Mark McMorris

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Mark McMorris
Mark McMorris at Dew Tour.jpg
Personal information
Full nameMark Lee McMorris
Nickname(s)Sparky,[1] McLovin',[2] McRib[3] The Closer[4]
NationalityCanadian
Born (1993-12-09) December 9, 1993 (age 28)
Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada
Height1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)[5]
Weight72 kg (159 lb)[5]
Websitewww.markmcmorris.com
Sport
CountryCanada
SportSnowboarding
Event(s)
  • Big Air
  • Slopestyle
Turned pro2010
Medal record
Olympic Games
Bronze medal – third place 2014 Sochi Slopestyle
Bronze medal – third place 2018 Pyeongchang Slopestyle
World Championships
Gold medal – first place 2021 Aspen Big air
Silver medal – second place 2013 Stoneham Slopestyle
Silver medal – second place 2019 Utah Slopestyle
Winter X Games
Gold medal – first place 2012 Aspen Big air
Gold medal – first place 2012 Aspen Slopestyle
Gold medal – first place 2013 Aspen Slopestyle
Gold medal – first place 2015 Aspen Slopestyle
Gold medal – first place 2015 Aspen Big air
Gold medal – first place 2016 Aspen Slopestyle
Gold medal – first place 2017 Norway Big air
Gold medal – first place 2019 Aspen Slopestyle
Gold medal – first place 2020 Hafjell Big air
Silver medal – second place 2011 Aspen Slopestyle
Silver medal – second place 2013 Aspen Big air
Silver medal – second place 2013 Tignes Slopestyle
Silver medal – second place 2014 Aspen Slopestyle
Silver medal – second place 2016 Aspen Big air
Silver medal – second place 2019 Aspen Big air
Silver medal – second place 2020 Aspen Big air
Silver medal – second place 2020 Hafjell Slopestyle
Bronze medal – third place 2017 Aspen Big air
Bronze medal – third place 2017 Aspen Slopestyle
Bronze medal – third place 2018 Aspen Slopestyle

Mark Lee McMorris (born December 9, 1993) is a Canadian professional snowboarder who specializes in slopestyle and big air events. While filming for Transworld Snowboarding's "Park Sessions" video in March 2011, Mark became the first person to land a Backside Triple Cork 1440. More recently, on April 28, 2018, Mark landed the world first Double Cork off of a rail, the Front-Board Double Cork 1170 with melancholy grab. Mark has also left his mark at X-Games and other events. In 2012 and 2013, Mark won back-to-back gold medals in Winter X Games in the slopestyle event.[7] He competed in the slopestyle event at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, where he won a bronze medal, Canada's first medal in those Games. At the 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang, he won a bronze medal in the slopestyle event, only 11 months after a snowboarding accident with near-fatal internal injuries.[8] He has also appeared in many videos for Transworld Snowboarding, Burton, Redbull, CBC, and Shredbots.

Career[]

McMorris at a FIS World Cup event in Quebec City.

Early career[]

In 2006, when Mark was only 12, he rode his wakeboard around Lake Wascana pulled behind a dragon boat for 3.5 km in attempt to set a Guinness World Record.[9] He was asked to take part after an event in Regina.[9]

McMorris competed at his first FIS Snowboard World Cup during the 2009–2010 season placing eighth in the big air event in Quebec City.[10] He followed up with a World Cup victory in Slopestyle in Calgary.[11]

2011 Winter Season[]

At the Winter X Games XV in Aspen, Colorado, he won a silver medal in the slopestyle competition finishing behind fellow Canadian Sebastien Toutant.[12] He won gold at the 2011 World Snowboard Tour's Air & Style competition beating out Peetu Piiroinen, Werner Stock, and Nils Arvidsson in the final.[13]

2012 X-Games[]

In 2012, McMorris won double gold at Winter X Games XVI. McMorris won a gold in the big air event as well as the Slopestyle event. It was the first double gold at Winter X-Games since Shaun White had in 2009.[14]

2013 X-Games[]

In 2013, McMorris's performance at Winter X Games XVII awarded him a double podium, a silver medal in Big Air beat by Torstein Horgmo's first triple in competition, and a gold in Slopestyle. His 2013 slopestyle score was an all-time high in X-Games Slopestyle history.[15] McMorris achieved the score while defending his title in his final run.[16]

2014 X-Games and Olympics[]

At X-Games XVIII, McMorris placed 2nd behind fellow Canadian Max Parrot in the Slopestyle event. McMorris' hopes of a 3rd consecutive gold medal were dashed when he tripped on the rails, crashed, and fractured a rib during the 3rd and final run of the event. Despite the injury, McMorris still competed in the Winter Olympics in Sochi.[17] As McMorris arrived in Sochi, he said he felt remarkably good, stating, "The amount of progress I've made since I broke my rib on Saturday has been unexplainable. I didn't believe I could be on this path, going this fast. At the same time, walking around an airport is different than going snowboarding and taking impact."

