A local athlete is jumping onto the snowy world stage with several medals under his belt this season – and he’s not done yet.
Fernie’s Kaleb Barnum secured five podium finishes in his first seven races as part of the Canadian Ski Cross team.
He earned his first silver in September 2025 at the FIS South American Cup in Corralco, Chile, with a fifth-place finish against an international field.
Barnum then won both gold and silver at the FIS NorAm Cup races in December at Nakiska, repeating the performance in January before capping the national championships by winning all his initial heats and finishing fourth overall.
The 21-year-old first learned to ski at 18 months in Ontario, but at the end of the 2010/11 season, his family moved to Fernie, where he joined the Fernie Alpine Ski Team (FAST).
“Some of my best memories are from the training and racing days with FAST,” Barnum said. “FAST was excellent, and still, some of my best friends are a result of being part of this team.”
A young Barnum skiing. | Source: Kaleb Barnum
Living in a ski town gave Barnum the freedom and resources to practice what he loved.
“Typically, during winter, I would spend over 100 days on snow, not all in the gates, as Fernie has some of the best powder on the planet.”
The young skier is now hoping to go all the way to the Olympic stage.
“I have committed myself to doing whatever it takes to accomplish this goal,” he added.
Barnum is currently competing on the European Cup circuit and will return to Canada for the next NorAm Cup races at Sun Peaks from February 20 to February 21.
His season is set to end on home snow with a World Cup race in Craigleith, Ontario, from March 19 to 21.
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