Banked Slalom LAAX 2026
A twisty weekend at the 11th Banked Slalom LAAX: Snowboard cult event
Cold Selkirk powder conditions opened the venue wall-to-wall across both competition zones, with finals set to run later in the window after an incoming storm resets the face.
REVELSTOKE, BC (March 10, 2026) — The YETI Natural Selection Revelstoke opened its competition window under classic Selkirk winter conditions as 24 of the most exciting riders in snowboarding dropped into a venue running wall-to-wall across both the East and West zones in Montana Bowl. At stake, both a ticket to the finals day and shot at the Tour Champion title, and a prequalified spot for the 2027 event.
According to Gnorm the Revelstoke Powder Gnome, 10 cm of light-density Selkirk snow fell overnight, adding to more than 60 cm of snowfall in the alpine over the past week. Temperatures hovered around –14°C, keeping the snow light up top while intermittent sun, clouds and bursts of blue sky lit up the sprawling cliff and feature-speckled face.
“It’s so good in there — it’s insane,” said Zoi Sadowski-Synnott after her first run. “There are features everywhere, and the snow is so good.”
With a major storm forecast to move into the Selkirk Mountains later this week, Natural Selection organizers made the strategic call to run Day One at the first opportunity in the weather window, opening the venue wall-to-wall while leaving the door open for a potential full reset of the face for finals later in the March 10-15 competition window.
For riders like Mark McMorris, the event represents one of the most meaningful contests in snowboarding. “This event is held to a very high standard among our peers and across the industry,” McMorris said. “Anytime you get the nod to compete you want to show up and represent the sport well. It’s kind of a dream contest for any snowboarder — riding a freestyle zone caked with powder.”
All 24 riders dropped into eight-rider sessions, with the updated format offering competitors up to three chances to advance. Two riders move through from the opening round, followed by two additional cut-down rounds sending one rider each to finals — creating a fast-paced session that rewards both progression and confidence.
By the end of the day, the field narrowed to 12 finalists — eight men and four women — who will return when Mother Nature calls the final competition day between now and March 15.
Most riders advancing were veterans of the Natural Selection Tour, athletes who understand how to blend freestyle tricks with creative big-mountain line choice, and have ridden the complex Revelstoke venue.
Two new to the Tour riders made it through with the veteran pack, eighteen-year-old rookie Billy Pelchat continued her breakout season, navigating the massive venue with confidence to earn her place in finals.
And Revelstoke local Mateo Massitti, who spent two summers helping shape features on the course, got his first chance to ride the venue in competition — and made the most of it, sniffing out the Far East line and advancing in the opening round.
The women’s field showcased the continued progression of big-mountain freestyle riding across the Natural Selection venue.
Zoi Sadowski-Synnott, fresh off a double medal performance at the Olympics, advanced through the opening round linking natural features across the face.
Joining her was Šárka Pančochová, who landed a frontside 720 off the upper feature — one of the biggest tricks of the women’s competition and day’s high score.
“Ståle [Sandbech] pulled me into the backside seven,” Pančochová said. “The venue is open so there are so many options — it’s a little overwhelming — but the jumps on the East side felt really good.”
In Round Two, 18-year-old rookie Billy Pelchat continued her standout debut at Natural Selection, landing a clean Cab 540 and flowing through the pillows to earn a score of 80 and advance.
“I feel so lucky to be here,” Pelchat said. “Landing my Cab 5 was the highlight, and just getting to the bottom knowing I did the best run I could today.”
The final advancing position in the women’s field came down to the last qualifier, where Madison Blackley narrowly edged out Mary Rand to claim the final spot in finals.
The men’s competition opened with riders charging into the venue’s expansive terrain, linking freestyle tricks up top with technical freeride lines down the massive face.
Revelstoke local Mateo Massitti opened the far East side of the venue with authority, dropping an 87.3 with a clean frontside 540 off the upper feature before flowing through the pillows.
Veteran freeride icon Gigi Rüf followed with one of the most stylish runs of the day, earning an 84 with a chicane 540 into a nose-butter 360 combo, proving that experience still counts on the Natural Selection stage.
Later in the opening round, Nils Mindnich and Mark McMorris dropped last in the bracket, both scoring in the seventies to stay alive in the competition.
“Anytime you enter a contest, the goal is to ride to the best of your ability,” McMorris, who landed a big 720 on the ridge jump to help seal his finals spot, said. “You can’t win a contest if you don’t make it to finals day, so I’m thankful to be through.”
As the brackets progressed, riders continued pushing the level.
Blake Moller posted the first score to hit the 90s, linking a jump at the top of the face into a switch backside rodeo, followed by pillow hits and a backside 360 into the pocket. “The snow was super soft and felt really nice,” Moller said. “I was just stoked on the conditions.”
Moments later, Brin Alexander raised the bar again, putting down the highest score of the day — a 93.5 — to claim his session win in the second round.
Torstein Horgmo, back from a year off with a new baby, delivered a clutch performance in the last-chance round to secure his place in finals. Which left one final session. Jared Elston, who barely missed his ticket in round two, was back with something to prove. And he proved it by stomping a double wildcat into a high-consequence freeride straight air and the nod from the judges.
Šárka Pančochová
Zoi Sadowski-Synnott
Billy Pelchat
Madison Blackley
Nils Mindnich
Mark McMorris
Gigi Rüf
Torstein Horgmo
Mateo Massitti
Blake Moller
Jared Elston
Brin Alexander
Šárka Pančochová — Frontside 720
Miles Fallon — Backside 720
With a major storm forecast to move through the Selkirks mid-week, the Natural Selection Tour is now watching the weather window for the final competition day. If conditions align, the incoming snowfall will hopefully reset the entire venue, reopening untouched lines, pillows and natural freestyle features for finals day.
The Finals Day of YETI Natural Selection Revelstoke will stream live worldwide on Red Bull TV when Mother Nature calls the day later this week or weekend. Follow @naturalselectionsnow for the call.
A twisty weekend at the 11th Banked Slalom LAAX: Snowboard cult event
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