The Uninvited Invitational 2025
Woodward Park City, UT
I have the word abundance tattooed on my forearm, right below where my elbow kinks. It’s a physical reminder of possibility that isn’t exclusive. Because when you have to fight for resources—a single spot on a team, a place on a trip, any kind of budget—there’s no room to think bigger. That’s scarcity.
It’s a learned mindset, ingrained in us that there are finite opportunities. It triggers a survival mode, with no ability to see beyond what we’ve been told we can achieve. Abundance is the belief that there are more opportunities than we can see, enabling us to create our own. Both are contagious, but abundance unites what scarcity divides.
The Uninvited is abundance in its purest form. And it has progressed the sport, not only in the level of riding, but in a new standard that shows the world our worth and empowering us to not waver.
From April 10-13th, the third annual Uninvited Invitational took over Woodward Park City. 70-plus of the world’s best female, trans, and non-binary riders were invited to compete for a $60k purse in an event produced by an all-female team. Riders travelled for over 20 hours, paid $2k for a visa, and even got on a plane for the first time. Lest you forget about taking the classic sick day at high school (or your full-time jobs) to make what has been deemed the best weekend of the year.
Still, you can’t talk about The Uninvited—or understand the magnitude of this event—without acknowledging the event’s creator/matriarch, and the history of everything that came before it. The Uninvited is more than an event, a film series, and a movement, it’s a testament to the will and determination of Jess Kimura.
If you are wondering how Jess has pulled this off year-over-year, let's take a look at a revised track record: She earned the opening part in Think Thank’s Right Brain Left Brain with her video debut in 2010, won three Women’s Video Part of the Year awards, was given not one—but two—different pro model boards from CAPiTA, and even helped create an entire outerwear collection built on advocacy with The North Face and Smith Optics. She also self-funded, directed, edited, filmed, and produced three industry-breaking, all-female street snowboarding film projects, The Uninvited, II, and III, before starting this event series of the same name.
Clearly, she gives all of herself to everything she does—every bit of blood, sweat, tears, dollars, and energy. And, while we can’t thank Jess enough for everything she’s given to women’s snowboarding, the bigger picture still remains: She should’ve never had to give everything in the first place. And this is why she’s making sure the next generation doesn’t have to.
Even now, I know that Jess would read this and say this isn’t about her—it’s about all the riders. But it’s about both. Isn’t that the most beautiful thing? There’s enough space to talk about more than one woman.
While usually the stars of the show are obvious, at The Uninvited, the whole team shines bright. Nirvana Ortanez, Uninvited marketing director, and Abby Furrer, marketing manager, are bonafide stars in their own right. Combined with Jess, they make a dream team. In every aspect of this event, they thoughtfully and intentionally involved industry greats. Circe Wallace secured partnerships that supported the event. Kelsey Boyer and Darrah Reid were on the mic as announcers, in person and on the livestream, respectively. Melissa Riitano and Catie Cook were seated as judges. Mary Walsh and Ashley Rosemeyer captured photos while Mia Lambson shot video. (After you finish this article, go look up every single one of these women.)
Then there’s the next generation of creators, movers, and shakers. This year, Maisy Hoffman photographed her third Uninvited, capturing portraits and debuting an art show of deconstructed polaroids from last year's event at the welcome party. Emma Dubrovsky, a Montreal-based photographer who captured the heart, soul and action all week long, was front row. And finally, Carmen Leung was fresh blood on the production team as a coordinator.
Lastly, there are all the fans. The ones that drove through the night to get to Woodward Park City for finals. The wide-eyed, young girls running around with B4BC capes and open hearts. The watch parties that went down all over the world, eyes glued to the livestream. The impact of The Uninvited can’t be measured, but it’s seen, heard, and felt.
I’m putting it back on you to educate yourself further on women’s snowboarding, but now that you are up to speed on the greatness of this event, let’s get into the action.
