There’s a certain way locals grow up skiing and riding here. Weather changes fast, conditions don’t hand you much, and you learn to figure it out as you go. Turns out, that translates pretty well when you head out west.

Earlier this April, a group of Jay Peak Freeski & Ride Team athletes made the trip to Kicking Horse Mountain Resort in British Colombia, Canada for the 2026 IFSA Freeride Junior Championships. Qualifiers took place on April 5, and finals were held on April 7, with a deep field of competitors featuring top athletes from across North America.

Across multiple divisions, Jay athletes put down confident, technical runs against some of the best in the sport.

In the U15 Ski Women ranks, Imogen Schaberg finished 14th. Larkin Stauble and Roisin Schaberg also dropped into challenging fall lines, skiing with a calm confidence from top to bottom. For U15 Ski Men, Ryder Anderson landed 11th, chewing through tricky zones and floating lofty threes. Jonah Dennis broke into the top 10 in the U15 Snowboard Men, finishing 10th, with Thomas Lawyer close behind in 14th

In U19 Ski Men, Jason Merz finished 27th, and Harper Stauble earned a spot in the field and took on terrain that left little room for hesitation, while sending it deep off a cliff at the top of his run.

Just getting to this point to compete in the championships is a massive undertaking, requiring an intense level of discipline, commitment, and personal time. It demands a passion to push yourself in ways that may not feel possible, but are made possible through perseverance. We want to recognize these athletes and students for their hard work and for representing our home mountain with fearless pride and poise. And for making us proud to be a part of it. Seeing all the support that surrounds this space, from our coaches, to active family participation, road trips and travel days, and our community cheering them all on along the way.

And in recognizing these accomplishments from near and far, we must also tip our toques to our Jay Peak Ski & Ride School for fostering an environment from first turns to final runs, and everything in between. Programs like our 8-Week Adventure, Freeski & Ride Team, Chicadees Girls Camp, and Weekly Women's Camp, to name a few, build a foundation that goes beyond podiums. Outside of the skills and techniques learned, there's something special about being on snow, sharing that space together, and being part of something we often love for a lifetime. Competition days like the ones we saw at Kicking Horse on the big stage are the result of much smaller ones that happen in our backyard.

For this group, it’s another step. And for the rest of us, a reminder that what starts here can go a long way. Raise 'em Jay.

↓ Scroll down to check out some photos from the event and watch the team's individual runs.

Watch Their Competition Runs

U15 Ski Women

U15 Ski Men

U15 Snowboard Men

U19 Ski Men