Off to the Youth Olympics!

Just a few days a go i got selected to represent GB in the Youth Olympics in Innsbruck in Jan, I am the only British and one of only 16 snowboarders from the world to be going i cant believe it so stocked!!! :D

With the good snow in Courchevel and snowboarding with my mates and now being selected for the Youth Olympics it has been an amazing Christmas.

Better get some serious training in now though! i am going to head to Laax and Davos early Jan to get a week or so riding halfpipe and big jumps, with Team GB snowboarders and my fellow youth olympian freestyle skier Tyler Harding. Plus take in big air comp O'Neill Evolution and Junior Audi Series Halfpipe. Hopefully this will be enough to get me ready for the YOG which starts on 14th Jan.

Snow in Courchevel !!!!!

Christmas has come early !!! So far in courchevel this year it has been amazing, been riding now for 2 weeks and every day its been fresh tracks !! so much fun.. Although it didnt look like it was going to be this good as when the lifts opened on the 3rd dec we only had 1 slope and that was snowmaking! then the snow started and we got 165cm of snow in 2days that's more snow than we got the hole of last year, but it didnt stop there its kept on snowing and in the next 2 days were meant to get another 80cm!! at the moment we have got 2m of snow depth ! so every one should pack there bags and get to Courchevel! thats if i leave you some snow still to be tracked!!!

The pleasure jam

At the weekend i was at the pleasure jam at the dachstein glacier in Austria. Thursday was training day took me a while to get into it, wasnt enjoying the setup. Friday it was qualification, i was enjoying the last training session much more and sticking my runs, but towards the end of training i fell, dislocating and braking my wrist... so didn't compete and went to the hospital instead! now in plaster for 4 weeks, dooh! wasnt to long at the hospital they dealt with getting me off the mountain to the hospital and repaired pretty quick, although i have never felt pain like it before, the doctor hooked finger locks onto my hand and i had to dangle it with some weights while he pulled it back into place..
Well done to sam turnbull and jamie nicholls qualifying for semis and jamie finals, plus unluckily billy morgan didnt make it he came so close as well, well done guys. Massive well done to Aimee Fuller who won the womens comp. Not a bad day for Team GB!

A good few weeks.

The past few weeks have been real good, Hintertux, Whitelines feature, Head advert and to top it 3rd place at the Battle of Britain big air at the London Freeze.

My last week in Hintertux training with Team GB was good weather. I was able to perfect my backside spins and land bs7 thanks to coaching from Hamish Mcknight.

I have had a full page of coverage in the first snowboard magazine of the new season, with a contender page in Whitelines. The picture was taken from the photo shoot i went on with Head international team in Flaine back in April..

and then Head picked out the best pic from that session in Flaine, sooo stoked i have been used for my first ever advert for one of my sponsors, a Head advert in the first edition of this years Reason Magazine, get you free copy of this awesome free mag at your local snowboard shop!! :D

Then this weekend I came back to the U.K for the London Freeze festival. Was the first time i had ever hit a scaffolding city center jump it, was so scary!!! haha was a good few days! I took 3rd place in the Battle of Britain, couldn't believe it, was soooo stocked!!

Hintertux Austria

I have been in hintertux the past 2 weeks with the british freestyle team. The 1st week was good weather and a sick jump setup, i was really enjoying being back on the snow and looking forward to learning some new tricks. However the weather changed which brought some snowfall and so park has now been shut for all this week, we have kept ourselves busy skating (learnt blunt to fakie in the mini), swimming, trampolining and biking. The weather forecast looks good from tomorrow so hopefully the park and jumps will be back in good shape so we can start to throw down. Fingers crossed the good weather will stick around for a good few days / weeks .

Summer 2011

Sorry i havent posted for a while. Over the summer i have been travelling around France and England with my parents in our little 1979 camper van!!! :)

After the Olympic camp, i celebrated my 16th birthday at my grandparents in Coventry, all the family came around for a bbq. From Coventry we headed to our friend John's in Kent, he has a cool place with lots of land, i got to learn to ride a motocross bike correctly and to drift in an mx5 sports car! a fun few days!!

We then went across to the south west and padstow area to see some friends down there, we did lots of cool stuff! climbing on the cliffs, exploring caves for pirates treasure but we didn't find!

