Yukon freestyle skier Etienne Geoffroy-Gagnon completed his second world cup event in Kreischberg, Austria on Jan. 7-8. Vying in the big air competition, Geoffroy-Gagnon placed 37th.

Geoffroy-Gagnon said in training he focuses more on slopestyle over big air.

"I was surprised to get the big air spot," he said. "I've been focused on slopestyle. But I did lots of training and my coaches thought I was ready."

Geoffroy-Gagnon said before leaving for Austria, he worked on a new trick, a back switch double-cork 16-20, in Quebec.

"The last few seasons I was doing the same trick as the 14-40 and now I added an extra 180-degree turn in there," said Geoffroy-Gagnon. "This will be huge to add to my slopestyle runs."

In competition, Geoffroy-Gagnon said all the skiers would get three jumps and their best two scores would be used to determine their final ranking.

"I skied super-well and I am happy," said Geoffroy-Gagnon. "I landed all three of my jumps. I landed the best two tricks that I have done.

"The new trick does need some more work. I need to hold the grab longer, that is something they look for in Big Air."

"I ended up 37th and I have the tricks to be competitive. I could do them better but the goal is to work on them and have a good chance to compete."

Because there hasn't been the usual number of events, Geoffroy-Gagnon said it was competitive.

"The level was insane," he said. "All 60 guys landed their jump. The conditions were nice and the jump was really good."

Before the big air event Kreischberg, Geoffroy-Gagnon had his first slopestyle event in Stubai, Austria in November. By his own admission, the Stubai competition did not go well.

"It didn't go how I wanted," said Geoffroy-Gagnon. "I was bummed about it. The circumstances around the event were really difficult."

The circumstances surrounding the event that made it difficult? COVID-19.

"We had training camp in Switzerland and coaches choose who would say," he said. "I got a spot three weeks before the competition and opted to stay in Europe.

"I was hoping to get a good three weeks of training in on those jumps but four days into training Austria went into lockdown."

Geoffroy-Gagnon said he and his two teammates waited for a week in Austria when they learned the contest would still be held.

"That was surprising," he said. "So we went to Switzerland to train at a small park with no big rails."

When the slopestyle contest in Stubai began, Geoffroy-Gagnon said people were being tested every day and the slope was only open for the competition.

"We were supposed to get two days of training but that was cut to two hours," he said. "I struggled in training and only got 11 reps in. To figure out a run in that time period is difficult when you aren't used to the course."

Still, when the competition came around, he hit all his runs and ended up in 30th.

"I was the second-best Canadian but I was disappointed because of how I ended last season," said Geoffroy-Gagnon. "This would have solidified my ranking but I am looking forward to the rest of my season."

Last season, before the pandemic took full effect, Geoffroy-Gagnon put together a string of top 10 finishes.

Geoffroy-Gagnon's next competition was supposed to be the World Championships in Calgary at the Winsport's Canada Olympic Park. However, it was announced Wednesday that the event would be cancelled.

With the health and safety of the athletes and community as the top priority, the international governing body for skiing and snowboarding (FIS), in consultation with Freestyle Canada and Canada Snowboard, have decided not to continue with plans to host the 2021 World Championships proposed for Calgary, February 24 to March 14.

The decision was made after weighing the challenges associated with international travel and continued border closures, ongoing uncertainty, along with potential health risks around hosting an event of this magnitude while the COVID-19 pandemic continues to run its course globally.

Freestyle Canada and Canada Snowboard planned to host the month-long series of international ski and snowboard competitions in a bubble concept at Winsport’s Canada Olympic Park. Significant effort had been made to address all public safety measures.

For fans of freestyle skiing and Geoffroy-Gagnon, he has just launched a website, etienne-geoffroy-freeski.com, where you can follow his travels and his training.