LOST IN PARADISE BRINGS THRILLS TO MT SIMA, WHITEHORSE

In a thrilling long weekend of action and activity, the inaugural Lost In Paradise FIS Para Snowboard Banked Slalom World Cup played host to a festival of snowboarding at Mount Sima in Whitehorse YT from March 27th to 31st.

Bringing down the curtain on the FIS Para Snowboard World Cup season, The event showcased banked slalom snowboarding on a global stage, uniting the world's best Para athletes with local riders, fans, family and friends alike.

The territory turned on the weather with sunny skies and spring-like conditions for both race days, although the training sessions leading up to the race provided a mixed bag with some fresh snow challenging the riders race line.

Canadians Tyler Turner and Sandrine Hamel delivered impressive performances across both Thursday and Friday’s individual races, storming to bronze finishes on the meticulously crafted banked slalom course designed and constructed by Arena Snowpark and Mount Sima's ops team; featuring large berms, technical sections, and a thrilling pump segment leading into the finish line. 

In the Women's Upper Limb division, Darian Haynes from the USA clinched victory in the season's final race. Meanwhile, despite struggling with illness during the first Banked Slalom event, Brenna Huckaby Clegg from the USA dominated both races, each time finishing ahead of Cécile Hernandez from France, who secured second place by a margin of exactly 82 hundredths of a second in both races. Sandrine Hamel completed the podium in the Women's Lower Limb category at the conclusion of the first Banked Slalom, while Nina Sparks from Great Britain claimed the spot the following day.

In the Men's Upper Limb category, Mike Minor from the USA set the fastest time in the first Banked Slalom and secured top spot on the podium, with Maxime Montaggioni from France taking second and Jacopo Luchini from Italy coming in third. The next day, the Italian leader of the category regained his winning form by finishing half a second ahead. The battle for second and third places was fiercely close, with Mike Minor from the USA ultimately securing second place by just 3 hundredths of a second over Maxime Montaggioni from France. In the Men's Lower Limb 1 category, Noah Elliott from the USA dominated both Banked Slalom races, showcasing exceptional skill on the second day. Daichi Oguri from Japan consistently secured second place, Tyler Turner took third place in both races. 

The Men's Lower Limb 2 category saw Emanuel Perathoner from Italy maintaining his position as the category leader and emerging as the overall winner of both Banked Slalom races. Despite strong competition from his rival Ben Tudhope from Australia, who finished second in both races just 29 hundredths of a second behind in the final race, Perathoner held his ground. Zach Miller from the USA also contributed to the American success by securing third place in both races of the Men's Lower Limb 2 category at Mt. Sima.

The weekend concluded with the Yukon Championships where locals went head to head with  World Cup riders and coaches. As the dust settles on the Yukon Territory’s maiden Snowboard World Cup, With Whitehorse now etched in the annals of Para snowboarding history, Lost in Paradise delivered a celebration of snowboarding culture, camaraderie, and the pioneering spirit of athletes pushing the boundaries of what's possible on the snow. The future looks bright for snowboarding in the Yukon Territory.