 We also played crazy golf and pitch and putt, not my thing until i tried hitting the ball like Happy Gilmore!

 

Tried surfing, well they did i just drowned and got back out haha, i also had my first ever cream tea was awesome!! :)

 and just hung around!

We headed back to france travelling down through brittany visiting where i holidayed with school a few years back and then followed all the way along the Loire valley and back home to Courch. We were back home for a couple of days and then left for west coast of France with my parents and a mate. It took us 5 days to get there because on our way the alternator in our van broke so we had to get it repaired turns out that not many people have a 1979 vw alternator spare haha. We visited some historic places on the way at Pont du Gard and the arena in Nimes.

 and drove through Grenade! We finally got to Capbreton / Hossegor, i went surfing again and loved it this time! it might have some thing to do with the fact that the waves were small but still was scary for me ! haha, we planned to surf a few days however the waves disappeared completely so we spent the next few days just travelling around on our cool cruiser bikes we hired,

We saw a load of locals jumping off the bridge into estuary so gave that a few goes. We then headed up to jarnac in cognac region for a friends wedding was cool. After that we came back home to Courch via the Dordogne, Central Massif and Rhone Valley. After this trip didnt realise France had such a Medieval history and so much to see. Now just chilling and till i get back on the snow, only few weeks till i head to Hintertux Austria.    

traveling in my parent 1979 VW camper :)

GB Olympic training camp.

I have just completed a weeks training camp at Loughborough University with Team GB / British Olympic Association in preparation for the Youth Olympics in Innsbruck Austria Jan 2012. I met loads of new people there in bobsleigh, ski freestyle, ski cross and lots more winter sports. At the camp they taught us about fitness, media, team work and lots more. We had talks by Clive Woodward and other olympians to inspire us. Something that sticks in my mind is the T-cup which means Thinking correctly under pressure, which will hopefully help me in competitions in the future. We did lots of fitness routines, which i will be able to continue with a program when i get home. I wasn't sure what to expect from the camp, however it was great fun and i learnt a lot about all aspects of being an athlete and part of a team. I also got to take a way loads of Team GB kit which was cool.




This is me giving my presentation alongside the the ski freestyle team.




This is us doing one of the team challenges.

Les 2 Alpes ONE CAMP 2nd week

the 2nd week in the 2 alpes was good fun, 2 of the days the mountain was closed so the first day we went to the adventure park and the 2nd day we made a rap and video!!:

http://video.mpora.com/watch/J5zaWKYX6/

the rest of the time it was bluebird days on the mountain got my pipe technique a lot better and on the last day stomped a 900. The 2 weeks were sick had loads of fun and met new people.

Les 2 Alpes ONE CAMP 1st week

I have been in les 2 alpes on the ONE CAMP this week its been sick even though the weather hasn't been great. The past week because of the weather i haven't really been doing much just getting back in to it, the first day on the mountain we sessioned the gong got a sick shot on it





Today has been the best day of the week blue sky, good pipe, learn't bs5 properly! and was trying some haakens the pipe got closed at about 12pm so we went to session the hip it was sick got some good airs and some sick shots.

my season 2011

just remembered i didn't do an end of the season vid so thought i would do one now.

Board Test

Last week i was in Kauntertal Austria for the UK board test. Most of the brands and magazines and lots of industry people where there to test and review next seasons equipment. I was there to ride, meet people and help out Dan with the Head stand. I stayed with Tom and Rich Ewbank who kindly put up with me! they both used to work with my parents at Pleisure, check out their website with reviews of the latest kit etc
www.snowboard-review.com

Riding with lots of people from the UK scene was cool, park set up was good although couldnt ride much after 12 as was too slushy. Have a few weeks now to chill with my friends in Courchevel, France.

Flaine Hip

Last week i was in Flaine (France) with Dan Wakeham and the HEAD SNOWBOARDS international team. We were there to session a private hip wich got built by the park crew specially for us, was so sick. Dan and Me learnt how to fly!!!! heres a picture of the hip it was massive!! hopefully soon ill have some pictures of me flying to show you!! :)

Junior Worlds Valmalenco.

