Kaleb Barnum has emerged from the FIS Ski Cross Junior World Championships with a gold medal.
The Fernie athlete competed at worlds at Idre Fjäl in Sweden on April 14 and 15, and took first place after winning all four of his heats. He overtook three time Junior Worlds competitor Nicholas Katrusiak from Whistler, who claimed silver.
“It feels pretty sweet,” Barnum remarked in an Alpine Canada media release. “It was a super exciting day and it was a good time racing Nick in the finals with us coming from opposite sides of the bracket. It was fast racing on a big track with a great drag strip at the bottom.”
19-year-old Barnum was selected to compete at the event following wins at Steamboat, Colorado, and Big White and Sunridge in Alberta. He and Katrusiak represented Canada alongside Emeline Bennett from Whistler, who claimed gold in women’s for the second time, becoming the first Canadian woman to win the event multiple times.