In 2023, Marcus Goguen delivered Junior Freeride World Championships gold to the Whistler Freeride Club (WFC): the organization that raised him. Lukas Bennett mirrored Goguen's triumph the following year. Now, three more locals are poised to do everything they can to keep the streak alive.
The WFC is sending Kayla Constantini, Kohen Tacilauskas and Tannen DesBrisay to Kappl, Austria for the 2025 Junior Worlds.
Constantini is raring to go on what she hopes will be her revenge tour. The WFC alum finished 10th at her inaugural Junior Worlds outing, but has potential to better that mark. She wrapped up last season as Canada's top U19 female freerider and third overall in IFSA rankings.
Tacilauskas and DesBrisay placed ninth and 26th, respectively, in the 2023-24 standings and are Kappl-bound for the first time.
A second chance
Do-overs won't always materialize in sport or in life, but Constantini means to take full advantage of hers.
"To get a second chance, especially on a world stage competing against the best riders … I actually couldn't be more excited," she said. "It's such an amazing place and the venue is insane. Having that kind of opportunity come around again, I just can't believe it."
Constantini learned from last year that she need not be stressed at the Junior Worlds. Somewhat counterintuitively, she felt less pressure in Austria than she does at many of her other events. Meeting like-minded skiers from around the globe is a lot of fun, and that keeps her focused on the task at hand.
At 18 years old, Constantini is now a WFC alum studying business at the University of Victoria. She's been figuring out how to juggle her course load and the demands of independent life with training and contests. In the process, she has only become more grateful for being raised in Whistler's wintery paradise.
One more hurrah with two former clubmates lies ahead.
"It kind of brings you closer together, [going to Kappl] with people I'm not very close to at the moment," said Constantini. "I've had the best time ever in the Whistler Freeride Club and it's not going to end because eventually, all my friends are going to be in the same boat as me and we can have a whole gang to ski with [as young adults]. I still ski with some of my coaches every now and then.
"I aged out and I'm moving on to a new chapter in my life, but I'll always be there in a way."
A lot to look up to
Tacilauskas was born and raised in Whistler. His parents wasted no time getting skis onto his feet as a two-year-old at the base of Blackcomb Mountain, and he pretty much never looked back.
Now 17, the young man looks forward to the grandest competition of his career.
"It means a lot," said Tacilauskas about the opportunity. "There's a lot I have to look up to, with Marcus and Lukas being two reigning champions for Canada from the Whistler Freeride Club. It's going to be very hard, but I think Tannen, Kayla and I can [reach the podium] as well."
When asked why he decided to commit to freeride, Tacilauskas explained he feels it's the most creative way to ski and that he'd prefer to be in the high mountains versus, say, the terrain park. He'll never forget his eight years with WFC, exploring incredible terrain alongside friends and trusted coaches.
"Tannen and Kayla are both very creative," Tacilauskas said. "They both love to just go for it and do as much as they can on the mountain. Everybody's always pushing each other in Whistler. We're always trying to get better."
Tacilauskas' lone gold medal from the previous campaign came in Stevens Pass, and he added to that bronze on home snow. Yet the local shredder names Lake Louise as a highlight because there he notched silver with a performance he's truly proud of.
His goal for Junior Worlds is much the same: put down a run that makes him happy, and do a good job representing the Maple Leaf.
'Super excited'
DesBrisay almost failed to make the cut.
Placing first and second at two local contests got the teenager's 2023-24 season off to a nice start, but a crash at the IFSA Junior Freeride Championships in Breckenridge, Colo. nearly derailed it all. DesBrisay ended up with 2,085 overall points, qualifying for Junior Worlds by a tiny five-point margin.
"I'm super excited," he said. "I'm just thinking about [Austria] as my redemption run for Colorado. [It's so] rewarding to land something you've been dreaming of, and the rush of adrenaline you get from being scared but then [your run working out] is super cool."
Like Tacilauskas, DesBrisay began skiing when he was two years of age. The pair have been good friends dating back to their snow-school days and can hardly be more thrilled to go to Kappl together. Yet DesBrisay has never skied in Europe, and the new locale will bring new hurdles.
Unlike in North America, European freeride organizers do not let their athletes physically set foot on a venue before a given contest. All inspections of snow and terrain must occur from a distance, through binoculars.
"It's definitely a skill that I need to work on, but it's also really cool because you usually get better snow for your competition run," elaborated DesBrisay, 17. "It makes things feel a bit more exciting when you're skiing a line you've never even stood on top of before."
The 2025 Junior Worlds run Jan. 13 to 16, 2025.