The past few days i fave been in Valmalenco Italy for the Junior World Snowboard Championships. On thursday we had training in half-pipe and slope-style, in the morning the pipe was really icy and i fell smacking my head and breaking my helmet. I was a bit concussed so i didn't go off the jumps just watched peoples speed. On friday i had half-pipe qualifications I landed my first run and in the 2nd run i fell on my hacken finished 8th in my heat and 6 qualified to finals over all I got 29th out of 70 riders so not too bad! plus i got asked for an autograph haha :D .



Slope style was on the sunday wasn't enjoying the course so first run i did bs3 fs7 bs5 landed it clean 2nd run went for a first hit sb5 and fell... i finished 10th in my heat dont now the over all results yet.



On my way back to france me and my dad stop at lake como and had an italian ice cream lol, it was 5 o'clock in the afternoon it was still 25degrees!! there was so meny poeple walking up and down the lac. it was a fun weekend all week it has been like snowboarding in the summer.

Kitzsteinhorn Austria

Im currently in Kitzsteinhorn Austria with Dan Wakeham, Nick and Greg. Today we went up the hill there was fresh powder and it was dumping it down !!! havent seen it snow this much since before Christmas!!! the park and pipe looked like they would be sick when their shaped i cant wait till a sunny day to hit them!!!!

The Brits

Have been in Laax for the last week for The Brits (the british snowboard championships). The weather has been soo sunny all week, so the comps have all gone down. It has been a real fun week and successful! as i made the mens finals (top 12) in all 3 events, Big Air, Halfpipe and Slopestyle and took 1 gold and 2 silvers in my age group. The number of riders this year seemed lower although the standard of riding has shot through the roof, double corks landed in big air and slopestyle, plus Dom and Ben trying them in pipe. I was so happy to land some of my best tricks this week, fs9 in the pipe being my highlight, it was only me and Ben Kilner (Olympian and halfpipe winner) to land a 9 in pipe. I will up load a little edit of my week later.. I am off for a few days on a photo shoot this week with Dan Wakeham and then onto the Junior World Championships in Italy next weekend.

Big Air fs7

Garmisch 720

Here is a clip of my fs7 at the Ride shakedown at Garmisch.

New Sponsors, Mayrhofen, Garmisch and UK!

So much to tell you from the last few days!..

I now have new sponsors, O'Neill for clothing and googles, Head for snowboards, bindings, boots, protection and helmet. My new kit..



I have been in Mayrhofen this week with British Freestyle Team, was really good weather for hitting the big jumps, trying fs9's, bs7's, sbs5's and sbs7's.. was real good sessions going down with Nelson pratt doing double rodeo and Jack shack giving them go and Sam Turnbull trying double 10's sick! shame the jumps were closed the last day as they were getting ready for the wangle tangle.. we all went out for a meal one night, it was a meat feast, 16 euros each for huge plate and meats and chips and veg!



fs9 in mayrhofen..


Friday we went to Garmisch in Germany for the Ride Shakedown, setup looked good with big air jump and rail in the olmypic ski jump arena. It was a bit strange though run in was long and fast with big right hand turn before hitting the jump, was difficult to judge the speed each time. Didnt go well for me, big shout out to Jamie though who took 2nd place in the rail jam and 1st place in the slopestyle..

Now back in the UK for a few days, as i received a sports aid grant through Asda and are going to a training workshop with them on Monday.. then it back out to Laax for The Brits..

czech republic

Spent the weekend in the czech republic for a europa cup, in practice i fell on my back again!! DOH!!! didn't do the comp that day or the next so me and my dad went on an adventure and found a one man chair lift thought we would have a run down but it wasn't what we expected!! it was a long way! the snow wasnt great and to get down we walked through the woods and a stream and then after struggling to find the start of the chair we found it in a derelict apartment block looking place!! was fun though! The czech have veg for breakfast and only meat and potato for dinner! i had goulash 5 times in 3 days!! now in courchevel resting my back.
Off to mayrhoffen next week and the Laax to get ready for The Brits.

My 1st 2 page spread!

Just found out i have this 2 page picture in the World Rookie Tour magazine for the 2010/11 season, it was taken at the Rookie tour in Thredbo Australia.. i was looking through the mag when my dad said would be cool if you had a pic in there and then turned the page and there i was!!

the world rookie fest finals andorra.

