Colorado Olympians Shine at Upcoming Snow League Competition

Snowboarders Chase Blackwell, Jake Pates and Alessandro Barbieri represent Colorado pride at the Snow League event in Aspen.

Published on Feb. 24, 2026

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Colorado snowboarders Chase Blackwell, Jake Pates and Alessandro Barbieri are headed to Aspen for the upcoming Snow League competition after representing the U.S. at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy. The athletes, who hail from Colorado, are excited to continue showcasing their skills and representing their home state on the national stage.

Why it matters

Colorado sent the most athletes to the 2026 Winter Olympics, cementing the state's reputation as a hub for winter sports. The Snow League competition provides these Olympians a platform to further demonstrate Colorado's dominance in snowboarding and connect with their local fan base.

The details

Blackwell, Pates and Barbieri made a stop in Denver to practice tricks at the Ruby Hill Rail Yard before heading to Aspen for the third event of the inaugural Snow League season. The competition features a bracket-style format where the top snowboarders and skiers compete head-to-head. Blackwell is currently ranked 6th, while Barbieri is 5th in the overall standings.

  • The Snow League season began in March 2025 with the first event in Aspen.
  • The second event was held in China at the end of 2025.
  • The third event will take place in Aspen on February 27-28, 2026.
  • The fourth and final event of the season will be in Laax, Switzerland.

The players

Chase Blackwell

A snowboarder from Longmont, Colorado who grew up riding the Superpipe at Copper Mountain.

Jake Pates

A snowboarder currently residing in Eagle, Colorado who takes great pride in representing the United States.

Alessandro Barbieri

A snowboarder ranked 5th in the overall Snow League standings who enjoys the unique 'dual dropping' format of the competition.

Shaun White

The creator of the Snow League competition, a halfpipe event that puts top snowboarders head-to-head in a bracket-style format.

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What they’re saying

“The Olympics was really like nothing else I've ever experienced. Just knowing that everyone back home has your back one 100 percent no matter what happens felt amazing.”

— Chase Blackwell (westword.com)

“It's a beautiful thing to be a part of an event that brings so many people together from all over the world and to wear the stars and stripes to represent America.”

— Jake Pates (westword.com)

“Heading into the Snow League, I'm feeling really good. I made some good strides in my snowboarding over the last couple of weeks while I was in Europe.”

— Chase Blackwell (westword.com)

What’s next

The fourth and final event of the Snow League season will be held in Laax, Switzerland.

The takeaway

Colorado's dominance in winter sports continues to shine, with the state sending the most athletes to the 2026 Olympics and now hosting top snowboarders at the prestigious Snow League competition in Aspen.