Athlete's Guide to Canada Snowboard Freestyle Competition Ages 7+ 2026-27

The Canada Snowboard PTSA Series Handbook (Rev. 2022) lists these park and pipe (slopestyle, halfpipe, big air) categories:

• The PTSA decides how many age groups an event uses, and the organizer can combine categories if too few athletes register. Combined categories must be discussed and agreed at the coaches meeting before the event starts.
• The Junior FIS and FIS categories cannot be changed by organizers.
• If combining forces you to ride up, you can keep competing in your regular category at later events. If you choose to ride up, you stay in the higher category for the rest of the season.
• Ages are counted as in FIS competitions (the age you reach during the calendar year containing the start of the July 1 to June 30 competition year).

This handbook is dated 2022, and PTSAs set their own details, so a series event's own notice has the final say on its categories.

Source: https://www.canadasnowboard.ca/files/PTSASeriesHandbook_2022.docx.pdf

Under the FIS International Competition Rules (June 2026 edition):

• Your age for eligibility is the age you reach on your birthday during the calendar year (January to December) that contains the start of the FIS competition year. The competition year runs July 1 to June 30, and December 31 is its mid-point, so for 2026-27 you use the age you reach in 2026.
• The minimum age for halfpipe, slopestyle and big air is 13.
• The minimum age at major events (World Cup, World Championships and Olympic Winter Games) is 15.
• International junior competitions use the same minimum age as other international competitions (13) and a maximum age of 17.

The 2026 Junior Nationals notice applied the same approach: JR FIS style competitors were 13 to 17 as of December 31, 2025.

Sources: FIS ICR Book VI (June 2026) rules 2013.1 to 2013.3, https://assets.fis-ski.com/f/252177/x/74599b71fa/sbfsfk-new-icr-spring-2026_clean.pdf and https://www.canadasnowboard.ca/files/2026%20JRNationalsEventNotice%20(1).docx.pdf

From the Air Nation Freestyle Tour Handbook (Rev. 11/2023) and the 2026 Junior Nationals event notice:

• You need a membership with your Provincial/Territorial Snowboard Association (PTSA).
• To be listed as a FIS competitor you need a valid FIS licence and extended medical coverage through the Sport Accident Insurance Policy (SAIP). Canadian athletes can buy the PTSA advanced membership, SAIP and FIS licence online through SnowReg member services.
• The FIS licence year runs from July 1 to June 30.
• At events with National Championship status (NorAm stops that are also Nationals), only athletes with a FIS licence can compete.
• At Junior Nationals, a FIS licence is required for the JR FIS categories. The 2026 Junior Nationals notice required a valid PTSA competitive licence for the youth (Grom) category.
• Registration is online through SnowReg, and your coach must represent you at the coaches or team captains meeting.
• All athletes must follow the Canada Snowboard Safe Sport guidelines, Helmet Policy and Concussion Protocol.

Sources: https://www.canadasnowboard.ca/files/AirNationFreestyleTourHandbook_2023_FINAL.pdf and https://www.canadasnowboard.ca/files/2026%20JRNationalsEventNotice%20(1).docx.pdf

Air Nation events run under the FIS International Competition Rules (ICR). Under the ICR (June 2026 edition):

• Judges take five criteria into account: execution, difficulty, amplitude, variety and progression.
• Each judge gives each run a whole-number score out of 100, judging the run from start to finish as an overall impression.
• With 6 or more scoring judges, the highest and lowest scores are discarded and the rest count. With up to 5 scoring judges, all scores count.
• Judges take falls, mistakes and stops into consideration and can deduct points for each fall or stop.
• Some slopestyle events can use section-by-section judging instead, where trick judges and composition judges each score out of 100 and their scores are combined (the ICR recommends 60% from trick judges and 40% from composition judges).

Source: FIS ICR Book VI (June 2026) rules 3402 to 3403, https://assets.fis-ski.com/f/252177/x/74599b71fa/sbfsfk-new-icr-spring-2026_clean.pdf

• Air Nation events: the Jury is the FIS Technical Delegate, the Head Judge, the Chief of Competition and a Canada Snowboard representative. Every Air Nation event needs at least five certified judges and one certified Head Judge (a sixth judge is added if the panel has to be split). The Chief of Competition must be a certified Level 3 official.
• FIS rules: at international competitions there is a minimum of 1 Head Judge and 6 scoring judges. At Continental Cup and lower-level FIS events, a minimum of 1 Head Judge and 3 scoring judges can be allowed, with exceptions only by FIS.
• Safety at the judges' tower: everyone in the judges' towers is expected to wear a helmet.