Yesterday was the World Rookie Fest Finals in Andorra, the weather was blue bird!!! the park was perfectly shaped!!! training didn't go so well towards the end i rolled my ankle and then wacked my head... still did my run's the first 2 i fell, however on my last run got it together and it put me in second place with a fs7 bs5 sb5 !! :) so happy!!! :)

This was my first trip to andorra the park was sick, even though the snow was shocking, however it was like being ibiza and you get strange men drinking bottles of wine for breakfast! hopefully go back there soon but stay somewhere else!!

World Rookie Fest Andorra.

I'm currently in Andorra for the World Rookie fest. Yesterday was training day it was snowing and really windy, so was only really hitting the small jumps. Today was qualie's woke up to blue bird got up there and it was really windy, they delayed the start till 12h which gave use longer to practice, the wind did improve. :) I qualified in 2nd position with fs7, bs5, sb1 off the knuckle didn't think would make the jump, very slow... looking forward to finals tomorrow hopefully be blue bird and no wind.

Nescafe champs leysin.

I was at the nescafe champs in leysin on tuesday and wednesday in practice i was having loads of fun riding the course which was sick (jump, half-pipe, jumps, wall ride). Landed all of my tricks, it finaly got to my run and i fall over in both runs... i was so annoyed...

Les 2 alpes.

Yesterday i was planning to go to bardonecchia with some guys from PLEISURE HOLIDAYS got there park was closed cause of too much snow had to reshape... so we carried on driving for another couple of hours to Les 2 alpes where luckily the pipe was shaped and managed to get a fs9 and fs7 to haakon :) so was well worth the trip! so stocked !!

heres my fs9 :)

One Camp Laax

Here is a little edit from the One Camp i am on in Laax, thats me from 1:00 onwards including my Haakon flip!

video.mpora.com/watch/RZx8LwuQi/

Davos & Laax

At the weekend i was in davos at the ice rippers junior open qualified to semi finals in 7th from 65 riders, in the practice my binding snapped so got no practice went straight into my runs and failed! aaarrrRGHHH.... the past few days i have been riding the pipe up in laax. Been spending most nights at the indoor freestyle academy, its sooo much fun really enyoying the tramps / mats and skating. last night though i landed on my neck on the air mats pulled 2 muscles and bent my knee the wrong way so having a day off today so i can get on it tomorrow....

Here is a pic of fronside air in the Laax pipe

Still in LAAX!

I’m still in laax now on the one camp. Yesterday we rode the pipe for a good few hours it was awesome, the pipe was perfect !! i learnt haakon flips sooo stoked !! :)

In the evening went to the freestyle accademy it was so fun!! :) check it out its siiick! http://freestyleacademy.laax.com/indoor-base/ubersichtsplan

Today rode a bit more pipe doing some frontside airs, got about 7ft air out of the 22ft pipe, stoked on that !! In the afternoon we headed over to the slopestyle we sessioned the first big jump it was sick got my fs 7's even better!! so stocked on the week so far hopefully it will be like this all week and better!! :)

Burton European Open. Laax.

Been in laax for a few days now.. hurt my back again in slope so couldnt do it and struggled with my back pain and fell in pipe... i have taken yesterday and today of to rest my back... hopefully it will feel better tomorrow. :) I'm in laax for another week with the one camp looking forward to that..

O'Neill Evolution Davos slope style.

Been riding the slope style today fell on my back in practice, back is hurting quite a lot but it should be ok hopefully, still did my runs tho first run i went for fs7 and over span to 9 land heavy on my tail and put my hands down, 2nd run went for the fs9 and sat down, still happy tho that i rode even though my back is hurting quite a lot.. of to the Burton European Open on Saturday in Laax..

Pipe qualification for O'Neill Evolution. Davos.

I was doing the qualification in pipe today, it didn't go as well as i hoped but still happy i put i run down. (fs air, bs air, fs5, bs5). Tomorrow is the slope style qualification's looking forward to it hopefully put the run i want to put down. :)

Davos Pipe

Been riding the pipe today in Davos training for the O'Neill evolution which starts tomorrow, in pipe men looking forward to it and will do my best. :)

davos

Been riding in davos today training in pipe and slope style for the o'neill evolution in a few days the pipe is fun, different to the one in copper so today just spent the day geting the hang of it. Was hitting the slope style course as well, the set up is one jump to a rail the jump is big and nice the rails are ok, been trying some spins of the jump today looking forward to riding the jumps and pipe tomorrow. :)

Here is the jump, can you spot me?..