March 2025 UPDATE: Walker’s Journey to the 2026 Winter Olympics

It was completely unexpected when my coach, Pat Gaudet, first told me I had the potential to qualify for the 2026 Winter Olympic Games in Italy. After the Chile Summer Camp in September 2024, he said my speed was there and that I had a real shot at making it. The news was shocking—I had no idea how to process it at first.

Pat explained that if I wanted to pursue this goal, I would need to compete in the World Cup circuit for the upcoming season. The plan was to gain experience and start earning an Olympic quota spot. The next few weeks were incredibly stressful as my family and I tried to figure out how I could finish high school six months early, get a Chinese visa, and prepare physically and mentally for my first-ever World Cup in Northern Mongolia, China.

At first, both my mom and dad were against the idea, thinking it would be impossible to graduate in time while maintaining my grades. However, thanks to the incredible support from the Steamboat Springs School District, especially Principal Jay Hamric, I was able to take online classes and complete my schoolwork before heading to China.

In China, my focus was simply to take everything in, have fun, and gain experience. Because of this mindset—along with my previous physical and snowboard training—I finished 35th in my second Slalom World Cup ever. This result gave me a confidence boost and motivated me to work harder for the next races in Carreza and Cortina, Italy. However, I struggled to find my speed and consistency until Christmas.

After spending a few days training at home with SSWSC’s Thedo Remmelink, I headed to Canada for the first North American Cup (NorAm) of the season. I was also chasing the NorAm Cup overall title to secure my World Cup spot for next season. This was no easy task, especially since some World Cup athletes participated in these first two NorAms. However, I didn’t let that slow me down—I won my first-ever NorAm there, earning crucial points and proving to myself that I could compete at a high level. I even beat two World Cup snowboarders.

I kept the momentum going, finishing 5th, then placing 2nd and 3rd in the Steamboat NorAm races. After that, I rejoined my team in Europe for the second half of the season, competing in Austria, Bulgaria, and Slovenia. In Rogla, Slovenia, I made my first-ever second run in a World Cup, qualifying in the top 32.

After Rogla, we returned to Canada for two more NorAms, where I secured another win and a 2nd-place finish. This led into the Canadian World Cup, where I placed 26th, earning my first-ever World Cup points—a significant step toward the 2026 Games. Following that, I finished 2nd and 3rd in the final NorAms, securing the overall North American Cup title for the 2024-2025 season.

I then flew to Poland for another World Cup and the Junior World Championships (JWC), where I finished 5th in Slalom—my best JWC result yet. With my confidence at an all-time high, I went to Winterberg, Germany, and had my best World Cup finish yet, placing 19th. My second run in that race was the 9th fastest time overall in the world.

I ended my season in St. Moritz, Switzerland, competing in my first-ever World Championships with strong riding.

This year, I have grown and learned more than ever—not just in snowboarding but in life. None of this would have been possible without the incredible support from my parents, SSWSC, Jay Hamric, Patrik Gaudet, Jeff Thompson, Thedo Remmelink, my teammates, friends, and the entire Steamboat Springs community. For that, I am truly grateful.

I am still chasing my dream of competing in the 2026 Olympics, and the process is not cheap. I am currently fundraising to help make it happen. If you are interested in supporting me, you can find more information at walkeroverstake.com.