At the Olympics, McMorris fell on his first qualifying run and failed to make it through directly to the final with his score on his second run. In the semi-finals he managed to put up one of the top four scores in order to qualify for the final. There, he again fell on his first attempt. McMorris' second run was good enough to put him on the podium and win bronze. It was a tough couple of weeks for McMorris with his injury and a flood of different emotions. He said that "To get on the podium is just a dream come true. I can't explain this. I've just been through a roller coaster over these last few weeks."[18]

2015 X-Games[]

At Winter X-Games XIX Mark McMorris struck back and got a double gold once again. McMorris achieved a 96 in his second run in the Slopestyle event beating out Stale Sandbech, and in Big Air he achieved an 88 beating out fellow Canadian Max Parrot.

2016 X-Games[]

At Winter X-Games XX, McMorris achieved a gold in the Slopestyle, and a silver in the Big Air event.

2017 X-Games[]

After suffering from a femur break shortly after the 2016 X-Games, Mark McMorris returned and achieved two bronze medals. His return was a highlight of the X-Games with announcers often mentioning it.

2018 Winter Olympics[]

McMorris subsequently returned to snowboard competition and competed for Team Canada during the 2018 Winter Olympics, only eleven months after his accident.

McMorris placed third in Men's Slopestyle behind fellow Canadian Max Parrot and the American gold medalist Red Gerard, earning his second Olympic bronze medal.[19]

2019 X-Games[]

He won two medals in Aspen 2019 (one gold in Slopestyle, one silver in Big air).[20]

2020 X-Games[]

He won three medals in 2020. One in Aspen 2020 (one silver in Big air)[21] and two in Norway 2020 (one gold in Big Air and one silver in Slopestyle).[22][23]

2020-2021 Winter Season[]

At the 2021 Aspen World Cup, McMorris placed in third behind Marcus Kleveland and Red Gerard after he performed a backside triple cork 1620.[citation needed]

2021-2022 Winter Season[]

McMorris placed 3rd in the 2021 Dew Tour at Copper Mountain after doing a frontside double cork 1080 to backside triple cork 1440 on the final two jumps.[citation needed]

Injuries[]

In February 2016 McMorris broke his right femur at Shaun White's Air + Style Big Air in Los Angeles. He attempted to do a frontside triple cork 1440, but in his landing his toe edge was caught which caused him to flip and break his femur. He had a long recovery, starting at Fortius Sport & Health in Vancouver. He was back snowboarding in July 2016 in Australia with some friends. A series of four episodes following his recovery was produced by X Games, and aired in October 2016.[24]

McMorris went boarding in the backcountry at Whistler, British Columbia with some friends in late March 2017. He hit a tree and suffered serious, near-fatal injuries,[25] and was in the ICU in Vancouver. His brother, Craig McMorris, spoke to The National shortly after the accident, and described what had happened: "There was a fog [...] coming in and out, and Mark unfortunately drifted a little bit too far left, [...] we're hitting a feature, and he goes a little too far left and ends up in a clump of trees."[26] McMorris suffered a fractured jaw, a fractured left arm, a ruptured spleen, a pelvic fracture, rib fractures and a collapsed left lung. He underwent two successful surgeries.

