Valle Nevado, Chile Kicks Off South American Park & Pipe Season

Valle Nevado, Chile just hosted the Andes Cup from July 28 to August 2, signifying the start of the South American Cup Park & Pipe event series .

The Andes Cup is organized by the Chilean National Ski and Snowboard Federation, with support from the National Institute of Sports (IND) and various sponsors and media partners. This event is also scheduled to return to Valle Nevado next season.

The competition amassed nearly 40 athletes from over six countries, competing in freeski and snowboard disciplines across two slopestyle and two big air events for each sport.

The event is part of the South American Cup circuit, which awards points that count towards the world circuit and can also qualify competitors for the World Cup. While officials at Valle Nevado deemed the weather conditions "challenging", the skiers and riders pushed themselves with FIS points on the line as they work towards the World Cup Tour.

For the men’s freeski category, a press release sent to POWDER earlier today reported that "standout performances came from Chilean Francisco Salas, American Luke Votaw, and Argentine Cristobal Colombo. On the women’s side, Chilean Javiera Rojas dominated with three consecutive wins, and Olympian Dominique Ohaco from Chile made a strong showing in the big air competition."

This competition at Valle Nevado was not only an exciting contest showcasing skiing and riding talent, but also a demonstration in the resort's innovations aimed at improving sustainability. One of these initiatives was the presence of compost and recycling containers around the venue.

Related: Teton Gravity Research Drops Trailer for ‘Beyond The Fantasy’

Be the first to read breaking ski news with POWDER. Subscribe to our newsletter and stay connected with the latest happenings in the world of skiing. From ski resort news to profiles of the world’s best skiers, we are committed to keeping you informed.

Submit your best clips for a chance to be featured on POWDER. Tune in and watch handpicked, high-quality ski videos streaming all day long on POWDER TV , and subscribe to our YouTube channel .