Kai
Jones
United States
·
Freeskiing
Date of birth | May 5, 2006 |
|---|---|
Birthplace | Jackson Hole, Wyoming |
Age | 19 |
Nationality | United States |
Career start | 2018 |
Disciplines | Freeskiing Big Mountain/Freeride / Freeskiing Back Country |
It's fair to say that American freeskier Kai Jones has ambitions that are a little different to those of most teenagers.
His goal, aged 11, was to summon up the courage to take on a 10.7m mountain cliff in the backcountry of Wyoming, known colloquially as ‘Smart Bastard’.
Kai recalls the time he conquered it very clearly: “I had butterflies in my stomach – looking over the edge was intimidating.”
But he nailed it, and despite scaring his mother, Shelly Jones, half to death in the process, the video of the young Kai Jones stomping it found its way to YouTube and quickly amassed over three million views.
Thus a winter sports prodigy was born and shortly after that memorable day Kai won the U12s competition at the International Freeskiers Association’s North American Championships.
From there, Kai, who first strapped on a pair of skis at the age of just two, attracted sponsors quickly and turned pro soon after.
It was perhaps no surprise that Kai followed the path that he has, given that his father, Todd Jones, is a former pro skier who co-founded Teton Gravity Research – the company behind a slew of action sports movies in recent years.
As young as seven years old, Kai was accompanying his dad on video shoots all over North America and the impressive lines that Kai carved were quickly noticed.
And while that experience was clearly a big advantage in Kai’s burgeoning career, he shut down the naysayers that suggested he was given a leg up in the industry.
“I credit my dad with everything and he gave me this door to walk through, but I also worked my butt off every single day,” Kai says. “I get up before the sun rises to head to the mountain, and I train year-round. I’ve probably done 5,000 back flips.”
Away from the slopes, Kai is studying at the Picabo Street Academy in Utah, which specialises in tutoring young athletes and those with demanding extra curricular pursuits.
We'll have to wait and see what the future holds for this freeski phenom, who skied off the roof of his house aged just eight – but you can bet it'll be exciting.