Last year, she was stuck in a holding pattern, finishing a disappointing 14th place at Sochi because of a foot injury. This year, pro slopestyle snowboarder , 17, has her vindication. In December at a World Cup stop in Turkey, Walker (and $17,000 for the day) and she’s aiming to podium聽at the Sprint Snowboarding and Freeskiing Grand Prix on February 27.聽
Her perfect 720s signal an ascendant career for one of U.S. Snowboarding鈥檚 youngest members. 鈥淚 started on the tour when I was 13, so I was the youngest for a really long time. These days, it doesn’t affect things socially. No one on the team views me as a subordinate.鈥
Favorite Destination: Breckenridge, Colorado
鈥淚 have a place in Breck and spend most of my time riding there, so the mountain life is a huge part of what I like about it. It鈥檚 a mecca: all your friends are up there riding, and it鈥檚 always a great atmosphere. One park, Freeway, has pro-contest size jumps that are constantly maintained. That鈥檚 uncommon. Most places only keep up those kinds of jumps when there鈥檚 an event. The other one, Park Lane, is a huge progression park with at least a half dozen jumps you can hit on one run. All day, I lap the park chair and get an opportunity to try so many tricks.鈥
Favorite Gear: Olloclip 4-in-1 Lens
鈥淚 don鈥檛 have a fancy camera, but I鈥檓 always trying to get good shots on the mountain. ($70) clips on your phone and gives you fish-eye and wide-angle lenses. We got them in the goody bags during the , and, you know, I just kind of ignored it for a long time. But now I can鈥檛 live without it. It鈥檚 so tiny, but it gives you artsy shots of good quality, and it makes normal angles look Insta-worthy.鈥