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Your Age: 23
Your Location (where do you ride mostly): Wakeboarding: Lake Lorelei in Fayetteville, OH; Snowboarding: I grew up snowboarding at Perfect North Slopes in Indiana, but now that I live in Columbus, Ohio I will be riding at Mad River. Rock Climbing: Vertical Adventures in Columbus, OH
Weapon(s) of choice: Wakeboard, snowboard, climbing shoes, wakesurf, kayak, paddle board, long board, my Canon Rebel t4i & 35mm film camera, yoga mat, and hiking boots.
What’s an average day for you like? I have just completed my first year at my “big girl” job so my day typically consists of working 9-5 and then heading to the rock climbing gym. Since I have moved to Columbus for this job, rock climbing has become a much bigger part of my life. When I lived at my lake house in Cincinnati I was able to spend much more time on the water.
What is the most difficult part of your activity/sports for a beginner? The easiest?Wakeboarding: I would say the most difficult part of wakeboarding for a beginner is standing up to quick and not allowing the boat to pull the person out of the water. I would say the easiest is having fun! Rock Climbing: The most difficult part for a beginner is learning to use your feet to move higher, rather than pulling with your arms. The easiest would be learning to tie a figure 8 knot.
What is the best and worst thing about being female in your sport? Best: When it comes to wakeboarding, it feels really awesome to ride in front of people who have never seen a female wakeboarder. People are always blown away. Worst: Being told that females will never progress as well as the men.
What would you like to see change in your sport to make it better for you and other female athletes? I would like to see more females get out and try the sport.
Besides your ability and style factor as an athlete, how would you describe your personal style? Kind, outgoing, creative and loving.
What are your favorite brands/designers for your sports apparel and for stepping out? When it comes to wakeboarding I am a huge fan of repping Liquid Force. My boots, board and jacket are all Liquid Force. Snowboarding I rep Ride boards and burton boots. I am a huge fan of Neff hats. For rock climbing I love black diamond and evolv.
How dangerous do you really think it is compared to what people do in their regular activities? Wakeboarding and snowboarding are much more dangerous than most regular activities due to the risk injury- broken bones, concussions, tearing acls, etc. Unfortunately progression comes with the risk of all these.
What usually gets people hooked on your activity/sport? I would say the adrenaline factor is a big hook.
What is your favorite trick? Wake to wake toeside 180 with a grab.
Do you own any other toys? Boat, kayak, paddle board…lots of fun water toys!
What gets you pumped up for the day? Knowing that I get to typically end my day doing something that I love- wakeboarding, snowboarding or climbing.
What are three things you could not live without? My camera, wakeboard & snowboard.
Who have been your biggest supporters in getting you to where you are now? The crew I ride with at the lake has always pushed me at wakeboarding and have always been supporters of me being one of the only female riders at the lake.
Who’s your favorite rider/shooter (photo/video)? Jamie Anderson, Hannah Teter & Shota Tezuka
What do you do in your spare time when you’re not riding/shooting/competing? Hike, read, hang out with friends and plan my next adventure.
How about in the off season to stay in shape? I have always tried to keep up with going to the gym in the off-season. Now that I am really into rock climbing that has been my way of staying in shape.
What is your biggest goal to accomplish this/next season? Next wakeboard season I want to accomplish landing my healside 360s and working on wake-to-wake blind 180s.
What do you do to prep for a competition? Listen to music that gets me pumped up!
What competitions and other awards have you won? Include your non sports accomplishments also. I have received the Undergraduate Creative Research Award for my senior thesis photography project, Drive Thrus (which you can check out on my photography website! Katiejohnstonephotography.com) I was also chosen to have that project shown in a gallery in Columbus and won the New School Award.
What’s your favorite “way” to ride? Wake: Definitely behind a boat, preferably a wakeboard boat! Snow: I love to free ride as well as mess around in the park.
Favorite conditions? Wakeboarding: Glass water & warm weather. Snowboarding: Pow days are the best.
Where would be your biggest dream place to ride and why? Lake Powell. Ever since I was little and saw a picture of Lake Powell I have always wanted to ride there. It is so beautiful!
What song(s) do you listen to while riding that puts you in the zone? I have so many…Fineshrine by Purity Ring, Pumpin Blood by NONONO, Midnight City by M83, Good Vibes by Rebelution, So Young So High by DADA Life. The list goes on and one.
What turned you on to your sport? My dad. He had me on the boat when I was two months old and was the first person to introduce me to wakeboarding. Watching a few guys ride at my lake also inspired me to get out and ride.
Any new tricks you’re working on? Healside 360s.
What other extreme/action sports are you into? Rock climbing.
If extreme/action sports didn’t exist, what would you be doing with all the free time you’d have? I would probably go crazy… I would hike all the time & probably read much more than I already do.
What’s your favorite board/bike/sled to ride and why? Liquid force the Melissa board- I have had her boards for years and couldn’t imagine riding anything else!
What’s the trick to riding features and not killing yourself? Confidence and trying not to over think everything.
How would you describe your riding style? Fun and chill.
What would you say is your signature trick? Wake to wake toeside 180.
What do you want to be when you grow up? I want to be a professional photographer and work in a museum.
Any of your own web pages or social media buttons you want links to? Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kstones001/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/katie.johnstone.733
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ILoveSnowStones
My photography website: www.katiejohnstonephotography.com
