Veterans headline Para snowboard national team squad for 2025-26

Paralympic Games and world champion Tyler Turner headlines Canada’s four-member national team announced this week by Canada Snowboard for the all-important 2025-26 season.

Joining Turner on the national team are two-time Paralympians Sandrine Hamel of St-Sauveur, Que., and Alex Massie of Barrie, Ont. The newcomer is Philippe Nadreau of Blainville, Que.

Turner, 36, hasn’t missed a beat since his historic performance in the snowboard cross at the 2022 Paralympic Winter Games in Beijing where he won Canada’s first-ever gold in the sport.

The Campbell River, B.C., resident is the three-time defending world champion in snowboard cross, including the 2025 title earned at Big White, B.C.  He has also dominated the World Cup circuit including the snowboard cross title with a victory in the last race.

Prior to the start of 2024-25, Turner told CPC, it was a crucial year for him as he continued to test prosthetics. He was injured in a sky diving accident in 2017, an activity he continues to enjoy and teach.

It appears those tests paid off.

Hamel, a four-time world championship medallist, is on the comeback trail after missing most of the 2023-24 season due to a surgery that required a long recovery period.

She enjoyed a satisfying 2024-25 and is eager to build more momentum in 2025-26.

Massie notched a silver medal in snowboard cross at the World Cup stop in Finland and added two top-10s at the worlds.

Nadreau made his world championships debut at Big White and posted a season-high fifth place in the snowboard cross.

Chase Nicklin of Port Alberni, B.C., was named to Canada Snowboard’s NextGen squad.

The athletes’ ultimate goal for the season will be to earn selection to Canada’s 2026 Paralympic Winter Games team for Milano Cortina.