LAKE TAHOE, Calif./Nev. – It’s been a landmark week for U.S. freeride skiing and snowboarding—and Tahoe’s own Shayne Blue Sandblom is making headlines at the forefront of the action.

On Apr. 16, the 22-year-old snowboarder clinched the title of Men’s Snowboard Champion in the Freeride World Tour (FWT) Challenger Series, the top freeride competition series in the United States. Sandblom secured the overall win with 5,000 points, notching dominant first-place finishes at both Kirkwood, California and Arapahoe Basin, Colorado.

The victory earned Sandblom a coveted spot on the 2026 Freeride World Tour pro circuit, a global stage that showcases the world’s top freeriders across some of the sport’s most iconic terrain.

“I’ve wanted to be a professional snowboarder since I was ten so to get into freeride this year and come as far as I have is a dream,” Sandblom said. “This has been the best experience of my life already. I’ve made so many lifelong friends in such a short amount of time, and I can’t believe I now get to do this professionally. I grew up riding park but always admired the pros riding spines in Alaska–so to be able to ride in Alaska and all over Europe next year is a dream that would have 10 year old and 22 year old Shayne in tears.”

Sandblom’s rise comes at a thrilling time for the freeride world. The upcoming 2026 tour will introduce a new stop in Haines, Alaska—the YETI Alaska Pro—marking a return to one of freeride’s most revered locations. Meanwhile, freeride officials are continuing to lay the groundwork for potential Olympic inclusion, signaling growing momentum and visibility for the sport.

With eyes now on the international stage, Sandblom joins an elite field of athletes ready to define the future of freeride. And with deep Tahoe roots and a passion that began in childhood, he’s bringing a local story to a global audience.