Jen Hudak: Freestyle Ski Champion Turned Inspirational Role Model
Discover the journey of Jen Hudak, a decorated freestyle skier with X Games medals who later inspired others through sports commentary, coaching, and a powerful personal story.
Jul 27, 20251.4K Shares49.8K Views
Biography
Jen Hudakwas born on September 7, 1986, in Hamden, Connecticut, United States. She grew up spending weekends skiing in Vermont, learning to ski in her father’s backyard and using a rope tow he made. By age 11, she joined the Okemo Mountain Freestyle Team and first competed in mogul skiing. A few years later, she chose to focus fully on halfpipe skiinginstead.
She rose quickly in her sport. Jen won the Junior National Halfpipe Championshipin 2005and the U.S. National Halfpipe Championshipin 2006. By 2010, she was the top U.S. woman halfpipe skier, winning gold medals at both Aspen and Tignes X Games, as well as multiple U.S. Championships and the overall AFP series title.
Jen earned medals at the FIS Freestyle World Championships, taking bronze in 2009 in Inawashiro, and silver in 2011 in Park City. She earned five X Games medals across years, with two golds and one each of silver and bronze.
In 2012, she suffered a torn ACL, her eighth knee surgery. With help from The Stone Clinic, she had a groundbreaking cartilage repair procedure. Within six months she returned to competition and won nearly every major event that season, marking it as her best yet.
Despite her success, Jen never got to compete at the Olympics. Halfpipe skiing debuted at the Sochi 2014 Games, but she missed qualifying due to her injury in late 2013 and decided to retire from professional competition afterward.
After stepping away from pro skiing, she focused on growing balance in her life. She studied psychology and business at the University of Utah, graduating in 2017. She also co-founded Escapod Trailers, a company making teardrop camping trailers with her husband Chris. Jen appeared on The Amazing Race Canada (season 30)with fellow skier Kristi Leskinen, finishing in third placeas the top all‑women team.
Today, Jen is a mother, entrepreneur, and life coach. She works to inspire others through speaking, writing, and creative projects—carrying forward her love of skiing, movement, and balanced living
Jump to
Latest Articles
Popular Articles