Birk Irving has had an amazing season so far that included him taking home the overall championship at this year's USSA Revolution Tour in both Slopestyle and Halfpipe. For this week's AOTW we sat down with Birk and caught up, here's what he had to say.
I recently just
watched you win the Overall Slopestyle and Overall Halfpipe award for the USSA
Revolution Tour. Can you tell me a little bit about your season and all the
events that you have competed in at the Rev Tour? How does winning the overall
in both make you feel?
It feels
amazing to win the overall in both pipe and slope, because this year was a
really good year for me to come back in slopestyle. Last year I still really
enjoyed slope, but I was too scared to try many of the tricks because I was coming
off of a broken leg. So it feels great to be back in slope again.
I’ve had the chance
to also watch you at some of the bigger events including Dew Tour and the Grand
Prix. How do you feel about competing in these contests with guys I’m sure you
look up to?
Competing in the Grand Prix this year has
been a good experience for me and I have learned a lot. I have had to push
myself to do bigger tricks than I thought I could in order to compete against
the guys that I look up to. The Park City Grand Prix was a highlight for me due
to how good the pipe was and I felt like I skied my best and just missed finals
by one. Getting to do the Dew Tour was a dream come true. I was so psyched to
get an invite to that comp. It makes me feel like I am a step closer to getting
into the Xgames some day.
What is the plan for
the rest of the season? Will you be traveling to any other events and please
explain which ones?
I am
leaving on Monday to go to Italy for the Junior Worlds. I get
to compete in both pipe and slope this year. Then when I get home I will go to
the World Tour Finals in Whistler. I really want to try to find time to film
once all of this traveling is done.
Have you had the
chance to learn any new tricks this season?
Yes, I learned both
way switch 9’s in pipe and both way switch 10’s in slope.
You seem to be doing
really well in both Halfpipe and Slopestyle. Do you have a favorite discipline
or do you consider them to be equally the same?
I don’t have a
favorite, but when I have off daysI prefer to ski slope. It makes if more
fun having both events, it never gets boring that way and I am always working
on learning something new that I can take to both events.
What are your plans
for the next season?
I want to try to
stick with the bigger comps and try to get into X-games if possible. I am
really looking forward to skiing slope in the Grand Prix next year and really
happy that I qualified for that through Revolution Tour. That was my goal for
this year. I traveled to so many comps this year that I didn’t get to train as
much as I wanted to. I hope to not have to do as many comps next year as this
year.
Who would you like to
thank?
I want to thank my parents who took lots of time off work to
travel with me to a bunch of comps. I want to thank my Winter Park Coach
Jeremie Livingston. I also want to thank DJ Montigney for coaching me and
helping me to succeed this year. I would not have been able to compete without
the support of my Sponsors: Monster Army, K2 Skis, Smith Optics, Winter Park Resort,
Saga Outerwear, Full Tilt and Marker .
Follow Birk:
Monster Army - /birkirving
Instagram - @birkirving
