Newssar CAN

Howden "was almost unstoppable" when he won the Crystal Globe, said Stanley Hayer, Canada's ski cross team head coach and a former freestyle skier who represented Canada at the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics.

Then came the low point in the following season when Howden only finished 12th in the standings and trailed champion Ryan Regez of Switzerland by 292 points (559 vs. 267).

"I think that usually happens when you have success. It's hard to repeat," said Hayer. "He came back this year hungry. He really wanted to win. You can see it from the summer work that he put in. With his physical strength, skills and attitude he's hard to beat right now."

More than a one-time Crystal Globe winner possibly heading to clinching his second honour, Howden is the "full package", said Hayer.

"He does a lot of things really well. He doesn't do anything unbelievable. There are people who do things better than him, but when you put the whole package together with his strength and his ability to turn and ski fast, that makes him unbeatable."