Canada’s Mixed Aerials team landed on the podium at the Junior World Championships in Kazakhstan, claiming bronze after a tense final at the Shymbulak Ski Resort, near Almaty. The event marked the first major international test of the season for Canada’s rookie aerialists, many of whom were making their Junior Worlds debut.
Held in conjunction with a FIS training camp, the event brought together young athletes from around the world to share techniques, build friendships, and hone their skills on snow. Especially for Canadian athletes, the timing of the event presented a unique challenge, as it took place before they had significant time to transition from summer training on trampolines and water ramps to snow.
“This early in the season, the conversion from water to snow is still a work in progress,” said Freestyle Canada High Performance Director, Todd Allison. “Ideally, Junior Worlds would take place later in the season, once the athletes have had more time to refine their skills on snow. But despite that challenge, our athletes stepped up and delivered some great performances.”
Canada sent four athletes to the event: Elliot Beauregard, Elliot Primeau, Victoria Côté, and Alycia Hudon. In the team event, only three jumpers could compete, meaning Hudon sat out while her teammates battled for the podium.
In the first round of the Mixed Team event, Canada led a tight battle with Ukraine, thanks to triple-twisting, double backflips from both Beauregard and Primeau. Beauregard’s high-flying precision earned him an impressive score of 96 points — just shy of a perfect 105 — putting Canada in a strong position. China 2 sat in third, keeping the top teams on edge heading into the final round.
With scores reset for the final, China 1 surged from fourth place to take the lead, with all three of their skiers performing solid double-flipping jumps to post a combined score of 276.21. China 2’s hopes slipped when Yuheng Yang missed his landing on his final jump, leaving them 20 points behind.
Canada’s strategy relied on consistency from Beauregard and Primeau, who repeated their double back full-full jumps, and a clutch performance from Côté. As the only finalist performing a single-flipping jump, Côté needed to execute with near perfection — and she delivered. Her single back full was clean and controlled, sealing Canada’s combined score of 215.81 and securing the bronze medal ahead of China 2.
“We knew it would be a tight competition,” said Morin, who praised the team’s execution under pressure. “Victoria really stepped up when it counted. Alycia wasn’t in the team event, but her contributions throughout the week were crucial. It was a total team effort.”
The Junior World Championships capped off a successful week for Canada’s young aerialists, who all achieved personal bests on the world stage.
Strong Singles Performances at Junior Worlds
In the singles event, each of Canada’s athletes posted impressive results:
- Alycia Hudon overcame early-season uncertainty due to a knee injury. With incredible determination, she flipped on snow for the first time this season and earned an impressive 10th place in her Junior Worlds debut.
- Victoria Côté, a new recruit for Team Quebec, debuted a double tuck and back full, securing a spot in the finals and finishing 6th in singles.
- Elliot Primeau unlocked two new tricks during the competition, rising to the challenge despite lacking initial difficulty. He narrowly missed the finals, finishing 7th with outstanding performances.
- Elliot Beauregard faced a nail-biting qualification round, landing the most difficult jump of the competition to make it to the finals. He ultimately placed 6th, showcasing resilience under pressure.
Looking Ahead to the World Cup Season
Next up for Beauregard is the World Cup season opener in Lake Placid, where he will look to build on his early success. He will then return to Lac Beauport, Quebec, to compete in the Canadian World Cup on January 25-26. His young teammates from Junior Worlds will join him there, making their World Cup debuts on home soil.
“Our Junior Worlds team showed they belong at this level,” said Morin. “We’re excited to see what they can achieve as they continue to gain experience and confidence.”
Congratulations to our rookies for representing Canada with pride and proving their potential on the international stage! 🇨🇦
