2026 Welcome to Paradise: Para Snowboard Cross Returned to Big White

Posted On: February 02, 2026 |

For the 13th year, Big White Ski Resort welcomed the FIS Para Snowboard World Cup back to TELUS Park for a weekend of fast, technical snowboard cross racing—bringing together world-class Para snowboarders from across the globe to battle head-to-head on one of the circuit’s most iconic courses.

Snowboard cross competition ran on January 31 and February 1, with the mixed team snowboard cross event held on February 2 due to conditions and scheduling. From the start gate to the finish line, athletes delivered tight battles, big momentum swings, and standout performances across every category.

World-class racing across the men’s field

Men’s SB‑UL (Upper Limb)
Switzerland’s Aron Fahrni put together a perfect Big White weekend, winning on both days. Italy’s Jacopo Luchini earned silver twice, while the bronze medals were split between Great Britain’s James Barnes‑Miller (Saturday) and the Netherlands’ Dean van Kooij (Sunday).

Men’s SB‑LL1 (Lower Limb 1)
In SB‑LL1, the Canada–USA rivalry delivered two thrilling finals. Tyler Turner (CAN) took gold on Saturday ahead of Noah Elliott (USA) and Mike Schultz (USA). On Sunday, Elliott answered back with gold, Turner earned silver, and Schultz completed the podium again.

Men’s SB‑LL2 (Lower Limb 2)
Saturday’s SB‑LL2 podium featured Switzerland’s Fabrice von Gruenigen on top, followed by Australia’s Ben Tudhope and American Zach Miller. Sunday saw Italy’s Emanuel Perathoner surge to gold, Lithuania’s Rapolas Micevicius earn silver, and von Gruenigen take bronze.

Momentum in the women’s snowboard cross event

Women’s snowboard cross at Big White was contested as a combined SB‑LL1 / SB‑LL2 event, and American teenager Kate Delson delivered a breakout weekend with two gold medals. On Saturday, Brenna Huckaby Clegg won silver and Sandrine Hamel (CAN) took bronze in front of home fans. On Sunday, Jaclyn Hamwey earned silver, with Hamel returning to the podium with another bronze.

Mixed team snowboard cross closes the Big White stop

The World Cup stop concluded with the mixed team snowboard cross event on February 2, where teams raced for national pride.

The United States swept the podium, with Kate Delson / Joe Pleban taking gold, Brenna Huckaby Clegg / Noah Elliott earning silver, and Dennae Russell / Zach Miller finishing with bronze. Canada’s duo of Sandrine Hamel / Chase Nicklin placed fourth after battling challenging, race-day conditions

Another Milestone for Canada’s Athletes

Canada’s Para snowboarders left Big White with major momentum. Turner’s gold and silver in SB‑LL1 and Hamel’s back‑to‑back bronzes highlighted the week, while Chase Nicklin added career-best finals appearances.

The Big White World Cup also marked a milestone as the Canadian Paralympic Committee and Canada Snowboard announced that five Canadian Para snowboarders have been nominated to the Milano Cortina 2026 Canadian Paralympic Team. Check out the final snowboarding roster here.

With high-stakes racing and the world’s best Para athletes pushing the pace on TELUS Park, Big White once again proved itself as a premier stage for elite Para snowboard competition. Learn more about Canada’s Paralympic athletes at paralympic.ca.