Mari Fukada: Rising Star in Snowboarding

Japanese snowboarder Mari Fukada has quickly become a prominent figure in the world of snowboarding, achieving significant success in both slopestyle and massive air events. Her recent accomplishments include a gold medal in slopestyle at the 2026 Winter Olympics and multiple World Cup victories.

Early Career and Training

Born on January 1, 2007, in Aichi Prefecture, Japan, Fukada began snowboarding at the age of seven, initially inspired by her older siblings. She honed her skills at Okumino Ski Resort, Takasu Snow Park, and the Hirugano Highlands Ski Resort. She began seriously pursuing slopestyle around the 6th grade, training with coaches at Yamazen Aichi Quest.

Fukada is currently coached by Yasuhiro “Yas” Sato, a highly respected figure in the snowboarding world. She trains alongside other accomplished athletes, including Reira Iwabuchi and Takeru Otsuka, who have collectively earned numerous X Games medals.

Competitive Success

Fukada’s competitive career has been marked by rapid progress and notable achievements. She made her X Games debut at X Games Aspen 2023, finishing 4th in the women’s big air event after being added to the competition as an alternate.

She has secured two FIS World Cup big air victories: Copper Mountain, Colorado, USA in December 2022, and Chur, Switzerland in October 2024. Fukada was also the 2022 Japanese national champion in big air.

Her World Cup performances include a first-place finish in Big Air at Copper Mountain in both the 2022-23 and 2023-24 seasons, and additional podium finishes in Beijing and Klagenfurt during the 2023-24 and 2024-25 seasons. Most recently, she achieved a gold medal in slopestyle at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan Cortina.

Team Affiliations

Mari Fukada is a member of the Burton Snowboards team and also rides for the Yamazen Snow Team in Kyoto, Japan.

Key Takeaways

• Mari Fukada is a rising star in snowboarding, specializing in slopestyle and big air.
• She has achieved significant success at a young age, including a gold medal at the 2026 Winter Olympics.
• Fukada is coached by Yasuhiro “Yas” Sato and trains with a talented group of athletes.
• She is sponsored by Burton Snowboards and the Yamazen Snow Team.