Pow Day!

Well everyone the cold weather has finally arrived! The Tahoe area is actually getting a decent amount of snow, and believe me, we have all been waiting for it! Finals week is finally over and today was a killer powder day at Squaw Valley, with the winds howling and a blizzard at full force. Not many people were on the hill, seeing as it is a Tuesday, so we practically had the mountain all to ourselves! I was really having the time of my life out there today, and it definitely showed with an abundance of high-pitched (excited) screams as I made huge arcs down the Siberia face. Days like today really show me how much I love this sport, and the freedom that riding gives me. I mean who doesn't like a rad powder day?! Its still snowing at the moment at the mountain, so I know when we get out there first thing in the morning we will score some fresh tracks!

My first competition is coming up in the beginning of January in Colorado, so I will be training hard to make sure I am ready to go, both on and off the hill! In the meantime, I will be spending Christmas in California amongst all my friends! Thank you all for your continual support and keep on the lookout for updates in the very near future!

Happy Holidays!

Beginning of the Season

Hey guys! It has definitely been quite some time since I wrote about my snowboarding adventures, and I thought it would be great to get this blog back up and going for the upcoming season! Last year I had a very progressive season competing on the North American Cup circuit, and even made it to the Italian Alps for the Junior World Championships. Working with Team Squaw, I spent everyday on the hill at Squaw Valley Resort to prepare for all my upcoming events. Even though we didn’t have the best snow year, our team certainly made the most of it, even hand digging our own Boardercross course for training!

In the past couple years I have become a part of some very supportive communities in the snow sports industry, and I would like to take the time to thank all of them. A3 Nutrition Bars scooped me up at the beginning of last year, and has fueled me through all of my travels this past season! I am very excited to represent this brand going into the upcoming season, and I encourage you to go check them out! I have recently become part of a women’s snowboard company in the Tahoe area called Coalition Snow whose mission is to promote the women’s side of snow sports on the mountain. Women are often identified as timid riders when it comes to getting out on the hill, and Coalition is working to change that outlook with an aggressive group of girls ready to get out there and revolutionize this idea! I am looking forward to a great year alongside all of these rippers! I am also working with Granite Chief out of Truckee, California, and they are helping to keep my boards prepped and ready to go throughout the year! I have wonderful financial sponsors such as the Flyin’ Ryan Foundation, Hardcore Construction and my Healey relatives who have helped keep my dream alive, and have gotten me to the places that I need to go in order to achieve my goals! So thank you for all you do, it means the world to me.

This year I have decided to focus solely on the discipline of Boardercross. Now, that doesn’t mean that I won’t be training in both in the park and gates, but I will only be competing in this discipline. Both slopestyle and gate racing combined are crucial to my progression and success along with extensive time in the gym. During this season I will be attending Sierra Nevada College twice a week to keep a balanced schedule of studies and training, and I will once again be a part of Team Squaw! Our season has already begun, as I have been to Copper Mountain, Colorado and Boreal Resort in Truckee, California for early season training. This weekend marks the official start to my year at Squaw Valley, and I couldn’t be more excited to get on my new boards! Keep an eye out for my next update this week, and thank you all for your support!

PS. Attached are some shots from our Copper Trip, the Utah Desert, and a video of the new pump track at Woodward!

Spring Conditions in December

Even though Tahoe may not have the most snow at this point, we are all optimistic that a big storm is on the way. Northstar and Squaw are handling the unusually warm weather very well! Early season training has mainly been focused on the dryland aspect including daily weight lifting, cardio and core workouts. I need to be strong for stability off the large jumps and for powerful pulls out of the start gate this year. It is great to be back in Tahoe, and to be riding Squaw and the surrounding mountains! This is truly a beautiful area, and it is a privilege to live in such a place. Big thanks to A3 for sending the box of goodies that will keep me healthy throughout this intense month, and also to Monster Energy for the monthly supply! I am so grateful for the support! My first big competition is set for the end of January in Canada, from there I will be traveling between the U.S., Canada and hopefully Europe by the end of the year on the circuit! In the meantime, drills and strengthening routines will part of the daily schedule in order to prepare myself for the intense competitions that are coming up quickly!  Yesterday I worked with Squaw Valley and the "Future Legends of Squaw" campaign. This promotion is used to motivate upcoming athletes, and also send a powerful message to the public about Squaw's successes. Even though it was a tough day for taking pictures, between the fog and the snowguns, the action shots came out great!
On a final note, on my downtime, art and school have been my main priority.I have been accepted in to both Westminster College and Sierra Nevada College, they are perfect schools to attend in order to continue on my path to success in this sport! I am so excited to see where this year will take me, so keep an eye out for more updates and thanks again for all the support. Happy Holidays!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Tahoe still has yet to sustain a massive amount of snow, but the mountains are open! Constant dry-land has been great and all, but finally getting on snow is even better! Since I have been here weight training, spin biking, and core workout have been extreme, but it's all for the love of the sport. Woodward at Tahoe has also been very helpful for air awareness, and learning new tricks to bring out to snow. I am going through my daily routine of online schooling, sculpture time, and dry-land training. Finally actual snowboarding has been added to this schedule, and I am thrilled! It's time to get down to business since my first major competition is only a little more than a month away!
Last week I joined the A3 Bar team whose motto is Anytime, Anywhere, Anyplace. They have great products to help athletes attack the mountain and keep up the energy they need during high intensity days on the hill! I am really stoked to be on board, and to be representing them, along with my other sponsors throughout the season! Anyways, it has been a beautiful couple weeks here in Tahoe, and I can honestly say I am all settled in! I couldn't be happier with where I am this winter, and it should be a great season filled with awesome experiences. Thank you to all my followers, and all the support. Watch for more updates as more terrain opens on the hill. Hope everyone has a great Thanksgiving, wherever you are!

