Halfpipe riding, it's unique in a way
that it allows the riders
to pretty much do whatever they want.
You’re able to separate yourself
from the competition by being yourself,
by doing something different or unique.
Or something that just speaks to you personally.
So, it allows for so much room
for creativity and line selection.
I always really enjoyed halfpipe riding,
the technical element of it.
The margin for error is very, very little,
and I've always really enjoyed that element of risk
and having to be very in touch with the halfpipe.
Halfpipe riding, for me,
is kind of a channel of expression.
That's where I can really express myself,
be myself and do what I most love.
The thing that I love most about halfpipe snowboarding
is the instant feedback you get
when you’re up in the air and you realize
how it was worth it to put in all the effort
on riding the halfpipe and then taking off.
You drop in, it's a kind of,
you have that sound, everything, it's like whoosh.
And when you take off, it’s whoosh.
When you’re in the air, there’s nothing.
You're just like flying.
It feels sort of like a dream and when you’re landing high,
there’s almost no impact.
So, it just makes it feel really cool,
almost like a rollercoaster.
When I am in the air and I’m going big,
there’s not a lot going through your head
other than what you’re doing.
And it’s like this peaceful floating feeling
of you know what you’re doing
and your body is performing it perfectly.
It’s an adrenaline rush.
It’s the closest feeling of flight
that I’ve ever felt in my life.
It’s an amazing environment to be in when you’re in control
and you get a few seconds to really enjoy that.
It’s something special.
You’re kind of weightless for a moment
and you’re kind of just looking for your landing.
You spot the landing,
and you stomp, and you ride away,
and you carry all that speed into the next hit.
It's this rhythm you’re always trying to get
and it’s also about amplitude.
How do you get amplitude? It’s not about getting faster,
it’s about getting the right rhythm
with your legs, your body, and then phew, you know?
Amplitude, "going big," as we say it in the halfpipe,
is just from the very first time
someone strapped into a snowboard to now,
it's always been that one thing that everyone always has to do.
Pushing my limits every day,
the airtime, going as high as I can,
is definitely my favorite thing about halfpipe riding.
The feeling is almost surreal when you’re up there
and you have this time in the air.
You can do anything you want to do.
It’s definitely an addictive feeling
because with progression comes amplitude,
so you want to go bigger and bigger and bigger.
Snowboarding has brought me
much more than just snowboarding.
It’s been a lifestyle, it’s been my entire life.
I’ve got injuries, I’ve got highs and lows,
and so many things that have made me a better man.
Halfpipe snowboarding means to me, it’s my life,
it’s what I love, it’s an opportunity
for me to express myself.
Getting to do that every single day as my job
year after year is really special.