Kona is saying good-bye to several long-standing Canadian team members this year. The Bellingham, Wash.-by-way-of-Vancouver brand dropped Caleb Holonko and Cory Wallace. It then let young shredder Tayte Proulx-Royds go, too.
That leaves Hannah Simms representing Canada at Kona alongside Californian Eddie Reynolds.
This post was origionally published Jan. 14, 2026. It was updated on Jan 22 to reflect the news about Proulx-Royds
Kona: While The Sun’s Still Here II – Farewell Holonko
North Vancouver born and raised, Caleb Holonko’s been with Kona since 2016. He leaves the brand just shy of the 10-year mark, but after more than making his mark on the freeride scene, locally and globally. Through Lights Out and its sequel or In the Know along with many other video projects, Holonko helped carry the torch freeride on the North Shore.
Through leading Kona’s re-build of Boogie Nights, he helped bring that spirit out of the Shore’s “Dark Side” and into the official network with a fast line full of new-school flow and style. That is just a small slice of what Holonko accomplished over nine years with Kona, of course. But many riders around the world still have his no-hander off the Toonie Drop etched into their brains. Or him back flipping Pemberton’s train gap. Or… well, there’s a lot of moments, to be honest. Many so iconic they were immortalized in lego.
“From the 16-year-old kid who stopped us in our tracks to the grown-up professional super sender… you’ll always be the Kona superfan rocking the mullet wig to us,” Kona said in releasing Holonko’s farewell edit. “We’re grateful for every lap, every laugh, every ‘What the hell did we just witness?’”
Tayte Proulx-Royds takes charge of her future
Okanagan-based Tayte Proulx-Royds is also leaving the Kona program after two years. Those two years were remarkably successful, with Proulx-Royds finishing the junior World Cup series in the top 10, winning junior women’s Canadian downhill nationals (and setting the fastest women’s time of the day). That adds to the numerous national titles the young racer has won across disciplines, not just downhill. Proulx-Royds also adds teh odd appearance at events like Casey Brown’s Darkhorse Invitational, showing off style not just speed.
Soundsl ike Proulx-Royds already has the next step in place and should continue to build on that success in her second year of junior…
Click Here to Read the Full Original Article at Canadian Cycling Magazine…