Truckee Bound!

Well it is safe to say that snowboard season has started. Snow is falling all over the place and all die-hard snowboarders are getting the first tracks. At the moment I am driving through the thrilling state of Wyoming. Looking around there is a large expanse of…nothing. I am driving across the country to the beautiful town of Truckee California for the winter season. We are driving 3,214 miles across the country through some of the flattest states in existence with a car filled with pretty much everything I own. I can’t even describe how excited I am to get on snow and start training for my upcoming season. I have waited all summer to touch snow! I will be training in Squaw Valley, California for the winter, and will be in constant travel mode. I have set goals for the season, which I am fully capable of achieving. I will be traveling all over the United States, Canada and will even take a trip to Europe at the end of the year. I have high hopes for the 2018 Olympics, and will be training and competing at the professional and international level in order to achieve this pinnacle of competition. This year I also want to be an ambassador for the sport. Snowboarding has taken me so far, and I want upcoming grommets to have the same experience!

This year I was lucky to pick up a few new sponsors who have been very supportive in my future endeavors. One of the companies that has helped me out greatly is A3 nutrition bars. They have a great philosophy behind their products, and I am proud to represent them going into the 2014 season. I have great product sponsors including Monster Energy, Mantis United, Fuel Clothing and SPY Optics who have be very helpful in outfitting me for the season! All of the support really makes a difference and I am very excited to be on board with each of these companies! Anyways, we have three more states to cross through, and I will be in my new winter home. Cant' wait to be back in Tahoe. It was definitely bittersweet leaving my family until May, but I have an amazing opportunity and I'm ready to go! It’s time to strap on the good ole shred stick! Keep a look out for more updates; they will be very frequent from now on! Thank you for all the follows and support, it means so much!

Shredding Without Snow

Snow won't be sticking to the ground for another couple months, but in the meantime I have to stay preoccupied. Two weeks ago my sister Nora and I found a steep hill about a half hour away from our house and we have been obsessed ever since. Longboarding along with wakeboarding are in my opinion the closest sports in comparison to snowboarding. When you are carving down a hill on a longboard, or shredding through the water on a wakeboard you use the same muscles and the same movement. The adrenaline and natural high that you get from all three of these sports is truly incredible. One week ago we grabbed our longboards and cruised down the smooth pavement. We took pictures of this rad occasion! About a hundred carves and slashes later, we were scraped up, but its all for the love of the ride! Take a look at some of the shots from the other day, what a great day! Keep shredding.

Time of the Season

It’s that time of year again everyone! The time of year when snow athletes can't focus on anything but the thought of the first run down the mountain on a cold November day. I have been so anxious to get back on my board, and I have been dreaming of snow all summer long. This year I am taking a new approach to my training since I am now competing on the professional circuit. I made an executive decision to move out to Truckee, California, with my team, to continue my training at a higher level. I will be based out of Squaw Valley and Northstar at Tahoe for the winter, riding with a select team that I will travel and train with everyday. Last year was an extremely successful year, ending up in 5^th professionally in the country (which was very surprising), and I have very high aspirations going into this upcoming season. This year I am a senior in high school, so I will also be continuing my studies online for the winter term. I worked with this same team last year throughout my first professional tour, and took my riding and progression to new heights, literally. I have a very strict schedule this year that will bring me around North America and even Europe.

 This year I also want to focus on promoting the sport to the upcoming generation of riders. I think it is important to encourage younger riders and show them that with hard work and dedication you can achieve your goals. This year I will once again be competing in the North American Cup, Chevy Revolution Tour, and the Sprint Grand Prix against the best athletes snowboarding has to offer. Preforming in these competitions will qualify me for the World Cup and eventually the U.S Snowboard Team. At this point I am the youngest woman in my discipline at the World Cup level, and I have an exciting road ahead. I am blessed with how far snowboarding has taken me and I have now turned it into a lifestyle. In the next couple months, dry land training will be my main focus, and in mid-November I will be traveling across the country to start my official season. So keep a lookout for upcoming posts regarding dry land, and future plans, and get ready for snow! Thank you to all of my followers, get ready for one exciting year! Send your positive thoughts and energy to Luke Mitrani after a gnarly crash in the halfpipe last week, we are all thinking of you man, hope you have a speedy recovery! <3