Kevin Backstrom went against Travis Rice, the two competed in a tiebreaker run, with Rice taking the win and advancing on to finals. Photo: Nick Sulzer // Buckrail

TETON VILLAGE, Wyo. — The Natural Selection Tour is back at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort for the second year. The backcountry-inspired freestyle event, created by Jackson local Travis Rice has taken over Moran Faces this week.

Twenty-six snowboarders competed in a head-to-head bracket. Eight women and 16 men competed yesterday to qualify for finals.

Elena Hight, Hana Beaman, Robin Van Gyn and Marion Haerty won their heats, qualifying for finals for the women.

For the men, Dustin Craven, Jared Elston, Travis Rice, Torstein Horgmo, Mikkel Bang, Blake Paul, Sage Kotsenburg and Ben Ferguson won their heats.

The final event date has yet to be announced. The weather window for the competition is until Jan. 31.

The event is being live-streamed here.

Lindsay Vallen is a Community News Reporter covering a little bit of everything; with an interest in politics, wildlife, and amplifying community voices. Originally from the east coast, Lindsay has called Wilson, Wyoming home since 2017. In her free time, she enjoys snowboarding, hiking, cooking, and completing the Jackson Hole Daily crosswords.