Snowboarding
A look at five snowboarders who deserve a higher level of recognition.
Any snowboarder loves to hear that "their riding does the talking." But it often seems like the riders who really do it are the ones who aren't talked about enough — we live in a world where pure talent and ability doesn't always lead to immediate acclaim. Here are five riders who deserve to be talked about more, so they don’t have to.
Frederik Kalbermatten
If you ask any snowboarder born before 1990, Kalbermatten isn’t underrated — he’s a total legend. For a masterclass on backcountry freestyle, look no further than this Swiss master’s 2013.
But when you’re dropped by your longtime board sponsor at the top of your game, as Kalbermatten was a couple of years back, you’re definitely not getting the respect you deserve.
Shayne Pospisil
All-rounders always deserve a little extra credit, especially when they rip on a surfboard, too. But versatile riders often don't get the recognition that one standout ability can lead to.
As a rider, Pospisil ticks all the boxes. As filmmaker Greg Martin puts it: “Shayne can mix it up with the very best riders in the world in virtually all areas. ... He has all the tricks and rides with a clean powerful surf style, destroys natural terrain and backcountry jumps, and is an incredible transition rider, which I believe is the ultimate test of board control and technique.”
Brendan Gerard
While super grom Red Gerard might be getting all the attention as the next big thing, his big brother Brendan seems happy in his role as the dirtbagging, handrail-destroying black sheep of the family.
“He’s been killing it for years, but has never been given a chance by his sponsors to fulfill his potential," Ryan Scardigli, Gerard’s friend and former filmer, says. "He’s committed too, filming for the Capita movie two seasons ago on a fully blown knee: no ACL, no MCL and a torn meniscus.”
Len Roald Jørgensen
When you roll with Ståle Sandbech and Aleks Østreng, two of snowboarding’s biggest names, it’s kind of easy to be left in the shade, especially when having fun seems to be your only career ambition.
But there’s a reason Jørgensen is in the Norwegian super crew: Besides making everything he does on a board look ridiculously fun, he is one of the most stylish and technical jibbers on the planet.
Arthur Longo
The long-haired Frenchman with the big smile is probably the most high-profile rider on this list. Although he’s been getting a lot more coverage lately thanks to some solid performances at the Red Bull Double Pipe and U.S. Open, he’s still massively underrated.
He deserves more credit as both a pipe rider and a backcountry rider. When it comes to going huge with clean style, Longo is up there with the very best.
Love our stories? Then like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter and subscribe to our newsletter to get our best stories delivered right to your news feed and inbox!