Thursday, November 14, 2024
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Global Snowboard Star

Twenty-two-year-old Queenstown snowboarder Tiarn Collins became the first New Zealander to claim a FIS Snowboard Crystal Globe when he won the World Cup title in Switzerland this year amongst fierce international competition. His win came after competing at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics in slopestyle and Big Air.

He talked to QT Magazine on his return to New Zealand.

How was that winning feeling when you took out the coveted Crystal Globe:  It felt pretty special being the first New Zealander to win the Cyrstal Globe and it took a while to sink in. I had been in the middle of the contest grind for a few months, only looking forward to the next comp, so to cap it off and have the globe to look back at the season with is splendid. 

2022 Crystal Globe Winners Tiarn Collins & Kokomo Murase

Biggest surprise of 2022: The biggest surprise was how many New Zealand skiers and snowboarders across all snow sports dominated global podiums before, during and after this year’s Olympics. New Zealand has really made an impact internationally and other nations are looking at what we are doing.

Who was in your Olympic crew: We’ve all been on different schedules but my crew was Cool Wakushima and gold medal winner Zoi Sadowski-Synnott from Wānaka.  After the Olympics we went in different directions and I returned to Europe to finish the World Cup season.

Best memory of the trip: Sneaking beers into the Olympic village after Zoi won the gold medal. It was pretty much our first time getting to hang with everyone together all season.

Favourite local training ground: Definitely Cardrona Alpine Resort. The park set up is easily one of the best in the world and attracts the world’s best riders. Cardrona are huge supporters of what we all do and their park crew are awesome.

Zoi Sadowski – Synott & Tiarn Collins on their coaches shoulders

Standout local mountain features: Cardrona is a great place because they have the best park which brings in the best riders, it’s always fun getting in the mix with the guys up there. Treble Cone takes the cake for best terrain, the natural rolls and inbound features they have are super fun. The Remarkables is a really fun place too, the park is a bit more tucked away which is awesome and the locals up there are dope. Coronet is easily the most accessible of the four making it the place to go when you’re on a time limit, it has lots of natural rolling terrain, awesome side hits and night skiing is always a good time. Each mountain has its own vibe and the people are always stoked to be there.

Under the radar spot: Soho Basin for cat skiing, untouched snow, unreal food and an unreal time.

Best après mountain food: On the Queenstown  side Slow Cuts in Arrowtown and on the Wānaka side The Food Truck garden is always good. Fire Bird is usually my choice.

When you’re not riding: I am skateboarding either at the Queenstown or Wanaka skate park or the DIY spot in Northlake.

Goals for the remainder of 2022: The team will be training at Cardrona this winter so it will be good to be back into it again but I’m also hoping to get out of the park a bit more this year and do some filming. Goals going forward are to spend more time in the US and get out and film.