Mackenzie Boyd-Clowes has made a comeback to ski jumping following a break of two and a half years. Boyd-Clowes clinched Canada’s first-ever Olympic medal in the sport, a bronze, with the final jump in the mixed team event at the 2022 Winter Games.
As a four-time Olympian, Boyd-Clowes is back in action, having participated in two competitions in September and provisionally qualifying for the 2026 Winter Games in Milan and Cortina, Italy.
Expressing his excitement about returning to the sport, Boyd-Clowes stated, “It’s new and fresh and exciting. I took a long break and wasn’t sure whether I would jump again and now I’m doing it.”
The 34-year-old athlete from Calgary is set to become one of the few veterans to have competed in the 2010 Vancouver and Whistler Olympics and continue as an Olympian in 2026, alongside notable figures like Marie-Philip Poulin and Sidney Crosby.
The challenges of being a ski jumper in Canada, where the lack of training facilities necessitates living abroad for most of the year, make Boyd-Clowes’ journey to a potential fifth Olympic appearance complex. He will split his time between Canada and Europe, with the national ski jumping team based in Slovenia.
Boyd-Clowes took a break in 2023 due to burnout, reflecting on the difficulties of being a ski jumper in Canada without local ski jumps available. During his hiatus, he worked for an events company in Calgary to explore a life without sports involvement.
Recently, Boyd-Clowes participated in Grand Prix events in Romania, ranking 14th and 16th in normal hill jumps. Despite minimal training, he impressed his competitors and showcased his skills on the international stage.
In Canada, ski jumping facilities are limited, with Calgary’s 1988 Olympic jumps closed and operational challenges at the Whistler competition jumps. The lack of adequate training infrastructure in Canada makes pursuing ski jumping at the elite level a challenging endeavor.
Boyd-Clowes, along with fellow Canadian ski jumpers, secured a mixed team bronze at the Beijing Olympics. Despite setbacks like Alex Loutitt’s injury, Canada remains competitive in women’s ski jumping, with potential for strong representation in future competitions.
Looking ahead, Boyd-Clowes emphasized the determination and inspiration within the Canadian ski jumping team, expressing gratitude for being part of the sport and the team camaraderie.