Professional Bio

Early Days

Jen Hudak is an American freeski athlete specializing in halfpipe skiing. She is a 2-time world champion, 5-time X-Games medalist and 4-time national champion.

Jen was born and raised in Hamden, Connecticut, but grew up skiing on weekends 3 hours north in Vermont. Always one for adventure, Jen learned to ski in her Vermont backyard- pulled uphill with a homemade rope tow that her dad proudly constructed. When the backyard mastery was achieved, she began spending more and more time at her home mountain, Okemo, in Ludlow, Vermont. The seeds of her prolific ski career were planted.

By the age of 11 Jen joined the freestyle team at Okemo, where her pastime quickly grew into her passion. This passion originated in moguls and through early competitions she began to climb the ranks. In 2001 Jen enrolled in Okemo Mountain School, so that she could take her skiing to the next level. It was at this point that Jen met her longtime coach Elana Chase. It was Chase who encouraged Jen to begin skiing in and competing in halfpipe skiing as it served as a good supplement to mogul competition.  Within that first season skiing halfpipe, Jen had found a new love. Halfpipe gave her a new skill to learn and perfect. Not one to take the easy road, Jen thrives on challenges, and halfpipe skiing provided just that.

Starting Out

In 2004 Jen found herself on the podium at her first major competition: The US Freeskiing Open in Vail, Colorado. From there her pro skiing career quickly took off. Jen made a statement with her huge amplitude and solid style and demonstrated that she would be around for years to come. This proved to be true. Winning has only been part of the motivation for Jen - hard work and a fierce passion for her sport allowed her to find a way to the top. Through numerous injuries and industry challenges Jen found a way to prevail. Overcoming obstacles and growing as a person has been more valuable to her than any medals she has won.

Ski Career

Jen went on to become a 5-time X-Games medalist, winning 2 golds in X-Games in 2010 alone. She won nearly every competition there was: X-Games, US Open, World Ski Invitational, Dew Tour, and US Nationals, to name a few. But one contest eluded her: The Olympics. As a participant in the first ever ski halfpipe World Cup in 2003, Jen was at the forefront of freeskiing. She had a vision that halfpipe skiing would be an Olympic sport and served as a proud advocate for the sport over her 13-year professional ski career. With the help of Jen's efforts, halfpipe skiing made its Olympic debut during the 2014 Winter Olympic Games in Sochi, Russia.

Winter Olympics

At the first Olympic qualifier in December 2013, Jen suffered one final knee injury thus ending her Olympic pursuits. A torn ACL, meniscus and cartilage would keep her from competing on the world's largest stage. Though Jen didn’t compete in the Winter Olympics, she carries the Olympic spirit in all she does. That dream carried her farther than she ever could have gone without it. As they say “shoot for the moon and you’ll land among the stars.”