Fernie athlete Kaleb Barnum is blazing a strong start to the 2026 ski season, with five podium finishes in his first seven races. The 21-year-old ski cross athlete won all of his initial heats and finished fourth overall at a recent race on Jan. 9, going up against athletes from across Canada, including several 2026 Olympic qualifiers.

His season has been marked by a streak of strong performances that started at the FIS South American Cup in Corralco, Chile, with a fifth-place finish and a silver medal. He later raced to the top at the FIS NorAm Cup at Nakiska, collecting gold and silver medals. Barnum is now off to the European Cup circuit before returning to Canada for the World Cup season finale in Craigleith, Ontario.