It was not the ending to her season that Cassie Sharpe had envisioned.
The Comox athlete, now based out of Whistler, was looking forward to friends and family making their way to Whistler Blackcomb on April 10-13 to watch her unveil some new tricks at the season finale World Ski and Snowboard Festival 's Association of Freeskiing Professionals World Tour Finals at the World Skiing Invitational.
The national team halfpipe competitor placed ninth in slopestyle and 10th in big air but pulled out of Sunday's halfpipe event due to a minor back injury incurred during Saturday's slopestyle.
"It was nothing serious, but we took precaution with her," said Canadian Freestyle Ski Association communications manager George Fadel.
Prior to the Whistler Blackcomb event, Sharpe and her national halfpipe teammates had completed a training camp in Calgary. "I learned a lot of new tricks and perfected some others. I can't wait to debut a couple at the World Ski and Snowboard Festival," she said.
While that didn't happen, it has been a breakout season for Sharpe, whose 2015 highlights included a gold medal at the World Cup in France in March and a silver at the FIS world championships in Austria in January.