneham Slopestyle World Cup last season.
Avery Krumme (USA) was fourth on 142.00 while fellow U.S. skier Rell Harwood, who was the top qualifier going into Saturday’s final, finished last in Saturday’s eight-woman final after a heavy crash in run two.
Team USA had better success in the men’s final on Saturday as Troy Podmilsak claimed the top spot with 182.50 ahead of team-mate Konnor Ralph on 179.50.
Saturday’s win marks back-to-back victories for Podmilsak after he won the Secret Garden season opener in November, and it was confirmed by the U.S. team at the awards ceremony following competition that the 21-year-old had earned his spot on the strong U.S. Ski Team for the Milano-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games.
“I’m just so grateful and so blessed to win in front of my family and friends, and on home soil too. I couldn’t be more proud of myself,” said Podmilsak.
The U.S. skier started the final with a first run score of 92.00 for a switch right triple 1980 safety. The 21-year-old did not disappoint in his second run, landing a right trip 1800 mute for which the judges awarded him 90.50 to lock in victory going into the third and final run.
Podmilsak was the only skier in Saturday’s final to record a score above 90.00, although 22-year-old Ralph came close with his run one score of 90.00 even.
Men’s Big Air World Champion Luca Harrington (NZL) was third behind Ralph on 172.25. Steamboat marks the 21-year-old New Zealander’s record-extending seventh consecutive Big Air podium finish, dating back to the 2015/16 and 2016/17 season when Swiss skiers recorded a streak of five podiums.
Norway’s Tormod Frostad was fourth behind Harrington on 172.00.
Harrington and Podmilsak are currently tied on 200 points atop the men’s Big Air World Cup standings, while Urness leads the women’s standings on 240 points ahead of Kirsty Muir (GBR) on 179 points. Muir did not qualify for the Steamboat final.
Big Air World Cup competition will resume after the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Games in February, with the season finale in Tignes (FRA) beginning on 17 March.
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