Sources: https://www.canadasnowboard.ca/files/AirNationFreestyleTourHandbook_2023_FINAL.pdf and FIS ICR Book VI (June 2026) rule 3311.7, https://assets.fis-ski.com/f/252177/x/74599b71fa/sbfsfk-new-icr-spring-2026_clean.pdf

From the Air Nation Freestyle Tour Handbook (Rev. 11/2023):

• Every Air Nation event has an official training before the competition. Typical schedules are official training, then qualifications and finals over one or two further days. NorAm and Senior Nationals slopestyle and halfpipe may add a second qualification day (training, two qualification days, then finals).
• Slopestyle: qualifications are best of two runs and finals are best of two runs.
• Halfpipe: qualifications are best of two runs and finals are best of three runs.
• Big air: qualifications are best of two jumps and finals are best of three jumps.
• Finals start order is the reverse of qualification results. Qualification start order follows the highest ranking on the current FIS World Cup, Continental Cup or FIS points list for that discipline (or the World Snowboard Points List if all teams agree), announced before the coaches meeting.
• With 31 or more athletes of a gender, qualifications are split into two heats.
• Your certified coach must represent you at the coaches meeting.
• Organizers can combine age groups if too few athletes register. If you are forced to ride up because of that, you can return to your own age category at later competitions. If you choose to ride up with your coach's approval, you stay in that higher category for the rest of the season.

Source: https://www.canadasnowboard.ca/files/AirNationFreestyleTourHandbook_2023_FINAL.pdf

The Air Nation Freestyle Tour Handbook (Rev. 11/2023) sets these course requirements:

Slopestyle, Junior Nationals: at least 2 jump sections and 3 rail sections. Jumps of 10.6 to 12.2 m on the junior side and 12.2 to 13.7 m on the senior side, each with a landing that doubles the gap distance. Rail decks have 3 rail options, at least 7.6 m long.

Slopestyle, NorAm and Senior Nationals: at least 3 jump sections and 3 rail sections. Junior line jump of 15.2 m with a landing double the gap (30.4 m). At least 2 to 3 rail options per deck, at least 7 m long. Organizers ideally build two take-offs (junior and senior line) onto the same landing.

Big air, NorAm and Senior Nationals: 13.7 to 15.2 m on the junior line and over 15.2 m on the senior line, each with a landing that doubles the gap.

Halfpipe: wall height of 5.5 m at Junior Nationals and 6.7 m at NorAm and Senior Nationals.

All Air Nation courses must be approved by Canada Snowboard.

Source: https://www.canadasnowboard.ca/files/AirNationFreestyleTourHandbook_2023_FINAL.pdf

Under the Canada Snowboard Helmet Policy:

• A properly fitting, certified, non-damaged helmet is mandatory for all participants (athletes, coaches, officials, volunteers and judges) in sanctioned training and competition on snow. The responsibility for wearing it is yours; your coach is accountable for athletes wearing one.
• Minimum certification for all events: EN 1077 (class B) or ASTM 2040. Soft ear padding is allowed. EN 1077 class A, SNELL 98 and CEN 1385 helmets are also accepted.
• Technical Delegates and the highest certified official check helmet certification at competitions. The policy states that a helmet without certification is not covered.
• Helmets are designed for a single impact. A helmet that takes a considerable impact, or has any crack or break, should be replaced.
• Canada Snowboard National Team athletes must also wear a certified helmet on any resort park feature (rails, jumps, pipe) at all times, even outside training and competition.
• The FIS rules also make crash helmets compulsory at all snowboard freestyle events.
• For snowboard cross FIS events the policy adds a stricter helmet standard and mandatory back protection.

Sources: https://www.canadasnowboard.ca/files/Canada_Snowboard_Helmet_Policy_EN.pdf and FIS ICR Book VI (June 2026) rule 2012.6, https://assets.fis-ski.com/f/252177/x/74599b71fa/sbfsfk-new-icr-spring-2026_clean.pdf

Under the Canada Snowboard Concussion Policy:

• Anyone thought to have suffered a concussive injury, even if the incident was not witnessed, is withdrawn from that competition or training session and must have a formal medical evaluation as soon as possible.
• Your coach must report a suspected concussion at a sanctioned competition to the national and/or FIS Technical Delegate. For club or provincial training, the coach notifies the Provincial/Territorial Snowboard Association (PTSA) technical leader or club lead.
• Every concussion must be reported in writing through the SnowReg injury report.
• Paramedical staff and team coaches cannot clear you to return to training or competition.
• If a head or spine injury is suspected, an ambulance should be called immediately.
• A suspected concussion should not be left alone and is monitored for deterioration, such as increasingly severe headaches, increasing confusion or persistent vomiting, which need emergency assessment.

The policy's own approval date is July 20, 2022.

Source: Canada Snowboard Concussion Policy, https://www.canadasnowboard.ca/files/Canada_Snowboard_Concussion_Policy_EN.pdf