Weekend Roundup: First career World Cup wins for ski jumper Strate, snowboarder Hosking
With just a month to go until the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games, Team Canada athletes continue to produce podium performances on the international stage.
This weekend saw big career breakthroughs for ski jumper Abigail Strate and halfpipe snowboarder Elizabeth Hosking, while Cynthia Appiah slid her way back onto a World Cup podium for the first time in almost a year.
Ski Jumping: Strate flies to first World Cup win
Abigail Strate rang in 2026 with her first career FIS World Cup victory on New Year’s Day in Oberstdorf, Germany. Strate reached the top step of the podium with a score of 268.2 for her two jumps on the large hill, taking the win by 10.5 points over China’s Zeng Ping. She had the longest jump of the day in the first round of the final, covering 136 metres which earned her 146.1 points.
“This has been my dream since I can remember. I didn’t know if it would ever happen, but I have always been chasing it. I frickin’ did it,” said the 24-year-old, who was second in Oberstdorf two years ago.
This was Strate’s third World Cup podium of the season, all of which have come on the large hill which will be a women’s Olympic event for the first time at Milano Cortina 2026. She hasn’t finished outside the top 10 in any large hill events this season.
“I think I have been struggling a bit this winter to be as relaxed because I likely felt a bit of pressure, especially after the two early season podiums, and was chasing it rather than being present in the jumps,” added Strate. “The coaches and I had made a plan that maybe we’d go back to training and find the good jumps, but just being connected with them and talking things through with the coaches completely chilled me out today.”
Snowboard and Ski Halfpipe: First World Cup win for Hosking on home snow
Elizabeth Hosking had a memorable start to 2026 at the Snow Rodeo in Calgary, becoming the first Canadian woman to win a FIS World Cup snowboard halfpipe event in 24 years. Hosking secured her first career World Cup victory with a score of 82.50 for her first run, beating out China’s Wu Shaotong (77.25).
READ: Elizabeth Hosking wins World Cup gold in Calgary
She was among three Canadian women in the top seven, with Brooke D’Hondt placing fifth and Felicity Geremia placing seventh.
In ski halfpipe, Cassie Sharpe finished fifth, with Amy Fraser close behind in sixth position in the women’s event. Dillan Glennie finished 10th. Dylan Marineau was the top Canadian in the men’s event, placing sixth.
Bobsleigh: Appiah slides to monobob silver in Winterberg
Cynthia Appiah reached the second step of the women’s monobob podium at the IBSF World Cup in Winterberg, Germany, on Saturday. Matching her career-best showing, the 35-year-old athlete recorded a two-heat time of 1:58.53 to secure the silver medal.
“This feels amazing,” Appiah said. “It feels like a huge weight has been lifted off my back.”
Appiah was fourth after the opening heat. She moved up two positions after posting the fastest run (59.38) in the final heat.
“It’s great to have the fastest run again,” she said. “It’s something I haven’t had since the last Olympic season. To have the fastest down time in the second run, especially on a German track where you know it’s going to be a tough battle, is huge.”
Fellow Canadian Melissa Lotholz finished the event in 6th place (1:58.73).
Alpine Skiing: Valérie Grenier gets second straight top 10
At the FIS Alpine Ski World Cup in Kranjska Gora, Slovenia, Valérie Grenier finished ninth in the women’s giant slalom with a two-run time of 2:02.14. Switzerland’s Camille Rast took the win (2:00.09), while Austria’s Julia Scheib (2:00.29) finished second.
Grenier had closed out 2025 with a fourth-place finish in the giant slalom in Semmering, Austria on December 27.
