Remans bags Big Air victory as Kitayama gives Japan second men’s Junior World title

Belgian snowboarder Sky Remans topped the women’s Big Air at the FIS Park and Pipe Junior World Championships in Calgary on Wednesday as Hakuto Kitayama gave Japan their second men’s title.

Fifteen-year-old Remans shrugged off a fourth-place finish in Slopestyle over the weekend to put down three solid Big Air runs at Winsport Canada Olympic Park on Wednesday.

The Belgian led the 10-woman final with a total score of 164.50 after posting an opening score of 80.50 for her cab 900 tail grab, followed by a frontside 900 tail grab for which she was awarded 84.00.

Japan’s Imari Kato was second on 155.75, followed by Jessica Perlmutter (USA) in third place with 155.00.

Remans’ victory in Calgary follows her fourth-place finish in the women’s Slopestyle final on Saturday in her first contest after the 15-year-old made her Olympic Winter Games debut at the Milano Cortina 2026 Games in February.

Perlmutter’s third-place finish is her second top-three result at these Junior World Championships after the 16-year-old was third in Slopestyle on Saturday.

The U.S. rider also finished sixth in Slopestyle at Milano Cortina after outperforming a stacked field to qualify for her first Olympic final.

In the men’s Big Air, 15-year-old Hakuto Kitayama topped the 20-man final to give Japan their second men’s Junior World title after his 14-year-old team-mate Hiromu Watanabe won the Slopestyle final over the weekend.

Kitayama was the only rider to score over 90.00 on Wednesday after he landed a switch backside 1440 mute in his second run for a score of 91.00, adding to the 84.25 he posted in his first run for a backside triple cab 1440 mute.

Trailing Kitayama’s winning score of 175.25 in second place was Ukraine’s Dmytro Luchkin on 174.50, while Mille Kahrstrom (SWE) was third on 172.25.

Kitayama’s victory in Calgary marks his first career win and his second top-three finish after previously finishing third in Big Air and Slopestyle at the Japanese national championships in 2025.

Luchkin’s performance on Wednesday is his second podium in Calgary after the 16-year-old was also runner-up in the men’s Slopestyle final over the weekend.

Kahrstrom’s third-place finish is the17-year-old’s first podium outside of Sweden.

The FIS Park and Pipe Junior World Championships will resume on Thursday 6 March with the Halfpipe finals from 12:00 local time.