Snowboard Alpine NorAm Cup helps shape future World Cup and Olympic athletes

The 2025/26 FIS Snowboard Alpine NorAm Cup season once again showcased the depth of North American snowboard alpine racing, bringing together experienced racers, emerging World Cup riders, and one of the youngest fields seen on the circuit in recent years.

The tour featured five stops across the USA and Canada, with more than 60 athletes from five nations competing in 10 races, including seven Parallel Giant Slalom (PGS) events and three Parallel Slalom (PSL) competitions. Several young riders also stepped onto the World Cup stage during the same winter, further demonstrating the growing link between the NorAm Cup and elite-level competition.

The season featured athletes ranging from young newcomers born in 2010 to experienced veterans, creating a unique mix of generations across the tour. Athletes competed at Afton Alps Ski Area (USA), Steamboat Springs (USA), Alpine Ski Club (CAN), Val Saint-Côme (CAN), and Holiday Valley Resort (USA), where the overall NorAm Cup winners were crowned during the season finale.

Afton Alps opens the season in Minnesota

The season kicked off at Afton Alps Ski Area with Parallel Slalom races on January 15-16.

Japan’s Inka Wada claimed victory in the opening women’s PSL race ahead of Canada’s Carmen McRae and USA’s Akina Kizuka, while Canadian Luke Hune secured the men’s win ahead of Japan’s Naoki Kanematsu and USA’s Emilio Botero.

One day later, Wada completed a sweep of the women’s races by edging American Kennedy Wiedmeyer in the big final. In the men’s event, Botero improved on his bronze medal from the previous day by taking victory ahead of Hune and fellow Canadian Luis Freeman.

Steamboat Springs hosts first 2025/26 Parallel Giant Slalom races

Following the opening PSL races in Minnesota, the tour moved west to Steamboat Springs, Colorado, for the first Parallel Giant Slalom races of the season.

Akina Kizuka secured back-to-back victories for the USA in the women’s races. Brionie Wakooli and Akina’s sister, Mika Kizuka, joined her on the podium in the first race, while Madison Czuday and Kennedy Wiedmeyer completed the top three one day later.

In the men’s competitions, Luke Hune continued his strong early-season form by winning both PGS races ahead of Emilio Botero. Nathan Devito finished third on race day one, while Cole Thomson claimed the final podium position on the second day.

Steamboat also highlighted the circuit’s emerging generation. Australian youngsters Alexander and Mitchell Frost performed strongly throughout the event, while Abe Cronkhite and Pax Draugelis also delivered impressive performances in Colorado.

Alpine Ski Club delivers intense February battles

After the Colorado races, the Canadian leg of the tour began at Alpine Ski Club in Ontario with Parallel Giant Slalom and Parallel Slalom competitions on February 13-14.

Canada’s Michael Nazwaski took victory in the men’s PGS race ahead of Luke Hune and Jamie Behan, while 2009-born Canadian Lanxi Wei impressed in the women’s competition by defeating Australia’s Millie Bongiorno and Carmen McRae in Parallel Giant Slalom.

Behan responded the following day by narrowly defeating Nazwaski in the men’s PSL race, with Luke Hune once again joining the podium in third place. In the women’s competition, Wei completed a clean sweep of the tour stop with her second consecutive victory, while Millie Bongiorno and USA’s Mika Kizuka completed the women’s top three.

The Ontario races demonstrated the depth of the Canadian team, particularly on the men’s side, where Canadian athletes swept the podium positions on both race days.

Val Saint-Come stages NorAm Cup races on World Cup slope

Just a few days later, the tour continued at Val Saint-Come near Montreal with two Parallel Giant Slalom races staged on the same slope that later, in March, hosted the Visa FIS Snowboard Alpine World Cup PGS finals and awarded the discipline Crystal Globes.

Michael Nazwaski and Lanxi Wei both maintained their impressive form by securing back-to-back victories in both PGS races at Val Saint-Côme. Jamie Behan and Luis Freeman joined Nazwaski on the men’s podium on February 17, while Millie Bongiorno and Sydney Wilson secured podium finishes in the women’s competition on the same day.

Nazwaski and Wei claimed victory again in the second race. Nazwaski was joined on the podium by Matthew Heldman and Jamie Behan, while Wei shared the women’s podium with Millie Bongiorno and American Lynn Ott.

For many athletes, Val Saint-Come offered a first opportunity to race on an established World Cup venue, further highlighting the growing pathway between the NorAm Cup circuit and elite-level international competition.

Holiday Valley crowns season winners

The tour concluded at Holiday Valley Resort in New York, where the final two Parallel Giant Slalom races decided the overall NorAm Cup standings.

Canada’s Jamie Behan claimed victory in the opening men’s race ahead of Luis Freeman and Michael Nazwaski, while Japan’s Sakura Yogo secured the women’s win ahead of Sydney Wilson and Olivia Strupp.

One day later, in the final race of the season, Nazwaski closed the tour with victory ahead of Luke Hune and Behan. Yogo, meanwhile, completed a clean sweep of the tour stop, while Olivia Strupp secured her second consecutive podium finish and Akina Kizuka rounded out the women’s podium.

Following the final two races, the overall NorAm Cup standings were also decided. On the women’s side, USA’s Akina Kizuka secured the overall title with 430 points, ahead of Canada’s Lanxi Wei with 400 points and Canada’s Carmen McRae with 330 points.

The men’s overall NorAm Cup standings finished with an all-Canadian podium. Michael Nazwaski and Luke Hune ended the season tied on 540 points, with Nazwaski officially taking the overall title, while Jamie Behan completed the podium in third place with 460 points.

Holiday Valley brought another competitive NorAm Cup season to a close and reinforced the circuit’s important role in developing the next generation of international-level Snowboard Alpine athletes.

One of the defining stories throughout the 2025/26 NorAm Cup season was the number of young athletes consistently challenging more experienced racers.

Athletes born in 2008, 2009, and 2010 regularly reached quarterfinals, finals, and podium positions across the tour. At the same time, experienced athletes provided valuable experience and consistency to the field, reflecting the broad generational mix currently shaping Snowboard Alpine racing in North America.

For many of the younger athletes competing throughout the season, the NorAm Cup represented an important step toward larger international goals, with several riders already beginning to build their long-term Olympic ambitions within the sport.