In the last couple of weeks I've returned home to Yellowknife. It was sad to leave the snow and Whistler, however, it is nice to be home with my family and friends. It's also nice to give my body a break from the high impacts it takes when I throw myself off massive snow obstacles everyday. I've been training at Body Works as well as my newest sponsor, the Taiga Yoga Studio. Thank you both for your support!
When I look back on my year, I'm really happy with how it went. There are so many great things from the year but here are a few that stand out: I put a lot of effort into my athletic development this year and I made a lot of progress, particularly in spins on the backside wall of the pipe. I also had the opportunity to shoot with some awesome photographers and may even be in an article in Snowboard Canada next year. Another highlight was being invited to and competing in the Telus Festival Grenade Games Grand Finale. Since the first time I watched the Telus Festival Big Air in Whistler it's been a dream of mine to compete in it. It was amazing to have the opportunity to ride with the likes of Danny Kass, Ikka Backstrom and Daryl Mathes in the competition.
Photo by John Scarth
I feel like my skills are continuing to snowball, from the early days of riding at the Latham Island Park to my first full season in Calgary to my current training with Whistler Valley. I'm building on and fine-tuning my basic skills and developing more complex ones. Snowboarding is amazing because you can keep pushing your personal boundaries every year, and I love doing that. It doesn't matter if you're learning a 180 or a 1080, when you finally get it, you're stoked! That's what keeps me excited year after year.
Pat King Photo
I'm already looking ahead to next year, planning and getting ready. I'm organizing another trip to New Zealand to get back on the snow with heaps of sweet as conditions bru! I can't wait!
Rob Picard Photo
The amount of support that I received this year from my sponsors in Yellowknife as well as Whistler/Vancouver was amazing. I would like to extend a huge Thank You! to all of my sponsors for making my snowboarding year possible.
Cheers,
Andrew
