Kaya Turski Claims 2010 AFP Women's Slopestyle Title

Kay Turski of Montreal, Quebec, Canada has been crowned the 2009-2010 Women’s Slopestyle Champion. This marks Turski’s second straight win in the category, proving her dominance within the field. Turski, who is currently rehabbing a knee injury she sustained late this spring. But the fruits of her labor are nonetheless apparent as the Queen of slopestyle takes the title again. “[It] feels good,” exclaimed Turski. “I’ve been working really hard these past few years to be up there and it feels great to have it pay off.”

The 2010 year marked a year in which women’s events were few and far between, but Kaya made short work of her competitions, winning all three events she entered: X Games, European X Games and Kristi Leskinen’s Homecoming Invitational. Only needing three results, Kaya dominated the women’s field, beating second place Keri Herman by a margin of 560 points. But despite the large gap, Turski says, “the level [of women’s slope skiing] is definitely higher with girls doing more switch hits and technical grinds and overall just more consistent on the course, which I think is really important.”Â

At X Games her switch 900s, switch 720s and 270s onto boxes were paramount to her success. At European X Games in Tignes, France, Turski utilized her huge back of tricks and rail skills to tackle the 6-jump, 8-feature beast of a slopestyle course. But no matter the tools used, Kaya was confident in her abilities and put no pressure on her season. “I didn’t want to put so much pressure on myself and say ‘it’s winning X-Games or it’s nothing’,” says Turski. “But I definitely did want the gold. Mainly I want to go to events and feel confident and consistent on my skis, do what I know I can and with that I believe I can do well.”

As the sun set on the women’s slopestyle landscape this year, Kaya looks to the future. “I’m taking the summer off but will be training my butt off and working with some amazing trainers here in Montreal,” explains Turski. “Though I am missing some spring and summer training, I think overall after all the rehab and training I’ll be doing, I’ll be coming back stronger and even more focussed, right in time for early season.”

And with the 2010 season containing less women’s events, with the Winter Dew Tour pulling two events and the European Open’s weather cancellation, Kaya hopes that 2011 will be brighter. “I really hope the Winter Dew Tour involves women’s slopestyle this upcoming season,” says Kaya. “It would really be a shame to be left out again, I think we really deserve a spot just like the female snowboarders have, especially since we compete on the same courses, jumps, rails as everyone else and hold our own out there!” But more importantly the women’s field, which includes second place Keri Herman, third place Ashley Battersby and fourth place Megan Olenick, is stronger than ever. “Watching the level go up constantly is what keeps me going. I don’t want to fall back, I want to stay up there.. that’s what keeps me focussed and motivated to stay strong and ski well.”

For more information, visit the AFP web site.