Canadian Reece Howden's successes, failures helped him find his way back to the top

Reece Howden is sure this is the best he's ever skied.

The 24-year-old sits atop the overall men's ski cross World Cup standings after capturing five straight podium finishes in seven races, winning two gold and three silver medals.

That stint sounds like a natural progression for someone who is no stranger to the men's ski cross Crystal Globe, awarded to the athlete with the most points in a World Cup season.

But, in reality, the disappointing 2022 campaign that followed Howden's title in 2021 might just be the key behind his recent level.

The Olympian managed just one win and three podium finishes in 11 races in the 2022 World Cup season — a far cry from his first full campaign in the circuit in 2021.

That season, Howden captured four gold medals and two silver while also securing International Ski Federation (FIS) Rookie of the Year honours and the Crystal Globe.

It turns out the result dip presented him with more of an opportunity to grow than his breakthrough year.

"You don't really learn much when you're skiing well and you're doing things well. It's when you fail, when you make mistakes that you actually learn."

WATCH l Howden races to gold in Italy in December for 1st win of season:

Howden, who switched from Alpine skiing to ski cross at 17, sums it all up with a simple phrase: now, he "knows what's going on."

"[In the 2021 season] I was just skiing fast and I was happy, and that was basically it. [Now], I have a lot more foundation to the reason I was skiing fast and what I'm doing to be fast," said the athlete born in Chilliwack, B.C. and raised in Cultus Lake, B.C.

"Physically, I'm at the top as I've ever been. I'm hitting personal bests at the daily, it seems like. Mentally, I'm aware of what my