Winter Park, Colorado native Birk Irving takes his first World Cup podium in freeski halfpipe at the U.S. Grand Prix at Mammoth Mountain, California. Birk says, "It feels amazing to have my first World Cup podium be a win, couldn’t be more hyped!"

A member of the U.S. Freeski Pro Team, Birk has been with the Monster Army since 2012. This year Birk moved up to the highest rank, Monster Army General, after 8 years of progressing though the program. While Birk has won many contests, this is his first World Cup title. He had to say, “It’s a World Cup so it feels like a very big achievement!”

Birk competed alongside Monster Energy’s David Wise, who just narrowly missed the podium with a fourth place finish, who only slightly beat out Monster Army’s Jaxin Hoerter, who ended in fifth place. In his own words, Birk ultimately scooped up the first place finish with a “a switch left dub 10 to a right 9 to a left 10 to a switch right 7 to a left dub twelve.” Having beat out Monster Energy teammates and landing on top of the podium, he had to say, “It definitely feels like a big step in the right direction as far as my career goes.”

Up next? Birk heads off to the Slvsh Cup in Andorra, Spain and said he’s looking forward to, “then just hanging out at home and riding the snowmobile.”