21
Cincinnati, OH
Combining raw talent with unwavering dedication to reach the sport's highest levels, Connor Curran is part of a new era of American freestyle aerialists. A Cincinnati native who discovered his passion for aerials during a family vacation to Utah Olympic Park at age 7, Curran was immediately captivated by watching athletes train on the underwater jumps.
After that formative visit to Park City, Curran joined a Cincinnati trampoline and tumbling team, where he trained six days a week for four years to master the complex flips and twists that define aerial skiing. The U.S. Ski Team identified his exceptional skills and drive, naming him a development athlete. At just 13, Curran made the decision to move to the Olympic Training Center in Lake Placid. Two years later, he relocated to Park City to join Park City Ski & Snowboard's aerials program.
Curran's breakthrough came during the 2023-24 season when he transitioned to full-time world cup competition. That debut season exceeded expectations, as he earned his first top-10 finish, first super finals appearance, first top-five result, and first podium. The culmination came in February 2024 at Deer Valley Resort, where Curran claimed second place at the Intermountain Health Freestyle International in front of an enthusiastic home crowd. The 19-year-old landed a full-double-full for 102.22 points, narrowly missing victory by less than half a point. Two months later, he earned bronze at the 2024 FIS Junior World Championships in Italy, sharing the podium with Canadian friends Alexandre Duchaine and Miha Fontaine in what Curran described as an unforgettable North American sweep.
The 2024-25 season marked Curran's elevation to the aerials A team, a recognition of his rapid ascent in the sport. He continued building momentum with strong performances at world cups in Lake Placid and China, where he and teammates Kaila Kuhn and Ashton Salwan captured bronze in the mixed team aerials event. In January 2025, Curran claimed his first U.S. National Championship title at Bristol Mountain in New York. His performance at the 2025 FIS Freestyle World Championships in Switzerland earned him a spot on the roster for the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026.
Curran attributes much of his success to the Park City community that supported his journey, including a friend's mother who became his unofficial driver and caretaker during his teenage years. Curran credits veteran teammates Justin Schoenefeld, Quinn Dehlinger, and Chris Lillis as role models who inspired him throughout his development. His training regimen reflects the demands of elite aerial skiing: early morning on-snow sessions, hours in the gym building strength and air awareness, and countless repetitions on water ramps at Utah Olympic Park, where he perfects landings by jumping into the pool. Despite the grueling schedule, which once required him to complete online high school to maximize training time, Curran maintains that he's living his dream, propelled by his love for skiing and the thrill of soaring more than 40 feet above the snow.
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