While The Invitational technically starts with two days of qualifiers, each day could have been the finals of any other competition. Day one, the kink rail was the feature to watch. Hinano Sakamoto’s proper frontboard 270 and Lex Hernandez-Roland’s switch backside 50-50 front 180 set the tone. After battling with the DFD rail for most of the first session, Nora Beck unexpectedly backflipped off the center TNF logo jam and it was beautiful.
Day two, The Uninvited crew debuted the wall ride, a unique corrugated extension on top of the quarterpipe, envisioned and built by Uninvited set-up mastermind, Ben Bilocq. It was only fitting that Taylor Elliott landed a handplant first try to show all the rookies how it was done. Speaking of rookies, Uninvited wildcard winner Bella Warren landed a front 270 on the clacker rail that rightfully earned her a day two Stand Out award. Devi Gupta had too many tricks to name, cleaning up all over the course like it was her damn job. And lastly, Himari Takamori offered a masterclass in Japanese style with a back blunt 270 out through the kink.
On the third day, with thirty riders in the finals, a $60,000 cash prize on the line, an army of fans, and a year of anticipation, it felt like a collective head rush when Jess popped a confetti cannon, signalling the start. But Saturday wasn’t just for the riders. Jess put out a rally cry and the community answered, armed with cardboard signs, homemade t-shirts and matching hats, glitter, facepaint, temporary tattoos, freshly painted nails, bandanas, and cowbells.
On a stage as big as The Uninvited Invitational, it was clear from the start that all the riders were going to throw down everything they had. Building off one another and the atmosphere of the crowd, the energy never wavered.
Over these three days, it would be impossible to only pick the top three. And honestly, who decided there could only be three winners? Certainly not a woman. At The Uninvited, there’s a top-five podium, four standouts on each qualifying day, and nine individual awards up for grabs.
After announcing second place, there was a buzz in the air. I could hear Maggie Leon behind me repeating, “Holy shit!” as she ran through the crowd to grab her crew. Everyone knew what was coming next. And with no surprise,15-year-old Jess Perlmutter, a 2024 wildcard and rookie award winner, took her rightful spot on top of the podium. Jess landed a rolodex of tricks and provided an all-out attack on the course—a showing that is rare to see in a rider so young. It was truly a fairytale ending that captured the manifestation of what The Uninvited Invitational stands for. The cherry on top was watching veteran Jill Perkins teach Jess how to pop her first bottle of champagne over a sea of cheering women. It was a win for everybody.
In years past, these monumental weekends, events, and films would end and there’d be this weird melancholy that followed. There was an uncertainty of what would be next or if there would be “a next.” But looking at the talent on and off the course, and the energy that The Uninvited Invitational creates, you know we’re in the middle of a revolution. The war cry has been heard and it’s being answered all over the world.
The best way you can support Jess and The Uninvited? Head over to The PLATFRM, watch the livestream, comment, like, share, follow, and then when you’re done, grab your girls and take up the space you so rightfully deserve.
Results
1st Place ($15,000): Jess Perlmutter
2nd Place ($11,000): Himari Takamori
3rd Place ($8,000): Veda Hallen
4th Place ($6,000): Devi Gupta
5th Place ($4,000): Annika Morgan
Best Trick ($1,500): Jaylen Hansen – Switch 50-50 Cab 360 Out
Baldface Stoke Award (Free Trip to Baldface): Bella Warren
Best Slam ($1,500): Jayva Jordan
One to Watch ($1,500): Mela Stocker
Best Air ($1,500): Katja Dutu
Style Award ($1,500): Emma Crosby
North Face Free Your Line ($1,500): Laura Rogowski
Heart Award ($1,500): Emma Sita
Yeti Rookie Award ($1,500): Hinano Sakamoto
Day One Standout ($500): Lex Roland
Day One Standout ($500): Hinano Sakamoto
Day One Standout ($500): Nora Beck
Day One Standout ($500): Jess Perlmutter
Day Two Standout ($500): Devi Gupta
Day Two Standout ($500): Bella Warren
Day Two Standout ($500): Himari Takamori
Day Two Standout ($500): Taylor Elliot
Photo Gallery
