A 17-year-old Smithers snowboarder slid his way into the finals on two stops of the Air Nation Tour.
First, Tosh Krauskopf competed in the Air Nation Beaver Valley in Ontario March 17-20, the third Freestyle stop of the Air Nation Tour that brings together the best freestyle athletes in North America to compete in a slopestyle and big air events.
In the slope style, Krauskopf placed 5th and 9th and third place in one big air.
Next he went to Air Nation Stoneham in Quebec which was the final leg of the tour and where he placed 9th in one slope style event and 8th in big air.
Krauskopf said he was happy with the results and his dad Jason echoed the sentiment.
“Making top ten is really nice, there are about 40-50 riders and it is all high calibre riders. It is the nationals,” Jason said of his son. “He is one of the younger kids, these competitions are a stepping stone to him being on the national team and doing the World Cup.”
He added that it was also big deal that he landed all of his runs. “At that point you know you did the best you can and then it is out of your hands.”
Tosh is spending the winter season in Pemberton so he can train with the Whistler Valley Snowboard Club. He is taking advantage of a new program through Smithers Secondary and Engage Sport North called The Canadian Sport School which allows him to continue his studies there while also focusing on snowboarding.
This is his first year participating in the program and said so far it has been a ride.
“Traveling with friends, going new places and running new mountains is fun,” he said.
The next steps for him are to train year round.
“I want to do more competing, try to make it to the World Cup,” he added. “I’d also like to do some filming and more backcountry snowboarding.
In Smithers we have access to that, we all have sleds now and we have friends that can film.”
@MariscaDekkema
marisca.bakker@interior-news.com
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