By Jack Burden

While the sport’s relentless focus on performance can sometimes be a double-edged sword, the IWWF’s ranking lists remain the best tool for consistently assessing the global competitive landscape. Tracking the biggest risers on these lists offers a glimpse into emerging stars and in-form skiers to watch in the coming season. Here, we highlight the most significant ranking jumps from the 2023 to 2024 year-end IWWF Top 25s.

Leading the surge in this year’s rankings is 14-year-old American Alexia Abelson, who made a staggering 42-spot leap in women’s overall, climbing from No. 63 in 2023 to No. 21 in 2024.

The younger of the two Abelson siblings had a breakout season, winning tricks and finishing second in overall at the Under-17 World Championships in Calgary, Canada. She also qualified for all three events at the Jr. U.S. Masters in Callaway Gardens, Georgia. At just 14, she is the youngest skier in the IWWF women’s overall Top 25—by a full three years.

On the men’s side, slalom specialist Adam Caldwell recorded the biggest jump, skyrocketing 31 spots from No. 43 in 2023 to No. 12 in 2024. His comeback follows a battle with a rare form of pneumonia that left him hospitalized in 2023. Now fully recovered, the Denali Skis innovator is back in top form.

The most notable ranking gains were concentrated in men’s slalom (four skiers) and men’s overall (three skiers), reinforcing the depth and competitiveness of these events in 2024.

Biggest Ranking Movers Among IWWF Year-End Top 25 (from Dec. 26, 2023 year-end rankings to Dec. 31, 2024 year-end rankings):

+42 Women’s Overall: Alexia Abelson, USA (5@12m/6,870/14.5m to 3.5@11.25m/8,720/21.6m)

+35 Men’s Overall: Axel Garcia, FRA (3@13m/7,830/46.8m to 2.5@12m/10,380/49.7m)

+31 Men’s Slalom: Adam Caldwell, USA (0.5@10.25m to 4@10.25m)

+24 Men’s Slalom: Lucas Cornale, AUS (1.5@10.25m to 4@10.25m)

+20 Men’s Overall: Thomas Daigle, CAN (3.5@11.25m/6,000/56.3m to 2@10.75m/7,860/63.2m)

+20 Men’s Slalom: Steven Island, USA (1.25@10.25m to 3@10.25m)

+20 Men’s Overall: Lucas Pinette, CAN (4@12m/6,480/54.5m to 3@11.25m/8,110/60.3m)

+18 Men’s Slalom: Daniel Odvarko, CZE (1@10.25m to 2.13@10.25m)

+16 Women’s Slalom: Trinidad Espinal, CHI (4.63@11.25m to 2@10.75m)

+16 Women’s Slalom: Christhiana De Osma, PER (3.5@11.25m to 1@10.75m)

By Jack Burden

While the sport’s hyper-focus on performance can sometimes be to its detriment, the IWWF performance-based ranking lists serve as the best tool for regularly assessing the worldwide competitive landscape. Highlighting the most substantial movers on this list gives us insights into rising stars and in form skiers to watch in the upcoming season. Here, we present the most significant ranking improvements from the 2022 to 2023 year-end IWWF Top 25s.

Leading the charge in the IWWF’s year-end Top 25 this year is 18-year-old American Emma Davis, making an impressive leap of 47 spots between 2022 (No. 69) and 2023 (No. 22) in women’s overall.

Davis had a breakthrough year, marked by winning slalom, tricks, and overall at the Jr. US Open in Maize, Kansas. Additionally, she made it to the slalom and trick finals at the Under-17 World Championships in Santiago, Chile. Currently, she stands as the youngest skier in the IWWF Top 25 for women’s overall, alongside Canada’s Megan Pelkey.

Chilean Martin Labra, recognized primarily for his phenomenal tricking ability and dominance in the junior ranks, makes a notable appearance for his late-season charge in the jump event. Labra broke 200 feet for the first time just before the World Championships and achieved another personal best at that event, for an almost 8 meter (26 foot) improvement throughout the year. He is the youngest skier, by four years, in the IWWF Top 25 for men’s jump.

The list is dominated by women’s jumpers (four) and men’s slalomers (three), showcasing the most significant improvements throughout 2023.

Biggest Ranking Movers Among IWWF Year-End Top 25 (from Dec. 27, 2022 year-end rankings to Dec. 26, 2023 year-end rankings):

+47 Women’s Overall: Emma Davis, USA (0.5@12m/4,770/23.2m to 2.25@12m/6,570/33.3m)

+43 Women’s Jump: Meg Harraway, NZL (33.3m to 42.6m)

+39 Women’s Jump: Lara Butlin, AUS (35.1m to 43.5m)

+37 Men’s Jump: Martin Labra, CHI (53.9m to 61.8m)

+29 Women’s Jump: Katrine Anderson, DEN (36m to 43.3m)

+29 Women’s Jump: Maise Jacobson, DEN (35.9m to 42.5m)

+24 Men’s Slalom: Ryan Canepa, USA (5.5@10.75m to 3@10.25m)

+23 Men’s Slalom: Nick Parsons, USA (5.25@10.75m to 2.75@10.25m)

+19 Women’s Slalom: Samantha Dumala, USA (3.25@11.25m to 2.5@10.75m)

+17 Men’s Slalom: Corey Vaughn, USA (2@10.25m to 3.63@10.25m)