The skyline of Mississauga doesn’t usually come with the soundtrack of edges pinging on steel and a crowd reacting to landings like it’s a stadium sport, but that’s exactly what happened when APIK dropped a full-sized urban snowpark into downtown and told snowboarders to go as fast as they dare.

From the booth, Craig McMorris framed it like a proper winter collision: city + scaffolding + speed. The build itself was the headline before anyone strapped in massive, elevated, and designed to reward riders who could link top-to-bottom without flinching. The City’s own preview leaned into the scale: a 45-foot structure, about 292 feet long, with eight rail features, built with thousands of cubic meters of snow and serious build hours.  As the contest settled in, it became clear the build favored riders who could stay composed, carry speed, and put together runs without second-guessing, an assignment that Mia Langridge and Nick Fox fully understood.

PICKED FOR A REASON: NICK FOX WINS APIK MISSISSAUGA

Nick Fox from Michigan indeed took the win, but overall all that, he validated the entire Golden Ticket pipeline. He was selected through the online video contest and then backed it up on steel when it counted, taking the men’s title on a course where “almost” isn’t worth much. His victory carried extra weight : Fox earned his place at APIK through the Golden Ticket video submission, selected by Sébastien Toutant. From an online clip to the top step of the podium, Fox made the most of the opportunity.

The booth kept repeating the victory formula all day: speed + execution + hardest tricks available, and that’s exactly what a Golden Ticket rider has to show to prove they belong. It feels like Craig already made a bold prediction for the podium when he said :

“If you’re getting picked by Sébastien Toutant, you’re a good rider. He’s extremely critical when it comes to technique and the way he watches people snowboard, and you can see that in Nick’s riding” 

Fox proved that digital clips can translate directly to real-world pressure. His winning run was all about precision and flow: cab 1 onto the middle rail, rail-to-rail front tail, 270 out, followed by a 50-50 on the up rail, rail-to-rail back tail, 270 out. Clean landings, perfect speed, and zero hesitation. Channeling that early validation, he qualified first and carried that momentum all the way to victory.

At the bottom, it got personal. I was close enough to hear it. As Nick rode away, his parents were there with his girlfriend, his dad’s voice cutting through the noise: “We’re so proud of you.” His mom echoed it, laughing and emotional at the same time. It wasn’t a podium moment yet, but it felt like one.

 

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PAT FAVA (3rd): EXPERIENCE OVER EVERYTHING

Pat Fava finished a close second, and it was no surprise to anyone watching. Introduced on broadcast as “a rail jam killer,” Fava lived up to the hype. A Salt Lake City, based rider with deep contest experience, he’s known for putting it down when it matters most. Back twos, cab fours, and years of rail logic showed through on a course that punished even the smallest mistakes. As the crew reminded viewers, Fava is fresh off a 2024 X Games Rail Jam win, and that composure was obvious every time he dropped in.

TOSH KRAUSKOPF (2nd): EFFECTIVE

Tosh Krauskopf’s podium finish came from knowing exactly when to dial it back. Opening with one of the cleanest hits of the day on the down-flat-down, Krauskopf locked a proper front board through the kink, setting the tone early. He backed it up with a controlled switch front board on the lower rail, choosing consistency over stretch tricks. With few riders managing full makes, Krauskopf’s clean execution stood out.

MIA LANGRIDGE (1st) MAKES CANADA FEEL LIKE HOME

Mia Langridge came into APIK riding momentum from a standout performance at DIYX in Europe, bringing that same controlled, street-driven approach to her first-ever contest appearance in Canada. A Golden Ticket picked by Sébastien Toutant, Langridge wasn’t here on a flyer. With parents who’ve long followed the Stampede scene, her path toward Canadian snowboarding culture has been years in the making.

Her best run said everything without forcing it: front 50-50 on the down-flat, 180 onto the last down of the kink rail, landed switch with a back 1 out, then boardslide to tail tap on the down tube. No wasted movement, no extra noise, just solid speed, balance, and clean execution.

 

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PAULA BENITO (2nd): REDEMPTION

Paula Benito returned to APIK with the same confidence that made her a fixture on the European rail scene. She opened with a front one onto the top rail, half cab off, carrying speed into a clean boardslide through the bottom section. Every movement was intentional, built around balance and precision rather than flash.

In her second run, Benito stepped it up with a boardslide to front board switch-up, showing comfort on technical features and adapting smoothly as conditions shifted. Her consistency across both runs locked her into second place.

KATIE BRAYER (3rd): PROGRESSION WITH PURPOSE

Katie Brayer came into finals ready to take chances. Her opening run featured one of the boldest attempts of the women’s round, sending a front blunt on the top rail and committing fully despite the tight spacing and speed demands of the setup. While she couldn’t fully connect the lower section, her control and willingness to push into more technical territory separated her from the field. On a course where playing it safe wasn’t always enough, Brayer’s approach earned her a spot on the podium.

APIK MISSISSAUGA 2026: FOX & LANGRIDGE TURN GOLDEN TICKETS INTO LEGACY

One of the most quietly important storylines of APIK Mississauga didn’t unfold on the rail pads, it started months earlier, online.

As Craig McMorris pointed out during the broadcast, APIK fest’s Golden Ticket contest wasn’t a gimmick or a fan-vote highlight reel. It was a curated selection process, with real weight behind it. Video submissions were reviewed by some of the most respected names in the sport, and on the snowboard side, the responsibility fell to Sébastien Toutant.

Craig made it clear that this wasn’t about popularity ; it was about who could actually ride when it counted.

A New Standard for Rail Jams

Just as important as the results was who showed up. APIK Mississauga drew a field that blended established contest names, respected rail riders, and emerging talent who don’t always cross paths in the same event. That mix gave the finals real weight. When riders with proven track records and deep street backgrounds are willing to travel, adapt to tough conditions, and put their names on the line, it says something about the platform. APIK isn’t just creating opportunity; it’s earning trust from riders who know what a legitimate rail contest looks like.

None of it happens without the riders, the crew on the ground, the partners, and the community that shows up in the cold to make it happen. Thank you to everyone who supported APIK Mississauga and helped push this event forward.