What It Takes To Qualify For The Olympics: Peak Performance Goes Behind The Scenes With Athletes

With the 2026 Winter Games just over two weeks away Peak Performance has shared a new three-part video series. Titled “Reaching For The Peak,” it follows five team athletes across slopestyle, halfpipe, and moguls as they chase their dream to compete on the world’s biggest stage. 

Episode One, “Taking on the 22ft Ice Wall” is now live. Through interviews, training footage, and clips from childhood, it tells the dual stories of halfpipe hopefuls Hunter Hess and Svea Irving, both of whom secured spots on the U.S. Olympic team earlier this month.

The rest of the series will launch later this week. 

• Episode two will come out tomorrow (1/21) and feature slopestyle athletes Chris McCormick and Anni Kärävä as they navigate the creative and technical demands of park skiing.

•  Episode three will be released this Sunday (1/25) and features Canadian mogul phenom Maia Schwinghammer. 

ABOUT THE FILMS

Reaching For The Peak is a three-part series from Peak Performance, directed by Morgan Tien with cinematography by Tien and Jared Putnam. Spanning three disciplines - Slopestyle, Halfpipe, and Moguls - it follows five Peak Performance athletes as they chase progression, qualification, and results across the most demanding season of their careers. From pre-season glacier training in Austria and Finland to the relentless World Cup circuit, the series captures the real work behind the tricks, the pressure behind the performances, and the mindset required to reach the sport’s biggest stage.

EPISODE ONE: “Taking on the 22ft ice wall”  

WATCH EPISODE ONE HERE: https://youtu.be/UxcBoHJY8qg

Following the brutal reality of the FIS world cup circuit, the episode follows professional freeskiers Hunter Hess and Svea Irving whilst they chase their dream to compete on the world’s biggest stage.  

The film contrasts two very different journeys into halfpipe skiing. Hunter arrives in the professional element of the sport almost by accident, not even loving it as a kid, and develops resilience through persistence and discipline. Svea, by contrast, commits early, stepping into the halfpipe at just seven years old with a singular focus that shapes her progression from the start. 

Together, their stories reveal the intensity of high-performance culture. With only a handful of places available, Svea and Hunter are both pushed into high-pressure battles where every run counts 

• EPISODE TWO, RELEASING JANUARY 21st, FEATURING CHRIS MCCORMICK AND ANNI KÄRÄVÄ

• EPISODE THREE, RELEASING JANUARY 25th, FEATURING MAÏA SCHWINGHAMMER  

ABOUT THE ATHLETES 

Svea Irving - profile photo

• Age: 23 

• From: Winter Park, USA 

• Wears: Max Palm Ski Jacket, Max Palm Ski Pants 

• Bio: Svea Irving has emerged as a consistent force on the competition circuit, with nearly 30 World Cup starts to her name. She first captured attention with a bronze medal at the 2023 Aspen X Games, proving her ability to perform under pressure. Away from competition, Irving is channeling her creativity into backcountry filming, showcasing her versatility as a skier. A recent graduate of the University of Colorado Boulder with a degree in Strategic Communications, she has successfully balanced elite-level skiing with academic achievement. 

Hunter Hess - profile photo

• Age: 27 

• From: Oregon, USA 

• Wears: Edge insulated 

• Bio: Hunter Hess grew up skiing Mt. Bachelor in Oregon, where he honed his skills with the Mt. Bachelor Sports Education Foundation. He’s earned four World Cup podiums and two X Games medals, cementing his place among the sport’s top athletes. Off the slopes, Hess co-creates MAGMA with teammate Alex Hall-a celebrated film series that showcases freeskiing creativity worldwide.  

Anni Kärävä  

• Age: 25 

• From: Ruka, Finland 

• Wears: Edge AOP 3L Jacket & Edge 3L Ski Pants 

• Bio: Anni Kärävä is a Finnish freeskier celebrated for her technical precision and dynamic style. A 2022 Olympian, she made history in 2025 as the first Finnish woman to podium at X Games Big Air. With multiple World Cup top finishes, including her first gold this season, Kärävä is in peak form and pushing the limits of her sport. 

Chris McCormick  

• Age: 27 

• From: Glasgow 

• Wears: Edge Insulated Black Jacket & Max Palm limited edition ski pants 

• Bio: Chris McCormick is a British freestyle skier known for competing on the FIS World Cup circuit in both slopestyle and big air events. He began skiing at age six on a local dry slope in Bearsden, near Glasgow, where he developed his style and skills alongside his older brothers. 

Maïa Swinghammer 

• Age: 24 

• From: Saskatoon, Canada 

• Bio: Maïa Schwinghammer grew up in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. She made her mark on the freestyle skiing scene in January 2025 by winning her first moguls gold at the FIS Freestyle Ski World Cup, finishing the season third overall with 456 points. Later that year, she represented Canada at the World Championships, earning a bronze medal. She is prequalified for the Olympics 2026. 

• Wears: Edge AOP 3L Jacket & Edge 3L Ski Pants