KATIE ORMEROD
Team GB snowboarder and Red Bull athlete, 23-year-old Katie Ormerod was the first ever Briton to win a World Cup snowboard title last year
My job in a nutshell…
I’m a professional freestyle snowboarder, specialising in slopestyle and big air, which entails flying over huge jumps and rails doing different tricks, flips and spins. I spend the majority of the year travelling around the world to train and compete in different resorts.
How it all began…
I first started snowboarding when I was five years old, as my parents were both keen snowboarders. I learnt at Halifax dry slope and quickly found a passion for the sport, so continued snowboarding there as much as possible. I joined the British Snowboard Team at 13, where I was given the opportunity to start training and competing internationally. I kept up with my school work while travelling, which was difficult at times, especially during the GCSE period. But on the whole I have always been very motivated and driven
to succeed in both my academics and snowboarding, so I’ve tried my best to make both work successfully.
My typical day…
When I’m out training in the mountains (this winter I was training mainly in Austria and Switzerland) I wake up early, have a good breakfast and do a morning stretch for around 20 minutes to prepare my body for the day ahead. I then head up the mountain. I continue to do a more intense warm-up, which consists of all-body stretches and dynamic movements, such as lunge twists and jump squats, before snowboarding.
I snowboard until mid-afternoon, training in the park for both big air and slopestyle, sometimes stopping for a snack (usually cashew nuts). I then go down the mountain and either do a cool down stretch or a gym session.
In the evenings I will have dinner, which is always vegetarian, and I try to eat different things every night. I eat lots of vegetables and carbs to keep my energy levels high on the mountain. Before going to bed I’ll squeeze in a bit of studying as I’m currently studying for a degree in sport coaching and development.
The highlight of my career so far…
Winning the Snowboard Slopestyle Crystal Globe [2019/20]. I’ve always wanted to win it and it came with having the most successful season of my career so far, by winning five World Cup medals and three yellow bibs. It was the most amazing feeling. I was also the first British snowboarder to win an overall World title. It was my comeback season after a two-year recovery from breaking my heel [Katie had to endure seven operations], so it is definitely my greatest achievement so far.
What I love most about my job…
Being mindful and fully engaged in a task. I love snowboarding, so I’m very grateful that I put in the hard work over the years to be able to travel the world snowboarding for a living. I love the creativity and the freedom that snowboarding brings, as well as the adrenaline and excitement that comes with competing.
The hardest part is…
The jet lag. During the World Cup period there are many back-to-back contests, which are held in different countries. I love competing, but sometimes the intense travel and changing time zones can be very tiring.
If I had to choose one place to ski for the rest of my life…
It would be Laax, Switzerland. I’ve been going there every year since I was nine, so it holds many amazing memories, as well as having a really fun park and amazing views.
Future plans…
To snowboard for as long as possible and keep progressing and challenging my riding.
Specialising in Slopestyle and Big Air, huge jumps, flips and spins are all in a day’s work for Katie