Canadian snowboarder Evan Bichon overcomes family tragedy to compete at Olympics

LIVIGNO – Canadian Evan Bichon had to change boards on the fly Thursday when a binding snapped in the start gate during the Olympic snowboard cross competition.

But the 27-year-old from Mackenzie, B.C., had to deal with far worse in getting to the Milan Cortina Games.

His mother, Trish Bichon, died of cancer in November while Bichon was at a training camp in Austria preparing for the World Cup season and a last-ditch attempt to qualify for the Olympics. She was just 63.

Bichon, who shared a home with his mother in North Vancouver, immediately flew home. The games were put on hold as life interjected.

Trish had been diagnosed with Stage 3 colon cancer in the summer and had undergone surgery to remove a tumour before undergoing chemotherapy because the cancer had spread through the lymph nodes.

She was on her fifth round of chemo when she passed away.

“It unfortunately was fairly sudden,” Bichon said, fighting back his emotion. “She was doing very well up until that point with everything. She was positive. She was planning to come to Mont-Sainte-Anne in Quebec (in March) to watch the final World Cup because she wasn’t able to make it here during chemo treatment.

“She had more belief in me than anyone that I’d be here.”

Bichon proved her right, despite missing training and dealing with her loss.

“I went home for three weeks and did the best I could to be able to go back to Italy (for the first World Cup stop of the season). I had some really great help with some family and friends who came and helped me to get everything sorted so that I could return to sport.”

That included his father, who was separated from his mother.

“My dad was a huge help. He drove from Mackenzie, B.C., all the way to North Vancouver … He helped me gather all of things that needed to happen for funeral arrangements and stuff like that.”

Upon returning to Europe, Bichon placed 41st in Cervinia, Italy, on Dec. 13 and then 22nd and 33rd in Jan. 17-18 races in Dongbeiya, China, in the final Olympic qualification events. It was only after China that he learned he was headed to his debut Olympics.

“There was a lot going on with the uncertainty of not knowing if I was going or not. As well as just trying to come back to sport the best I could,” he said.

Bichon was seeded 11th in the 30-man snowboard cross field Thursday at Livigno Snow Park after a solo timed run down the 1,110-metre course with a 154-metre vertical drop.

But his binding broke as he was in the start gate for the 1/8 final, the first knockout stage of the competition — featuring four riders with the top two advancing.

There wasn’t enough time to replace the binding so he had to switch the entire board.

“I did the best I could to put myself in there. It’s a run to be proud of, even with a couple of setbacks with the equipment.”

Bichon finished third and did not advance. But it was still memorable.

“I’m very much competing for someone special,” he said of his Olympic campaign. “I always carry my mom with me into every race. She was my biggest fan — more so here than ever. It’s a really special day for me to be able to compete here.’

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 12, 2026