Starting this week junior skiers and riders from across B.C., Alberta, and the Pacific Northwest will gather at Whitewater Ski Resort to showcase their big mountain freeriding skills for the 13th Annual SMITH Jr. Freeride Open.
“We have about 175 athletes from all over Alberta, B.C., and the Pacific Northwest coming to show us what they’ve got on the hill. It’s just outstanding to see the talent they have. It’s next level—they’re fearless and super talented,” said Whitewater Brand Director Kyle Cacador-Florence.
The event, which runs from January 10 to 12, was rebranded this year from the Jr. Freeski Open to the Jr. Freeride Open, following last year’s introduction of snowboarding for the first time.
Event qualifiers are scheduled for Friday and Saturday, with the finals set for Sunday.
A press release from Whitewater states that during the qualifiers, riders will take on Sleeper, a technical, steep run featuring cliff drops and powder pillows, which will challenge competitors right from the start.
For Sunday’s finals, athletes will demonstrate their skills by tackling cliffs on Blast, a run located under the summit chairlift. Much of this run is visible from the base for spectators to watch, which Cacador-Florence highly encourages.
“Even if it’s not an event you or your family is participating in, it’s a really fun one to come and watch. It’s amazing to see how these kids progress their skills and what they’re capable of.”
The resort has been open for just over a month now and Cacador-Florence says it’s already shaping up to be a significantly better season than in 2024, with nearly double the snowpack and over four metres of total snowfall so far.
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