No Bib in Quebec
The second World Cup stop of the 2024/25 season in Lac-Beauport, Quebec, should have been a celebration of momentum. Just days earlier at Lake Placid, Ashton stuck his first triple in competition, finishing 18th and becoming the only American outside the U.S. Ski Team to compete on the triple that weekend. But instead of building on that moment, Ashton arrived in Canada on January 20, 2025, with no bib and no guarantees — only a backpack full of gear and a burning hope that someone might scratch.
Rules Don't Bend
The U.S. athletes competing in this event were assigned international World Cup starts in August 2024. For Ashton, that meant waiting, hoping that an American athlete would pull out so he could take their place. It's an agonizing position: professionally prepared, physically ready, mentally focused — but powerless. You’re not injured. You’re not underperforming. You’re just not in. The only way in is if someone else drops out — and no one’s rooting for that.
Earning His Place
Lac-Beauport wasn’t about aerials. It was about identity. Ashton wasn’t just chasing a chance to jump — he was fighting to be seen. To be taken seriously based on what he had already proven on snow. It’s one thing to land a triple; it’s another to wonder if anyone noticed after doing it. That kind of exclusion doesn’t just test your patience — it challenges your belief that hard work will ever be enough.
Staying Ready
Instead of stepping back, Ashton leaned in. Each morning, he was there — warming up, watching, staying locked into his routine like he was about to compete. Not because he had to, but because he needed to. That’s what this sport demands — showing up not for the glory, but for the grind. For the 1% chance that something shifts and you're suddenly in. And even if the chance never comes, you walk away knowing you were ready. That’s how you earn respect — even if it’s only your own.
"I showed up each day and stayed ready. Because that’s what this journey demands — patience, grit, and the nerve to believe in yourself when no one else does.” ~Ashton Salwan
Lesson in Patience
Ashton left Canada without competing in this 2-day World Cup event, but with something stronger: conviction. This journey isn't about instant rewards. It’s about playing the long game — staying sharp, staying humble, and staying ready, even when no one’s watching. Because eventually, the door opens. And when it does, only those who’ve been waiting in the shadows will know how to walk through it.