Snowboarding
World's Top 20 Snowboarders - No.1 Travis Rice
Topping our epic list of snowboard superstars is none other than backcountry bulldozer Travis Rice.
Could there have been any doubt that Travis Rice would top this list? His body of work over the last twelve years has consistently shown us the future of snowboarding and there are many masterpieces to consider. Let's get the greatest hits out of the way now.
Four X Games medals, the first double cork in competition, the first double on Chad’s gap, a podium at every 6 star TTR event, two biographical videos that have fundamentally changed the way we look at snowboarding, opening and closing Absinthe parts, a cameo in Deeper that stole the show and more journalistic praise, riders choice, readers choice and National geographic awards than any snowboarder, ever.
From his jaw dropping debut back rodeo over the 110 footer at Superpark in 2001 to his exploration and subsequent slaying of those gigantic, fifty degree, ice cream sundae like faces in the Todrillo Mountains for the Art Of Flight, Travis Rice has made a strong case that he is the best snowboarder not just of his generation, but ever.
Travis filming the Art of Flight
© Scott Serfas/Red Bull Content Pool
The first thing that stands out with Travis is his build, most of his peers are of the slimmer physique with skinny bodies and strong legs to supposedly make stomping easier, they’re hybrids if you like.
Travis is the opposite, he is an American muscle car, a Dodge charger humming with raw energy like a bumblebee plugged into a subwoofer. Waiting. Then he straps in and attacks and you can feel the power. Pure power.
You can almost hear the roar, see the suspension straining as he puts his foot down and tears at faces like a man possessed. He almost defies physics with his agility in the air, but you know the precision is there to temper that power. His board control, spatial awareness and balance are close to perfect and they have to be considering the level of risk he exposes himself to.
Travis Rice, the benchmark
© Dustin Snipes / Red Bull Content Pool
Travis isn’t just a physically talented lump of meat though. The most unique thing about Travis for me is not physical, it’s his mental. To ride the way Travis rides there are moments where he has to spontaneously commit to life threatening decisions.
It is impossible to do this without all of the afore mentioned physical attributes but it is fuelled by enormous self-belief. For many that belief will manifest itself outwardly as arrogance or egotism. But Travis has the intelligence and humility to recognize this and I think without projecting false modesty he’s able publicly to mask these traits and keep himself down to earth.
At least as down to earth as you can when you live your life between helicopters, adrenal crushing descents, a beautiful catamaran in the Caribbean, endless premier parties, Jackson Hole’s back country and an equally driven lady.
Travis is always looking for new challenges
© Johan Ståhlberg / Red Bull Content Pool
The Art of Flight was edited to appeal not just to snowboarders, but also to the mainstream and to this end Travis was catapulted into the same league as Shaun White. But the fact is the two men could not be more different.
When I last interviewed him, it was the morning after 4/20 and Alaska was celebrating Spring, Travis hadn’t slept and was sporting a black eye and a split lip. He was understandably reluctant to go on camera but his sense of duty over rode his embarrassment. Despite not sleeping he gave a great, professional interview. Eventually I asked him what separated him and Shaun, his reply was perfect.
Shaun wants to be a rock star, I just want to grow a beard and get weird in the woods.
Hooray for Travis Rice.