Pare Takes Third in Mt. St. Anne
In the final FIS snowboard cross World Cup of the 2024-25 season and first official qualifier for the 2026 Winter Olympic Games, Hydro Flask U.S. Snowboard Team’s Nathan Pare earned his first career World Cup podium with a third place finish at Mt. St. Anne.
Pare found himself in an unfamiliar spot during Thursday’s qualifications, leaving it up to his second run to earn a spot in finals. An aggressive second run earned him the 26th fastest time of the day and a coveted spot in Friday’s big show and the young American looked to redeem himself infrant of the loud Canadian
Joining pare in the round of eight finals was top American qualifier Senna Leith, with the 10th fastest time in qualifications, Olympic Gold medalist Nick Baumgartner and Olympian Jake Vedder. Leith and Baumgartner were taken out in the first round of heats but Pare and Vedder kept the American hopes alive, making it all the way through to the quarterfinal round where the two teammates were forced to race in the same heat. Pare bested veteran Vedder to take second place in the heat and moved to the round of semis, where another second place results set up the 20 year old for the first World Cup big final of his career. Up against the likes of Austria’s Jakob Dusek and Canada’s Eliot Grondin, Pare took to the start gate and put on a show, racing toe-to-toe with the world’s best riders and edging out France’s Loan Bozzolo for a spot on the podium.
Earning such an accomplishment at the Mt. St. Anne track is special for Pare, who won the 2023-24 Rookie of the Year honor at the same track last season despite not being able to race in the World Cup due to a broken jaw.
“This race is so special and it means so much to podium here after last season,” said the Maine native. “It made me so hungry to come back and crush it this year and to have my friends, family and everyone who has supported me my whole life here to watch me earn my first podium- it just means everything”
The Canadian double header caps off a successful season for the snowboard cross team, who will now take a well deserved break before heading into summer training camps ahead of the 2025-26 season.
