Canadian sit-skier Samuel Peters races towards Milano Cortina in his 2nd FIS season

When Alpine Canada announced its team for the 2025/26 season, a bemedaled, prodigious teen made his debut with the organization after his impressive rookie year with the FIS.

In the official post, released on Oct. 3, the names of athletes from across Canada and a range of disciplines list down the page alphabetically by first name. At the bottom, one of the team’s newest members and a force to watch this year: Samuel Peters, the 17-year-old Para skier from Kelowna.

But his journey to becoming the youngest member on the team this season and a multi-podium competitor didn’t start on the mountain. It began elsewhere, at age six, with a chance invitation to learn how to sit-ski.

“I was at the grocery store with my mom,” Peters, succinct and straightforward, recalled to CBC Sports.

“A volunteer with Powderhounds asked if I wanted to try it, and we were like, 'Oh yeah, we’d love to.'”

The Powderhounds Adaptive Program, an initiative from the nonprofit organization People in Motion, gives folks the opportunity to learn how to navigate the slopes, regardless of age or disability.

With the program's aid at Big White Ski Resort, Peters warmed up to sit-skiing over time, as he mastered his rig and the mountain's intricacies as he entered his teenage years.

After learning from former Team Canada skier and adaptive coach Sarah Morris-Probert, his coach introduced him to ski racing when he was ready to take off.

Soon, dreams of Olympic gold solidified, and racing became Peters’ top priority.

In 2022, at age 15, he made his competitive skiing debut. A year later, he graduated from high school to pursue ski racing full-time. Then at age 17, he became a rookie with the FIS, competing around the world in slalom, giant slalom, and