2026 Winter Olympics qualifier Bea Kim is a professional snowboarder from Palos Verdes, California, who has quickly emerged as one of the most exciting young competitors in women’s halfpipe snowboarding.
Known in snowboard circles for her rapid rise through the competitive ranks, B. Kim’s career has included major international appearances and podium finishes including a third place finish at the U.S. Grand Prix, securing her Olympic qualification.
In recent seasons, Kim achieved her first World Cup podium with a second place finish at the LAAX Open in Switzerland, a major event on the snowboarding circuit, and finished third overall in the FIS Women’s Halfpipe World Cup standings — a notable result for her first full season on the pro circuit.
B. Kim also made her X Games debut in Aspen, where she competed against some of the sport’s biggest names and placed fourth.
These performances have marked her as a contender to watch in the years leading up to the 2026 Winter Olympic Games.
B. Kim spoke about how she first got into snowboarding and the moment she decided to start competing.
“I started snowboarding when I was around six years old. My family would go to Mammoth Mountain or Mt. High once or twice a year so it wasn’t serious at all. I started competing around 10 years old,” B. Kim said.
Her parents reflected on what it was like before she began snowboarding seriously and whether they had any experience with the sport themselves.
“We always snowboarded as a family for fun. When she was about nine, we entered her in a banked slalom race at Mammoth Mountain called the JLA Banked Slalom,’’ Kathy Kim, B. Kim’s mother, said.
‘‘She ended up having so much fun and getting on the podium. We let her join and the first season drove up every other weekend. The following season we went every weekend. And then the third season she had been invited to join the Elite Team which meant practicing 6 days a week.”
Life on the competitive snowboarding circuit often involves travel, training, and constant schedule juggling.
B. Kim’s family has navigated flights, competitions, and seasonal moves together.
Her parents discussed how they have managed these demands.
”We have so much support from family and friends. It has been a challenge to balance the year around training all over the world, the schoolwork and just life, but somehow we managed with everybody’s help,” K. Kim said.
Training at this level requires intense focus and long hours on the mountain.
‘A typical training day starts around 8 am when I head up to the halfpipe. I train on snow until around 1-2 pm working on fundamentals and/or new tricks. After on-snow training I head to the gym to do a recovery workout and some light strength training. I always end the day with watching videos from the day and making a plan on what to work on for the next day,” B. Kim said.
In addition to her athletic accomplishments, Kim is active off the snow as an advocate for environmental causes and has worked with organizations focused on climate awareness and protecting winter landscapes.
She also spoke at the United Nations headquarter in New York about how sports can help change climate change.
One of the moments that Bea enjoys the most is spending time with family.
“Some of my favorite times have been snowboarding with my brother on powder days. We just get to explore and spend time together which is awesome since I am on the road so much,” B. Kim said.
As she continues to compete internationally and pursue new goals, her story from Palos Verdes to the global snowboarding stage continues to inspire athletes and community members alike.