Snowboarding
Chasing Greatness: The Faces of Canadian Winter Sport
Before the medals and before the fame, there's a dream that started it all. Get to know the Canadian athletes looking to write the next chapter on the world's biggest sporting stage in 2026.
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There’s something special about winter in Canada. A spark lights up inside us when the snow starts to fall across mountains, halfpipes, and rinks, instilling a love and passion for sport that is ingrained deep within the fabric of who we are.
From one coast to the other, a new and old generation of Canadian athletes are ready to chase history and create unforgettable moments that bring the entire country together.
These are some of the names you’ll hear when the spotlight is brightest. From fearless snowboarders and creative skiers to record-breaking hockey players, they represent the passion, grit, and ambition that define Canadian sport.
One moment at a time.
01
Mark McMorris
Mark McMorris
© Chris Singer / Red Bull Content Pool
From the flat prairies of Regina, Saskatchewan, to the top of podiums around the world, Mark McMorris has become one of the most decorated snowboarders in history. With three Olympic Slopestyle medals, a record 24 X Games medals, and Four Burton US Open titles, he’s built a legacy as one of the sport’s true icons.
Mark exploded onto the scene as a teenager, earning X Games silver in 2011 and changing snowboarding forever when he landed the first-ever backside triple cork 1440. Since then, he’s stacked up wins everywhere – from double gold at the 2021 X Games to a bronze medal at Slopestyle’s Olympic debut in 2014 (while riding with a broken rib, no less).
Even a devastating backcountry crash in 2017 couldn’t slow Mark down. He came back stronger, adding another Olympic bronze medal in 2018, Big Air gold at the 2021 World Championships, a third Olympic medal with bronze in Beijing 2022, and, most recently, winning a silver medal in Slopestyle at X Games Aspen 2025.
Off the board, Mark and his brother Craig run the McMorris Foundation, which was started to help create a more affordable, accessible, and inclusive sport culture in Canada. As he charges toward the 2026 Winter Olympics – in what would mark his fourth Olympic Games – Mark’s focus is simple: keep progressing, keep having fun, and keep inspiring the next generation of riders.
Watch Mark and others celebrate the passion and soul of snowboarding in Paved:
42 min
Paved
Experience the joy as snowboarding’s elite push boundaries and chase podium dreams ahead of the 2026 season.
02
Emma Maltais
Emma Maltais poses for a portrait during a photo shoot
© Miriam Lottes / Red Bull Content Pool
Growing up in Burlington, Ontario, Emma Maltais has been skating toward greatness from the very first time she stepped on the ice. Drawn toward the speed, skill, and team spirit that define Canadian hockey, she spent countless hours dreaming of one day representing the Maple Leaf.
Emma made her mark in the NCAA with Ohio State University, quickly becoming one of the most dynamic forwards in the game. Her speed, work ethic, and ability to create scoring opportunities helped elevate the Buckeyes program, earning her All-American honours and setting multiple school records, including a jaw-dropping 59 points as a junior in 2020.
She also helped lead the team to four consecutive Frozen Four appearances, their first WCHA Championship, and their first regular season championship in history. Her breakout performances quickly caught the eye of Hockey Canada, and Emma became a key piece of a golden generation. She helped Team Canada win gold at the 2022 Beijing Olympics and played a key role in securing three World Championship gold medals in 2021, 2022, and 2024.
Now a professional with the Toronto Sceptres in the PWHL, Emma brings that same intensity and passion to the sport’s newest era. With the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympics on the horizon, Emma Maltais thrives on the sport’s biggest stage – and her best hockey is still ahead.
03
James Crawford
James Crawford
© Erich Spiess / Red Bull Content Pool
From clicking into skis at six years old to conquering the most intimidating courses on the planet, James “Jack” Crawford has become one of Canada’s biggest alpine skiing stars. Skiing runs deep in the Crawford family, as his aunt Judy raced at the 1972 Olympics and his sister Candace is also on the Canadian National Team. So, it’s no surprise Jack has been chasing gates from an early age.
He made his World Cup debut at just 18 on the legendary Streif in Kitzbühel, one of the toughest downhill tracks in the world, and soon after won silver in Super-G at the Junior World Championships. By 2018, James was racing on the Olympic stage, and four years later in Beijing he made history by winning a bronze medal in Alpine Combined. It was the first-ever Canadian medal in that event and he just missed the Downhill podium by 0.07 seconds.
From there, James’ career continued to skyrocket. He racked up podiums across the World Cup circuit, then grabbed gold at the 2023 World Championships, becoming the Super-G world champion. And in a full-circle moment, he claimed his first World Cup victory in 2025 – on the same daunting Kitzbühel track – hitting speeds of 140 km/h to take the win by 0.08 seconds.
