Featured Image: Matt Power | Skier: Finley Melville Ives
Xavier Mayrand welcomed a new guest to the podcast the other week, and you won't want to miss him. The young Finley Melville Ives sat down with Quebec's finest to discuss his rise in the halfpipe scene. His story, dedication, mental fortitude and work ethic are all equally impressive, and it's that magical combination that's molded him into what many would call the future of halfpipe.
At just 19 years old, Fin truly made his presence known on the comp scene this winter after he picked up an X Games gold medal, besting both Nick Goepper and Alex Ferreira in the final evening of the weekend. His winning run was the stuff of legend. Already in the lead, Ives went for broke, spinning 20 feet out of the superpipe and stomping both left and right 1620s.
Unfortunately, a bad crash at the worst time kept Ives from halfpipe finals in the 2026 Winter Olympics. But not one to be kept down, he was already back on skis in 12 weeks (just in time for Kimbo spring laps). Much like his Olympic teammate Luca Harrington, Ives has had a quick rise to the top, but it's clear he intends to be here for a lot longer.
From growing up in the NZ ski scene to lessons learned this last winter, Mayrand and Ives cover all the bases. Find the Mayrand Podcast on all major streaming platforms, and keep an eye out for more episodes this summer.
