First Drops and First Podiums

The start of December did not ease anyone in. First start gates, first finals, and a podium that set the tone as the Canadian National Team dropped into a packed early-season stretch across Alpine, Slopestyle, Halfpipe, and Snowboard Cross. The road to Milano Cortina is officially underway, and the momentum is already real.

BUCK WITH A Silver in the Gates

KAYLIE BUCK | PHOTO: FIS

The Alpine team opened its World Cup season with a back-to-back PGS weekend in Mylin, China — and they wasted no time making noise.

At the Cortina PGS World Cup, Kaylie Buck charged all the way to her first-ever World Cup podium, locking in silver and announcing herself in a big way. After a strong push in finals, Buck lost an edge, solidifying her second-place finish. 

Aurélie Moisan added to the momentum with a push into the 1/8 finals, finishing 9th after lining up against Buck in an all-Canadian match-up.  Ben Heldman rounded out the weekend with a 24th-place finish, banking valuable race experience as the team settled into competition mode.

There’s no pause button. The Alpine squad is back in action in Carezza on December 18 for another PGS World Cup, followed by a PSL World Cup in Davos on December 20 before the holiday break.

FIRST WORLD CUP FINALS FOR PELCHAT

JULIETTE PELCHAT | PHOTO: FIS

Progress has been steady and the payoff started to show this month for the Slopestyle team.

At Beijing Big Air on December 6, riders returned to the iconic 2022 Olympic venue, where Juliette Pelchat continued her climb with a 12th place finish, inching closer to the finals bubble.

One week later in Steamboat, Pelchat took a major step forward. She landed her first World Cup finals appearance, stomped her first ever frontside 1080 in competition, and finished an impressive 4th, just off the podium. Jasmine Baird followed with a 14th-place result as she continues to build consistency early in the season.

Next up, a deep Canadian lineup heads to Breckenridge from December 19 to 21 for the Rockstar Energy Open, with Cam Spalding, Frank Jobin, Mark McMorris, Truth Smith, Eli Bouchard, Laurie Blouin, and Pelchat set to compete.

SNOWBOARD CROSS TEAM IS Gearing Up

BROOKE D'HONDT | PHOTO: CHRIS WITWICKI 

The Halfpipe team stacked valuable reps through a busy stretch in China to open their World Cup season.

At the second stop of the Snow League on December 3, Brooke D’Hondt qualified for the finals bracket and battled through the quarterfinals, gaining crucial head-to-head experience against the world’s best.

The team stayed on site for the Secret Garden FIS Halfpipe World Cup on December 12, marking their first World Cup start of the season.

Brooke D’Hondt once again delivered, qualifying for finals and finishing a strong 6th against a deep international field. Elizabeth Hosking narrowly missed finals in 11th, with Felicity Geremia close behind in 13th — a tight spread that underscored the depth and competitiveness of the Canadian lineup early in the season.

Now the focus shifts back to North America, with the squad heading to Copper Mountain for the next Halfpipe World Cup on December 20.

SHAKING OFF THE RUST, STRAIGHT INTO FINALS

LIAM MOFFATT | PHOTO: FIS

The Snowboard Cross season opened in Cervinia on December 13, with Eliot Grondin and Liam Moffatt leading the charge by qualifying for finals.

Grondin powered through a demanding day of racing to finish 7th, while Moffatt followed with a 16th-place result as the team reestablished race rhythm and tested themselves against the world’s best. A solid opening chapter before the calendar turns toward the next block of racing.
 

What’s Next: MOMENTUM BUILD INTO THE FINAL 2025 WORLD CUPS
 

December has delivered first starts, first finals, and a podium that set the tone. With World Cups rolling across multiple disciplines and Olympic and Paralympic qualification pressure beginning to build, the next stretch of the season is where consistency, confidence, and composure start to matter most.

The team is right where they need to be. And this is just the beginning.

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