Jake Pates: “I Feel Like I’m Back Now”

Pates got the call just four days before the Snow League’s third stop of the season in Aspen, Colorado. He finished third and took home $10,000 in winnings, plus a $5,000 appearance fee, for a $15,000 payday.

He now sits in tenth place in the World Championship standings with 72 points, after competing in just one contest.

“I think I feel like I'm back now. I think obviously the goal is to get on the box, get on the podium,” Pates said in a post-contest media scrum, adorned with his Prada sunglasses. “And I did go to the Olympics, which is an amazing accomplishment for me, to get back to that point, but to come here, this event has so much prestige. Yeah, I feel like I'm back now. So I’m fired up.”

Pates was an improbable addition to the U.S. Olympic Snowboard halfpipe team last month: he had no sponsors, and this was the first season he had competed in contests since concussions forced him to retire from contest snowboarding early in 2021.

Then he finished in eighth place on finals day in the Olympics, thanks to a run that included a Cab triple cork 1440. He fell on his second and third runs of the evening but was the top-finishing American rider in the pipe, and matched his previous Olympic best from the 2018 Games in PyeongChang.

Then he stayed in our minds and our social media feeds, thanks to a witty personality showcased through footage of his bromance with fellow U.S. rider Chase Blackwell and several reminders that he didn’t yet have any Valentine’s Day plans.

So, Pates got the call. He had to hurry back to Colorado from Italy. Not only would he be returning to his home state for his Snow League debut, but he was back on his home resort. Pates was featured in a press conference the day before the competition started, and later presented a signed bib to the Aspen Valley Ski and Snowboard Club Snowboard Program Director Nichole Mason.

It would be fair if Pates were nervous. His pre-contest jitters had nothing to do with being home, though.

“No pressure, man. I think (I had) pretty standard competition nerves. But for me, specifically, my journey has just been so wild,” he said after the contest. “So to get to this point, it's just like I'm just grateful, and I got nothing but just appreciation for the fact that I'm here and competing and get to hang out with all my boys.”

Pates had no easy path to get to the podium. He was placed in Heat 3 with Alessandro Barbieri, Chase Josey, Ruka Hirano, and Jio Lee. He went back and forth with Hirano for the top spot, ultimately getting forced into the Last Chance Qualifier in Hirano’s last run. He sat at the top of that leaderboard with a score of 89. He dropped last and never had to relinquish that spot.

Then on finals day, Pates lost to the eventual winner, Ryusei Yamada, in the semifinal. He was matched up against Cam Melville Ives in the third-place matchup that went to sudden death. Mellville Ives fell on his final hit of Run 3, and Pates put down his B run to ensure he landed. That was enough to secure his first podium in a while.

So what comes next for Pates?

“I hope I get that Snow League invite to go out to Switzerland and Laax,” he said. “It's my favorite place on Earth. And all the boys are going. I'd love to continue along and ride with them and get to compete again in this format.”

The next Snow League stop will take place from March 19 through 21, 2026 at Laax.