Josh Dirksen: Professional Snowboarder

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Dirksen gets air in the backcountry. / Photo by Abe Blair | courtesy of Patagonia

Name: Josh Dirksen

Hometown: Bend

Age: 36

Sport: Snowboarding

Sponsors: Salomon snowboards, Patagonia, Dakine, Smith Optics, Mt. Bachelor and Drink Water

When did you start snowboarding?

I started snowboarding at Willamette Pass, Oregon on Christmas day in 1988. As a young ripper, who were your heroes in the sport? I looked up to all of the pro riders in the international snowboard magazines and videos, but my greatest influences at the time were the local riders. These riders included Chad Cooksey, Allister Shultz, Chad Barczak, Justin Stafford and my dad, who wasn’t a snow boarder but still very influential.

What do you consider your first big victory in competition?

In 1999, I won my first professional snowboard contest at the Vans Triple Crown in Breckenridge, Colorado. This was the first time I actually won a pro contest, which was exciting. But it wasn’t necessarily the most memorable contest I ever competed in. Over the years, I usually remember the contests where I felt I rode well instead of just how well I placed. My most memorable contest would be my third place finish at the 2001 X Games Big Air event at Mt. Snow in Vermont.

Tell us about your favorite day in the mountains so far.

After riding for the last twenty-five years, I have had too many incredible days around the world to choose just one. But there is always something extra special about going back home to Oregon. I would say a majority of my favorite days involve a stormy chairlift at Mt. Bachelor, with a couple inches of fresh snow and at least one or two stoked friends.

What’s your proudest moment in a snowboard film?

Filming a full-length part for Robot Food’s 2003 movie, Lame, was a great feeling. For any pro snowboarder, filming a full three-plus minute snowboard part for a major movie is always difficult. It is always nice when a season lines up with great snow, sunny weather, lots of stomped landings, no injuries and an ample amount of good luck. But I have learned it is hard to make that happen every season. I am always impressed by the handful of snowboarders every year who do.

What’s next for you? What are you working on now?

This season, I am hoping to go splitboarding with Jeremy Jones for his Deeper, Further, Higher movie trilogy; try to raise some more money and stoke for Tyler Eklund at the Dirksen Derby snowboard rally race; design some cool new boards for Salomon; and ride tons of deep pow with the Patagonia crew.

 

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