Maidstone teen mogul skier sets sights on 2034 Winter Olympics

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(Image Credit: Talance Kalmakoff/ submitted)

"I JUST HAVE TO KEEP WORKING HARD"

Maidstone teen mogul skier sets sights on 2034 Winter Olympics

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“Above me would be the World Cup and then the Olympics. That’s like my end goal is to go to the Olympics; I just have to keep working hard.” 

During the 2026-27 season, Kalmakoff will compete at the Canadian Selections in Apex Mountain, B.C., race the full NorAm Cup moguls circuit and represent Team Saskatchewan at the Canada Winter Games in Quebec. 

The season also includes several training camps, including a two-week trip to Sweden this fall. 

“This year I’ll be working on corks and fulls; those are kind of like higher-end tricks. A cork is a backflip rotation with a 720 in it and then a back full is a back lay rotation; you’re straight with a 360 in it.” 

(Image Credit: Talance Kalmakoff/ submitted)

During the off-season, Kalmakoff practices on water ramps, where athletes launch off jumps into a pool to develop aerial skills before performing the tricks on snow. 

“It’s not as scary during the summer because you’re landing in water,” she said. “The water still hurts sometimes though. During the winter, if you get a course that’s super icy, it does get a little scary.” 

Much of her winter training takes place outside Saskatchewan, including stints at Apex Mountain near Penticton, Red Deer, Panorama and Whistler. 

“It costs so much money,” Kalmakoff said, noting she is often away from home for two to four weeks at a time. 

(Image Credit: Talance Kalmakoff/ submitted)

She helps cover expenses by working during the summer and at Table Mountain in the winter when she is home, while also raising money through sponsorships. 

“I come from a one-parent family, so it’s pretty expensive on my mom,” she said. “My mom’s like my biggest fan, my biggest supporter. She always will be.” 

She is especially looking forward to competing in single moguls at the Canada Winter Games, where she believes she has a chance to reach the podium. 

She said being a high-level mogul skier from Saskatchewan often surprises people, but she has used that perception as motivation. 

(Image Credit: Talance Kalmakoff/ submitted)

“People are like, ‘You’re from Saskatchewan, you must not be that good,’” she said. “Then you can see in some people when I first started skiing that they’re like, ‘Wow, you’re actually kind of good and you’re from Saskatchewan.’” 

For young people interested in the sport, Kalmakoff’s advice is straightforward. 

“Just go do it,” she said. “It’s so much fun… just keep going with it.” 

With her sights firmly set on the Olympics, Kalmakoff’s immediate focus is on continuing to improve, delivering strong results this season and taking the next step toward representing Canada on the world stage. 

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Alyssa.rudolph@pattisonmedia.com