See It in Action — Video Feature Below
Toward Beijing’s Olympic Ground
Some trips mark more than distance.
Secret Garden, China — the 2022 Olympic freestyle venue — sat on the far edge of the early season, both geographically and mentally. For Ashton Salwan, it was his first competition in this part of the world, and another step into what an Olympic year actually asks of an athlete: adaptation, patience, and trust in the work already done.
Two Days to Lock In
The 2025 Secret Garden World Cup events offered only two official training days before competition began; not like in Ruka, Finland. No long ramp-up, no training camp. No margin for wasted reps. With an individual contest on December 20 and Team Aerials the following day, athletes had to move quickly from familiarity to commitment — finding speed, line, and timing with intention rather than repetition.
It’s a format that rewards preparation long before arrival.
A Different Judging Environment
For this event, judges were on site — a return to a more traditional competition setup.
For athletes, that changes the feel. Landings are seen live. Takeoffs are judged without delay. The environment feels closer to a championship than a mid-season stop — fitting for a venue that once hosted the Olympic Games.
FIS Freestyle Ski World Cup 2025/26
- Discipline: Aerials (Men & Women)
- Dates: December 20–21, 2025
- Location: Zhangjiakou, China
- Venue: Secret Garden Snow Park
- Format:
- Dec 20: Individual Competition
- Dec 21: Team Competition (3 athletes)
Ashton moved through qualification and into the Top 12 round, finishing 10th overall — one of only two U.S. men to do so at this event.
He opened with a bFFF in qualification, scoring 108.54, then stepped up the difficulty in Finals 1 with a bFdFF (88.05). The jump didn’t carry him forward into the super final, but the result reflected something quieter and more important this early in the season: composure, adaptability, and consistency across continents.
Not everything shows up in a placement.
“Every venue asks something different. This one required patience and commitment early, and I learned a lot from that.” ~Ashton Salwan
Team Day: USA-2
The Team Aerials event unfolded quickly and without a qualification round — a single final of ten teams, followed by a medal round of four. There was no easing into the day.
As part of USA-2, Ashton competed alongside Connor Curran and Kaila Kuhn. The team advanced into the medal round, sealed a third-place finish, earning Ashton his first World Cup podium.
Team events rarely tell a clean story. They ask athletes to show up for one another under pressure, to commit to difficulty, and to keep moving forward even when execution isn’t perfect. This one did all of that.
Looking Ahead
With two FIS World Cups / Olympic qualifiers complete, the tour turns back toward North America. Secret Garden becomes part of the foundation: another unfamiliar venue navigated, another environment absorbed, another quiet data point added to the season.
The road doesn’t announce itself.
It just keeps moving.