Hi Morzine Source Magazine readers, Mia here, back for another winter to update you on my life as a freestyle snowboarder, travelling the world and having the most fun! Well, most of the time…
It was nice to be back to a kind of normal winter season last year with no COVID-19 tests and being allowed to socialise properly again. The mountains were busy everywhere, but I guess that’s a good thing. I spent a lot of time in Laax but also travelled around competing in Europa Cup competitions and trying to win my own World Cup spot for the 22/23 winter season. I am very happy to say I did that, mission accomplished! I also went to the Junior World Championships and won big air, then at the end of the season I competed in the World Rookie Tour fi nals, where I really wanted to try and win the overall title whilst still in the Groms category. And I did! All these wins meant that I’d managed to bag myself three individual Team GB World Cup spots, which is pretty funny, since I can only use one… there’s only one Mia!
Image Credit – Sami Tuoriniemi
I was also invited to ride at the first ever Red Bull Rail Yard event in Austria and I couldn’t believe I won! There I was, stood on the podium with Anna Gasser in second place! She is so nice and was super happy for me. In April I was invited to the Nines event and that was insane! The set up was unreal and so so big. I was stoked to land Great Britain’s first female cab 12, they told me I was probably the youngest girl in the world to do it and one of only three females, so that was pretty epic. I also won the best style of the week award.
Aside from all the competition results, my best news of the whole winter was joining the Monster Energy team – this has been my dream since I was really little. I was invited to the Monster Hell week in Crans Montana, along with the rest of their global snow team. It was the best week ever, I’m so happy to join the Monster family! I was also invited to the States with the Capita Snowboards global girls team for the ITSTITS breast cancer awareness event. I’d never been to America before, or on a plane so big! I loved it and we had the best time. Of course, while all of this is going on, I have to balance school too. I actually don’t mind doing my school work. I enjoy learning and it’s good to switch off from snowboarding. My mum organises all of this while I’m riding and I usually do a few hours at the end of each day, or during a down day if the weather is bad. I have my GCSEs next year so I have more online tutors to support me, which is good.
The Team GB snowboard squad is small and we all get on really well. This summer we went to Australia for the first time, my mum and my coach Ben Kinnear came too and I met up with the Australian and NZ teams; I absolutely loved riding with everyone my own age!
While I was in Australia I was invited to a Monster Energy rail comp. On the last day we should have been heading back to Sydney, but instead my mum drove us back late at night so I could stay and enter. I came home with the most amazing trophy and the airline even let me take it on as hand luggage!
Travelling everywhere with my mum is nice, but I think i’m beginning to get ready to travel alone. That said, it’s nice having my mum or dad around to help with organising school work and anything with my sponsors.
This winter is huge for me. Because I’ll turn 16, I can fi nally step up to compete at the World Cups and of course I’d love to make it to the finals or even onto a podium along the way. That’s my aim. I’m also looking forward to spending time in some new places, maybe going to the European Youth Olympic Festival if it doesn’t clash with any other bigger events.
