Athletes Who Win in Sport and Storytelling, Volume 3: Ski & Snowboarders

Welcome to the era of ski and snowboard riders who aren’t just hitting the slopes, they’re living on the mountain and creating action-packed content along the way. These athletes aren’t just shredding for fun; they’re capturing attention, building communities, and driving engagement.

And the opportunity is real. According to WGSN Social Analytics, foundational categories like skiing and snowboarding are seeing participation climb, with revenue projected to grow +3.6% in skiing and +3.9% in snowboarding by 2028.

Performance alone doesn’t drive culture anymore

Being elite is still impressive but it’s no longer enough to earn attention.

The athletes who matter today are the ones who can:

• Do the thing at a high level
• Explain it in a way that resonates
• Show it in a way that stops the scroll
• Build trust through consistency and transparency

Popfly is spotlighting the athletes who can do both

To help brands adapt to this new era, we’re curating a series spotlighting athletes who can both perform at the highest level and create content that actually resonates.

These are the athletes who:

• Have proven expertise in their sport
• Create content that actually connects
• Influence buying decisions through trust, not hype
• Represent the future of creator‑driven sports marketing

Some of the athletes featured here might look familiar. You may recognize a few from our previous list, ‘The Top Ski & Snowboard Creators To Follow on Social Media.’ In that article, we highlighted riders who are pushing ski and snowboard culture forward, sharing real stoke, teachable techniques, and authentic stories that go beyond just tricks. These creators continue to inspire, and many are back in this list with even more amazing content to check out.

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1. Austin Becker

2. Brynn Weigelt

3. Jess Cohen

4. Jenna Henry

5. Luis Medearis

6. Rise & Alpine

7. Tyler Haven

8. Sarah Smyth

9. Mirna Valerio

10. Jake Leach

11. Cass Peterinelli

12. Brittany Bruhn

13. Kenna Mills

14. Emma Hutton

15. Yella

16. Julia Murray

17. Shelby Burns

18. Chloe Kim

19. Tim Humphreys

20. Zeb Powell

21. Austin Smith

22. Cheryl Maas

23. Kimmy Fasani

24. Nikolai Schirmer

25. Josh Daiek

26. Lucas Catania

27. Karlie Place

28. KJ Miller

29. Kimmie Geer

30. Liv Walters

31. Gabby Grossi

32. Rachel Engen

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What winning looks like in the creator‑athlete era

The future of sports marketing belongs to athletes who bring both sides of the equation: performance that earns respect and storytelling that earns attention. Brands that embrace this shift will build deeper loyalty and more durable growth than those still relying on old playbooks.

Every corner of the outdoor world is full of athletes who can do the thing and share the thing: climbers, fishers, runners, surfers, hikers. This series will spotlight them all. For brands ready to activate creators who actually move people, consider this your first chair.