Many folks are uncomfortable talking about money.
However, when you work in an industry where the value assigned to one’s art, athletic prowess, or clout seems to be something everyone is making up as they go, there’s almost nothing better you can do than talk about how much everyone is getting paid.
The outdoor industry, and specifically skiing, has long worked on a model where it underpays folks on the basis that the experiences it allows them or all the free pairs of skis should make up for a lack in monetary compensation.
Unfortunately, even in 2026, you can’t pay rent, a mortgage, health insurance, a hospital bill, or for your groceries with a pair of skis or an Olympic medal. Luckily, after years of experience in the industry as a professional snowboarder, Shaun White knows this, which is why paying athletes is one of the pillars of his halfpipe competition series, the Snow League.
The Snow League wrapped up its inaugural season in LAAX last month with a world championship event that saw records broken and some of the most epic battles in halfpipe history go down. World Champions were crowned across the men’s and women’s freeski and snowboard disciplines based on points accrued throughout the season, earning them custom trophies and a substantial prize purse.
But it wasn’t just the top three finishers that walked away with a big check; every single athlete who made an appearance with the intention to compete at a Snow League event this winter walked away with at least $5,000. In a move of radical transparency, the Snow League published each of its athletes’ final earnings at the end of the season.
See below for the full money list for women’s and men’s freeski.
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The Snow League
The Snow League
On the freeski side, women’s world champion Eileen Gu walked away with $135,000 between two first-place finishes, appearance fees, and overall standing bonuses.
Luke Harrold won on the men’s side, taking home $105,000. Second place overall, which went to Amy Fraser and Brendan Mackay in a Canadian sweep, took home $40,000 and $90,000, respectively.
Hunter Hess and Khexin Zhang landed in third place, taking home $25,000 each. Discrepancies between men’s & women’s prize amounts across different standings can be accounted for by differences in points based on performance and appearance at individual events, and by overall standing bonuses.
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