Breakout slopestyle rider Lily Dhawornvej is invited back to the U.S. Snowboard team next season, this time with a teammate who knew the 17-year-old long before she blew up.
Joining Lily on the U.S. Snowboard nomination list is her older brother, Caleb. The 19-year-old was invited to the rookie slopestyle team this week. He would officially join the team in October after accepting the nomination.
His sister is coming off a stellar season, including her first appearance at the Winter Olympics and a career-best World Cup collection, capped off with a slopestyle Crystal Globe.
Also nominated to the rookie slope squad for the first time is another local kid, 16-year-old Giada Brienza, of Frisco.
Invited to return next year is slope superstar Red Gerard, of Silverthorne, and veteran pipe rider Chase Blackwell, born in Longmont and now living in Leadville. Nominated together for the first time since 2019 are a pair of Eagle County riders, Jake Pates and Ryan Wachendorfer.
Summit and Colorado are well-represented on the snowboard squad next season with 16 nominated athletes – one-third of the roster! – between the pro and rookie teams for slopestyle, halfpipe and boardercross. That is tied with California.
See the U.S. Snowboard team announcement for a full list of athletes on the 2026-2027 team.