Kaleb Barnum is off to a gold-medal start to the 2026 ski cross race season, recording five podium finishes in his first seven races and firmly establishing himself as one of Canada’s rising forces in the sport.

The 21-year-old Fernie local launched his season on September 25–26 at the FIS South American Cup in Corralco, Chile, earning a fifth-place finish and a silver medal against an international field.

Momentum continued into the North American circuit in December, where Barnum captured silver and gold medals at the FIS NorAm Cup races on December 20–21at Nakiska. He repeated the performance on January 7–8, once again securing silver and gold medals.

On January 9, Barnum capped off an outstanding run by winning all of his initial heats and finishing fourth overall while racing head-to-head against Canadian teammates, including multiple 2026 Olympic qualifiers.

Barnum departed on January 10 for the European Cup circuit, where he will compete in five events before returning to Canada for the next NorAm Cup races at Sun Peaks on February 20–21.

His season will conclude on home snow with a World Cup race in Craigleith, Ontario, from March 19–21.

With consistent podium performances across three continents, Kaleb Barnum continues to build momentum as he progresses toward the highest level of international ski cross competition.

Lead image: Kaleb Barnum in the red bib, setting up in the draft for a pass upon landing. Photo courtesy of Kemble Cowan

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