Mark McMorris looks to seize opportunity at last Olympic snowboarding qualifier
Posted January 8, 2022 8:40 am.
Last Updated January 8, 2022 2:01 pm.
“The first time I watched it, I was like ‘come on I can’t watch this.'”
Mark McMorris, one of the most decorated athletes in snowboarding history, is featured in a new documentary called ‘Chasing Winter’ on Red Bull TV that follows him and five other snowboarders as they navigate through a season full of uncertainty.
He had a hard time watching it at first, not because of the unreal athletic achievements they all undertake, but because of his fellow competitors talking about the huge impact he has had on the sport.
“Like the first time I watched that they’re all speaking so highly of me. And it made me really red in the face. It’s very nice.”
The 28-year-old is competing in a snowboarding World Cup event at Mammoth Mountain, California this weekend where he is making a final push for Canada’s Olympic Team for the Beijing Games. The back-to-back Olympic bronze medalist says he is focused on making the team but also trying to enjoy the moment.
“The Olympics are once every four years, they’re a huge event, but it’s just an event, right?” McMorris told CityNews. “Now that we’re really close, it’s a big focus and it’s a big focus on staying healthy and safe and staying out of COVID’s way because we’re getting really close to going.”
“I’ve had good success at the games and am ready to do it again. So I look forward to it, but it’s just snowboarding at the end of the day. It’s meant to be fun and not to put too much stress on it, just go ride.”
The Red Bull TV documentary shows the heartache McMorris faced preparing for Olympic qualifying events that were either canceled because of the global pandemic or because McMorris himself tested positive for the virus.
Already humbled by his success, those moments of uncertainty made him appreciate the opportunities he has had and ahead of him even more.
“I just wanted to be a part of snowboarding when I was a young kid,” he explained. “I just wanted to be a pro snowboarder and be able to make a living doing something I love. That’s what I wanted so bad and then to have the success I have had and continue to have …I couldn’t have ever made this up, like I couldn’t have even dreamt to be where I am right now. And to have such an influence on the next generation and then to still be there with them and competing with them it’s been really fun.”
The Regina native made history on the slopes in 2011 when he was the first person to land a Backside Triple Cork 1440 and has continues to inspire athletes around the world with the magic he creates in the air.
“It happens quick,” says McMorris, trying to explain what it’s like when he makes a jump. “It’s sort of is like this otherworldly feeling. You spend so much time in that vortex that you know what to expect. You know where you are and little things like air awareness and all that stuff really comes into play. It’s kind of nice being up there. There are no other distractions, your mind’s not on anything else, but staying on your feet and coming down softly and landing. Snowboarding’s the best because you can’t think about anything else when you’re doing it on any level, you know, it’s just for everyone.”
