Hey everyone!

I’m Sawyer Popovitch, a 15 year old freeride skier from Kimberley, BC, and I’m so excited to share that I’ve qualified to represent Canada at the Freeride Junior World Championships in Kappl, Austria this January!

It’s been an incredible season on the Junior Freeride Tour, I finished as the top Canadian female, 2nd in the Americas, and 3rd at Champs, which earned me a spot among the best young freeriders in the world.

Freeride skiing is all about creativity, courage, and flow, charging down big, steep faces, dropping cliffs, and choosing your own line down the mountain. It’s fast, intense, and totally exhilarating, skiing at its purest.

I’ve been training hard all year with my local strength coaches, Charlie and Shenoa, who have helped me prepare for exactly what I’ll be up against in Austria — thank you so much for your guidance and support! I also want to give a huge shoutout to Fernie Freestyle and Central Alberta Freestyle for their amazing programs and support. And of course, a big thank-you to my home mountain, Kimberley — the countless miles I’ve put on these slopes have helped me get to where I am today.

As an independent athlete, I manage all of my own training, travel, and competition logistics. The support from my family, friends, and community has meant everything to me. Lately, a lot of people have been asking how they can help support my journey to Worlds, so I decided to set up this GoFundMe as a simple way for anyone who wants to be part of the adventure to do so. Any contributions will go directly toward travel, accommodation, competition fees, and training leading up to the event.

I’m so proud to represent Kimberley, the Kootenays, and Canada on the world stage and to show that small-town athletes can achieve big goals and compete with the best in the world.

Thank you all so much for the love, encouragement, and belief — I wouldn’t be here without it! I would also like to thank the Kimberley Elks Club, Round the Mountain, and the Flyin' Ryan Hawks Foundation for their support as well.

Sawyer