Local snowboarders Silas Lehr, 10, and Solomon Wynnyk, 11, are back on the competition scene.
With only a few competitions checked off the list this season each of them has already found the podium.
Ecole Steffie Woima Elementary School’s Lehr placed second in the U11 division at the Grom Series Slopestyle Competition at WinSport Canada Olympic Park (COP) on Jan. 28.
It was Lehr’s only competition of the season thus far and said it was his favourite Grom to date.
“After I got second after like 20 minutes of it it didn’t really mean much to me anymore because all it was was just to have fun,” said Lehr. “I liked getting it though, it was fun.”
Wynnyk also found himself on podium last week.
He walked away with first place in the U13 division and the title of “Best Trick.”
The Ecole Mother Teresa School student also clinched second place in a double down and at provincials.
“Provincials was fun,” said Wynnyk. “It’s all of the best riders throughout kind of everywhere.”
He added the rider he beat at the Grom Series Slopestyle Competition on Jan. 28 was the same one who beat him at Provincials, and he thought it was cool to see them going back and forth.
Throughout the season the boys will compete mainly in slopestyle, which consists of rails, jumps and other terrain park features along a course, as well as in rail jams.
Heading into this year’s competitions Lehr says he added a frontside 360 to his trick arsenal, while Wynnyk expanded by rodeos, cab rodeos, a cork 5 and wildcats.
By the end of the year Wynnyk is hoping to be able to make doubles and Lehr is working on his backflip.
Coming up this season Wynnyk is looking at a handful of competitions, including Nationals at COP and the Vans High Standard.
Lehr also has a few competitions on deck for the remainder of the winter.
“I’m really excited for the next one,” Lehr said, who is looking forward to spending time with his friends and riding.
“I’m excited to just do my best [and] meet new kids because every year there’s new kids that get better and better,” said Wynnyk. “It’s always fun to like hangout with them and like ride with them sometimes because they push you if they’re better than you and stuff.”
He added he is excited to compete at Nationals for the first time.
When the two friends aren’t competing during the winter months they spend their time out on the slopes.
Lehr says his favourite hill is Sunshine Banff Village because of the short runs, on the other hand Wynnyk says his favourite is Canyon Ski Resort because of its location and size.
Although, Wynnyk’s backyard park is also on top of the list for both of them.
“We made a bigger drop in this year, bigger jumps,” explained Wynnyk. “Last year was six feet, we made an eight and a half foot drop in this year.”