Now, with the 2026 Winter Olympics in his sights, James is skiing faster and more confidently than ever. He’s ready to chase more history for Canada on the world’s biggest sporting stage in Milano Cortina.
04
Liam Brearley
Liam Brearley poses for a portrait
© Chris Singer / Red Bull Content Pool
One of the brightest young stars in snowboarding, Liam Brearley is just getting started. Born in Orillia, Ontario, and raised in Gravenhurst, Liam first built his balance on a wakeboard before switching to snow, where his creativity and style quickly set him apart.
He announced himself to the world in 2020 at the Winter Youth Olympics, winning three medals – a silver in Slopestyle, a bronze in Halfpipe, and a bronze in Big Air – and proving that Canada has a rising star on its hands. By 2024, Liam was full flight on the pro scene, earning back-to-back World Cup wins in Laax and Silvaplana and capturing the FIS Crystal Globe as the season’s overall Slopestyle points leader.
Jump into some winter action on RBTV
That same season, Liam showed off his trademark creativity with gold in the Knuckle Huck event at the Winter X Games, a contest that was designed and built for style and originality. In early 2025, he made Canadian snowboarding history, becoming the first-ever men’s Slopestyle World Champion with a near-perfect 90.15-point run at the World Championships in Silvaplana.
With his deep mix of technical precision, fearless progression, and smooth style, Liam is heading into 2026 as one of Canada’s top medal contenders. Whether he’s throwing down at the X Games or chasing podiums on the world stage, you can expect Liam Brearley to continue to push the limits far into the future.
05
Max Moffatt
Max Moffat at the Red Bull Performance Camp
© Syo van Vliet / Red Bull Content Pool
Max Moffatt has been on skis practically since he could walk, but everything changed at 12 when he ditched the race gates for jumps, rails, and endless creativity. That decision launched him toward becoming one of Canada’s most stylish and innovative freestyle skiers.
And his rise was fast. By 2014, Max earned a spot on the national development team and just two years later he bounced back from a torn meniscus to win the overall Nor-Am Cup Slopestyle title. From there, he kept turning heads on the world stage. In 2019, he claimed his first World Cup gold in Seiser Alm, Italy, and finished the season ranked second overall.
Known for his flow and technical precision, Max continued to stack podiums, including a silver medal in Stubai in 2021 and a career-best fifth place in Big Air in Chur, Switzerland. In 2022, he threw it all down with X Games silver in Slopestyle before representing Canada at the Beijing Olympics.
Max continued to level up by adding X Games bronze in 2023 and multiple World Cup podiums in 2023-24, including silver in Silvaplana and bronze at Mammoth. With a deep bag of tricks, effortless style, and a creative approach that’s redefining what’s possible on skis, Max is always a podium threat. As the 2026 Winter Olympics approach, expect Max to keep progressing forward while somehow making it all look way too easy.
Check out Max and friends as they attempt to ski the world's hardest rail:
06
Mitch Marner
Mitch Marner on an outdoor rink at night while it snows
© Mark Blinch / Red Bull Content Pool
Born in Markham, Ontario, Mitch Marner has been electrifying the hockey world since the moment he laced up his first pair of skates. He exploded onto the scene with the London Knights, putting up 301 points in 184 games and leading them to an OHL Championship and Memorial Cup in 2016, earning MVP honours in both.
That same year, his childhood dream came true when the Toronto Maple Leafs drafted him 4th overall. Marner made an immediate impact in the league, breaking a 73-year-old Leafs record with 42 assists in his rookie season. Since then, he’s become one of the league’s elite playmakers, putting up three separate 90-plus point seasons and setting a career high in points with 102 in 2024-25.
A three-time NHL All-Star, Mitch’s game is a perfect mix of speed, creativity, and a relentless two-way play, earning him praise as one of hockey’s most complete and entertaining players. On the international stage, he was part of one of the biggest signature moments in Canadian hockey in recent history at the 2025 Four Nations Face-Off, setting up the overtime winner against Team USA to secure gold for Canada.
In free agency 2025, Mitch signed a new eight-year deal with the Vegas Golden Knights, where he’s now on a mission to bring another Stanley Cup back to Vegas. Yet, his skill, swagger, and heart will help be a driving force for Team Canada as NHL players head back to the Olympic stage in Milano Cortina 2026.
It’s more than just sport
Every four years, the world is reminded of something Canadians already know: winter sport is in our blood. It’s in the early morning practices, the backyard rinks, the frozen chairlifts, and the countless hours spent chasing a dream.
These athletes are the ones helping carry that dream forward. They’re writing the next chapter of Canadian sporting history. Not just with medals and records, but with the courage to take risks, the drive to push harder, and the belief that the best moments are still in front of us.
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