How To Backflip in 5 Minutes (Ski Progression)

Profile and significance

Bruce Oldham is a Canadian freeski slopestyle and big air rider whose path blends competitive results with an outsized footprint as a teacher and content creator. Born in 1998 and raised in Parry Sound, Ontario, he came into freestyle unusually late—around age 17—yet climbed quickly onto Canada’s NextGen ranks by 2023. Oldham’s standout competition result to date is a fourth place in World Cup slopestyle at Bakuriani in 2022, backed by multiple NorAm Cup victories between 2023 and 2025. Away from start gates, he has built a large audience through park tutorials, POV breakdowns, and a coaching platform that translates World Cup habits into learnable steps. That dual role—active competitor and hands-on educator—makes him a useful reference point for skiers who want actionable technique as well as a name to follow on result sheets.

Oldham identifies with the Ontario park scene via his home club at Mount St. Louis Moonstone, and his current partners reflect a practical, progression-first kit: outerwear from Dope Snow, skis from Line Skis, retail support through Corbett’s Ski and Snowboard, goggles from XSPEX, and pole baskets by Powder Bunnies. The picture is of a modern freeski professional who competes, films, and coaches with the same emphasis on clarity and repeatability.

Competitive arc and key venues

Oldham’s results sheet shows steady traction. The marquee performance arrived in March 2022 with fourth in World Cup slopestyle at Bakuriani, the Georgian venue that has hosted top-tier freestyle events on the slopes above town (Bakuriani). He added NorAm milestones as his trick depth and consistency matured: wins in slopestyle at Stoneham in 2023 and again in 2025, plus a NorAm slopestyle win at Copper Mountain in January 2025 and a NorAm big air victory at Stoneham in March 2024. He also collected podiums and finals across the North American circuit, including a NorAm big air second at Mammoth in March 2025 and repeated top-five slopestyle finishes in Calgary’s development series at WinSport.

World Cup starts broadened his course vocabulary: slopestyle rounds at Silvaplana (Corvatsch Park), Tignes, and Stoneham helped translate NorAm rhythm to deeper, faster fields, while a World Cup big air in Beijing added large-feature repetition. NorAm Premium stops at Aspen Highlands rewarded his tidy rail-to-jump transitions. Each venue underscores a specific skill—speed management on long in-runs at Mammoth, high-compression rail features at Stoneham, and judging-friendly line design on the finale course at Silvaplana.

How they ski: what to watch for

Oldham’s runs are built on economy. Approaches are squared early, lock-ins on rails are centered, and exits protect line speed. On jumps, he favors measured spin speed with full-value grabs to stabilize axis—technique that reads clearly at normal speed and in POV. Directional variety is part of the package: forward and switch takeoffs across left and right spins, with landings that stay over the feet rather than relying on last-second saves. Because he learned the craft later than many peers, the skiing feels deliberate; there is little wasted motion between features, and the trick choices fit the available runway.

Viewers tracking improvement run-to-run should watch for his grab timing and how he sets edges before features with short in-runs. Those habits scale from mid-size NorAm lines to the bigger World Cup panels without disrupting cadence, which is why his clean mid-pack World Cup results sit alongside NorAm wins on the same résumé.

Resilience, filming, and influence

Oldham’s influence extends well beyond heat sheets. He built a sizable audience by translating contest technique into short, specific tutorials and session recaps, then formalized that work into an online coaching program. He also hosts a podcast and produces season-long vlog series, using competition weeks and spring camps as teaching labs. The through-line is resilience and structure: a late start in freestyle, steady gains through NorAm slopestyle and big air, and a commitment to showing the “why” behind decisions that many pros leave unexplained. For younger skiers, that visibility lowers the barrier between watching elite runs and assembling the skills to approach them.

Geography that built the toolkit

Ontario repetition formed Oldham’s foundation at Mount St. Louis Moonstone, where firm snowpack and short in-runs sharpen edge angles and setup accuracy. Western and international stops rounded out the toolbox: NorAm race days at WinSport Calgary tightened his slopestyle rails-and-jumps linkups; Mammoth Mountain slopestyle lines enforced honest takeoff speed; the World Cup finale track at Silvaplana/Corvatsch demanded momentum management on a big, sunlit course; and Tignes and Bakuriani added the variability of European and Caucasus snowpacks. Off-season, Oldham has logged southern-hemisphere laps at Cardrona, where consistent shaping and progressive lines help convert new ideas into contest-ready habits.

Equipment and partners: practical takeaways

Oldham’s current kit aligns with his priorities. Line Skis provides park-capable shapes with balanced flex for presses without sacrificing takeoff stability. Outerwear by Dope Snow emphasizes mobility and weatherproofing for long park days and storm training. Eyewear from XSPEX supports quick lens swaps when light changes mid-heat, and Corbett’s anchors tuning and equipment support through the Canadian season. Even accessories matter; Powder Bunnies baskets keep poles functional after dense rail mileage. For progressing skiers, the takeaway is to choose a symmetric or near-symmetric park ski mounted for confidence on rails, keep edges tuned but not grabby for surface swaps, and build lens options that preserve contrast in flat light.

Why fans and progressing skiers care

Oldham matters because he closes the loop between elite competition and everyday progression. The results are real—World Cup top five, repeated NorAm wins across Stoneham and Copper—and the instruction is practical, from line speed to grab timing. For viewers, his runs and videos make modern slopestyle readable without slow motion. For skiers, his blueprint—late start, structured reps, honest technique—shows that a thoughtful approach can move you from weekend park laps to meaningful contest finishes. Whether you encounter his name on a NorAm start list or in a Cardrona park tutorial, the story is the same: clean mechanics, deliberate choices, and a style that holds up on rewatch.