MOUNTAIN LIFE - Blue Mountains | Winter 2020

76 Evan McEachran Slopestyle and Big Air @evanmceachran At 22 years old, Evan McEachran is already an Olympian, an X Games regular and a veteran on the Freestyle Canada team. The hardest part of catching up with Oakville native McEachran is figuring out which continent he’s on. The first time I “met” Evan was waving across the fence line at the X Games Big Air course, and the second was by phone, as he was packing to leave for an Air and Style event in China. ML: How did you get your start on skis? EM: When I was very young I skied at a hill near Oakville called Glen Eden. I was instantly in love. Later my parents got a place in Collingwood, so I got the chance to ski slightly bigger mountains. At Craigleith, I got into the whole contest thing and it quickly snowballed. I did Interclub Freestyle where you’d compete at different hills across the Escarpment. ML: How did you make the leap from Interclub to bigger comps? EM: Through Freestyle Ontario—I started doing well at those events and eventually made the Ontario team. I did Provincials and Junior Nationals and started travelling internationally and getting my name out there. I made the Canadian National team in 2015—just after the 2014 Olympics where Freestyle skiing debuted. ML: You competed for Canada at the 2018 Olympics. Tell us about that. EM: It was insane. When I grew up competing, Slopestyle wasn’t an Olympics sport so I never really had that end goal—it was more about X Games. I remember the exact day when the Olympics announced they were bringing Slopestyle on board. It instantly became a goal. I worked really hard from that day on to get the opportunity to represent Canada. It was mind-blowing. I flew in just before opening ceremonies and stayed until closing ceremonies. I took it all in and really enjoyed the experience. ML: What’s your schedule like for the winter? EM: Tomorrow I fly to China for a World Cup/ Air and Style Big Air, which will be really cool as it’s our first time at the venue for the 2022 Olympics. From there to a World Cup Big Air inside the Atlanta Braves stadium. Then I head to X Games in Aspen again, then a few more World Cup Slopestyles and Dew Tour. I haven’t quite sorted out my schedule because there’s a second X Games in China this year in February that I plan to make. ML: That’s two trips to China this year…Do you think this far ahead about the next Olympics? EM: It’s definitely on my radar. It’s wild to think that next season will be qualifying. This is the last season without having that in the back of your head—it’s still there for sure— especially with two trips to China this year and testing the venue. ML: What’s your favourite annual event? EM: I really like the high-pressure events—my favourite is Aspen X Games. It’s the pinnacle of my season and what I grew up watching. I haven’t really had an amazing year there yet—last year I was fourth. I always go back with a vengeance and work really hard there. ML: What result/accomplishment are you most proud of so far? EM: I think winning Dew Tour last year was probably the biggest moment of my career. When I was on the Ontario team, we always went to Breckenridge at the same time as Dew Tour and we’d fan-boy over watching the pros. It was crazy déjà vu because the current Ontario team was watching. It was cool to hang out with them and look back at how much things have changed for me in six years. ML: On that note, what advice do you have for young freestyle skiers wanting to compete on the world stage? EM: I love spending time with the Ontario team and local skiers at Mount Saint Louis, Craigleith and Blue Mountain; it’s really cool to spread the joy and show them that not that long ago I was in the exact same position. My advice is that if they keep having fun and working hard, they can get to this level too. ML: Is 2020 the year you are going to crush the X Games podium? EM: ( Laughs ) That’s kind of my main goal for the year, it would be the X Games in Aspen and China. I’d also really like to do well at Dew Tour again. I’ve been working on some new stuff that I’m really proud of. I’ve been thinking of trying these tricks for a while and I think I’ve got them perfected now. ML: Who would you like to thank? EM: I have to thank my friends and family back home I have an amazing group of people around me and they make it easy to do what I need to do. I also want to thank the fans who keep encouraging me—they’re awesome. I also want to thank my sponsors—Monster Energy, O’Neill, Head and Giro. Evan McEachran hogs X Games Big Air,Aspen, 2019. ALLISON KENNEDY DAVIES