Personal life[]

McMorris was born in Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada, and is the son of Saskatchewan provincial politician Don McMorris, a grain farmer, and Cindy McMorris, a nurse.[7][27] His older brother, Craig McMorris, is also a professional snowboarder.[28] McMorris attended Dr. Martin LeBoldus High School.[29] McMorris also competed in wakeboarding before devoting himself to snowboarding. He has several tattoos, including one of sheaves of wheat representing the province of Saskatchewan.[27]

References[]

  1. ^ Snowboarder (2015). "2016 #1 Men's Rider of the Year Mark McMorris". Snowboarder.
  2. ^ Dean, Josh (January 31, 2013). "The Next Shaun White?". Rolling Stone (1175): 24.
  3. ^ DiManno, Rosie (February 8, 2014). "Canadian Olympian Mark McMorris finds bronze mixed blessing". Toronto Star. Archived from the original on February 12, 2014.
  4. ^ Travis Persaud (2018). "Go behind the scenes of Mark McMorris's double cork 1170". Red Bull.
  5. ^ a b "Profile". Canadian Olympic Committee. December 27, 2013. Retrieved January 25, 2014.
  6. ^ "Mark McMorris Profile – Bio". ESPN. Archived from the original on July 20, 2012.
  7. ^ a b "Regina snowboarder wows fans with trick". Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. March 8, 2011. Archived from the original on March 8, 2011.
  8. ^ Scott Stinson (February 6, 2018). "The journey of Olympic snowboarder Mark McMorris: From a hospital bed to Pyeongchang". National Post. Retrieved March 12, 2018.
  9. ^ a b Polischuk, Heather (September 2, 2006). "Festival Begins with a Roar". Regina Leader-Post.
  10. ^ "Korpi caps gold weekend at World Cup". Postmedia News. January 24, 2010. Archived from the original on March 8, 2011.
  11. ^ Meyers, Sean (January 30, 2010). "McMorris wins slopestyle gold". Postmedia News. Archived from the original on March 9, 2011.
  12. ^ MacDonald, Nancy (November 1, 2011). "Canada's queen of the slopes". Maclean's.
  13. ^ Larsen, Melissa (February 7, 2011). "TTR 6 Star Billabong Air & Style Innsbruck won by second-place Winter X slopestyle winner Mark McMorris". ESPN. Archived from the original on March 9, 2011.
  14. ^ Mesley, Wendy (January 29, 2012). "A Canadian athlete struck double gold at the Winter X Games in Colorado". The National. ProQuest 918653451.
  15. ^ Slater, Craig (January 28, 2013). "Regina snowboarder Mark McMorris wins two medals at Winter X-Games in Aspen". Regina Leader-Post. Archived from the original on January 28, 2013.
  16. ^ "Mark McMorris wins gold at X Game". CBC Sports. January 26, 2013.
  17. ^ "Mark McMorris faces uphill battle to recover in time for Olympics". CBC Sports. January 27, 2014.
  18. ^ Kate Petterson (February 8, 2014). "Mark McMorris wins bronze in slopestyle snowboarding". CBC Sports.
  19. ^ "America gets 1st gold medal of 2018 Olympics thanks to 17-year-old Red Gerard". SBNation.com. Retrieved February 11, 2018.
  20. ^ Colbert, Austin. "X Games Aspen 2020 preview: Scotty James, Mark McMorris are back for more in men's snowboarding". aspentimes.com. Retrieved March 8, 2020.
  21. ^ Olivero, Antonio. "Parrot's 1800 powers him to X Games snowboard big air gold". summitdaily.com. Retrieved March 8, 2020.
  22. ^ "X Games Norway 2020 Day One News and Results". ESPN Press Room U.S. March 7, 2020. Retrieved March 8, 2020.
  23. ^ "X Games Norway 2020 Day Two News and Results". ESPN Press Room U.S. March 8, 2020. Retrieved March 8, 2020.
  24. ^ X Games (November 8, 2016). "The Process". X Games.
  25. ^ TransWorld SNOWboarding (April 3, 2017). "Mark McMorris Backcountry Injury : UPDATE". TransWorld SNOWboarding.
  26. ^ CBC Television (March 27, 2017). "Mark McMorris suffers serious crash". The National (CBC).
  27. ^ a b Branch, John (September 15, 2013). "'Like a Hurricane in the Air': Mark McMorris, Olympic Snowboarding Gold Contender". The New York Times. pp. SP1. Retrieved September 15, 2013.
  28. ^ "Feature Footy: Mark and Craig McMorris". Snowboard Canada. Archived from the original on October 28, 2012. Retrieved March 3, 2013.
  29. ^ "LeBoldus Student is snowboard World Cup winner" (PDF). Regina Catholic School Division Director's Communiqué. Regina Catholic School Division (16): 5. April 2012. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 8, 2015. Retrieved January 30, 2015.

External links[]

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