FIVE TO WATCH

The World Para Snowboard Championships run through Feb. 7 at Big White in Kelowna, B.C. Here are five other Canadian athletes to watch now and in the lead-up to the 2018 Paralympic Games:

ALEX MASSIE

Hometown: Barrie, Ont.

Age: 21

Reason to watch: He’s won bronze (2015) and silver (2016) X- Games medals in adaptive X Snowboardcross and bronze at the 2015 worlds.

Did you know? His nickname is Bubz, after the character Ali Baba.

JOHN LESLIE

Hometown: Arnprior, Ont.

Age: 24

Reason to watch: The reigning national champ in the lower limb classification, Leslie had four top-five World Cup finishes last year while never failing to crack the top-10.

Did you know? Leslie was part of Canada’s inaugural Paralympic Snowboard team when the sport made its debut at Sochi 2014.

MICHELLE SALT

Hometown: Calgary

Age: 31

Reason to watch: Salt made the podium in every race she started last season. She finished ninth in snowboardcross in Sochi.

Did you know? She was on Canada’s Smartest Person on CBC last year.

GERRIT VAN BRUGGEN

Hometown: Nelson, B.C.

Age: 33

Reason to watch: He was featured on the AMI series, Are You #Paratough,” which searched for the next wave of Paralympians. He’s competing as part of the Next Gen Para- Snowboard program.

Did you know? He quit his job and moved his family to Nelson from Calgary to train and pursue his Olympic dream.

CURT MINARD

Hometown: Vernon, B.C.

Age: 36

Reason to watch: Minard is the reigning national champion in the upper limb category.

Did you know? He won gold with the Canadian amputee hockey team at the 2012 world championships.