Natural Selection 2025 Recap
Revelstoke Elevated: Natural Selection 2025 Event Recap
If you missed Natural Selection Tour (NST) 2025 at Revelstoke Mountain Resort (RMR) well, you missed one hell of a show. It was a weekend packed with massive sends, perfect snow, and a crowd that brought the energy. From start to finish, the year of RMR hosting the NST snowboard comp was nothing short of biblical.
The Opening Ceremony: Seeding Randomizer and Walk-Up Songs
The opening ceremony at the Revelstoke Performing Arts Centre was filled with excitement as both professionals and fans packed the auditorium, eager to discover the drop order for competition day. The Natural Selection randomizer spun, pulling names from a digital hat. As each name was called, the athlete would step up to the stage to receive their vest. The twist? Each rider had the chance to choose their own walk-up song, bringing a fun WWE Smackdown atmosphere to the event. Special shoutout to the two riders (Jared Elston and Sage Kotsenberg) who picked tracks from Travis Rice’s movie segments—let the mind games begin!
Fresh Snow and Perfect Sunshine
The snow gods were feeling generous this year. Just a day before Natural Selection 2025 kicked off, RMR received 23cm of fresh snow. The next day, the sun came out, and everything fell into place—the light was perfect, the snow was fresh, and the game was on.
Day 1: A Strong Start
As the crowd gathered in Montana Bowl to watch the action, Day 1 kicked off with a bang. Whistler local Brin Alexander was the first to drop, and he didn’t hold back. As he entered the “Overstoke” zone, there was a collective moment of, “Where is he going?” Then, without hesitation, he launched a massive 90-footer to the bottom, and the crowd exploded. That’s how you open a competition.
Dustin Craven, the local legend, only needed one of his three potential runs to punch his ticket to the finals. A wild rodeo ride down the 'Kootenay King,' a section of the course named in his honor, was all it took. With his mom and sister watching through their fingers from the crowd, concern quickly turned to smiles and high-fives when he made it to the bottom. It’s no surprise he advanced with ease—after all, Montana Bowl is his playground, and he’s the one who built it.
Finals: Head-to-Head Battles For Glory
The weather on Day 2 turned a bit cloudier, and with it came a shift in course. The event moved from the West face of Montana Bowl to the East, opening up steeper, more intimidating zones like “Bar Fight,” “The Pyramid,” and, of course, “Hell Flute.”
With the stakes higher than ever, the competition format switched from elimination rounds to head-to-head battles.
In the men’s final, Freeride World Tour champ Blake Moller went head-to-head with Norwegian powerhouse Stale Sandbech. Both riders are known for pushing the boundaries of snowboarding, but in the end, it was Stale who took the top spot.
The women’s final was a showdown between Canadian Spencer O’Brien and the legendary Elena Hight. It was a tight race, but Spencer O’Brien came out on top, adding another win to her already impressive list of accomplishments.
More Than Just a Competition
Beyond the action in Montana Bowl, Natural Selection 2025 turned Revelstoke into a full-on, community-driven festival. NST Basecamp at Revelation Lodge kept the energy high all week with DJs, sponsor activations, big-screen replays, and a packed closing party, while après at Paul Mair Plaza kept the energy (and drinks) flowing. In town, highlights included the YETI Film Night at The Roxy, the 1910 art show at Alpine Echo Gallery, and the Arc’teryx Re-Bird Pop-up, where used gear found new life. Capping it all off, the NST Snaked Banked Slalom let the public race under the Stellar Chair to see how their times stacked up against the pros.
Final Thoughts
From start to finish, Natural Selection 2025 in Revelstoke was a true celebration of snowboarding, community, and pure adrenaline. With a perfect mix of world-class athletes, stellar conditions, and an electric crowd, it’s no wonder this competition has become one of the most anticipated events in both Revelstoke and the global snowboarding scene.
Words by: Kelly Denison