Vernon resident Kevin Hill is competing at the 2022 Winter Olympics snowboard cross event.

Image Credit: FACEBOOK/Kevin Hill

A Vernon Olympian is getting his third chance to land a podium spot next month as part of the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, China.

Kevin Hill, a 35-year-old Vernon resident, talked to iNFOnews from Austria, fresh off of a World Cup snowboard cross competition in Russia. Team Canada doesn’t want athletes travelling as much as possible, so he isn't returning home until after the event.

“The team doesn't want us travelling a bunch, taking that extra risk because even if we get close contact with COVID, you’re out, you’re done, so you don’t want to get a cold right now because you’re probably not going to the games,” Hill said.

Originally, Hill wanted to attend the 2008 Olympics in Beijing as a BMX rider but he said he’s not built like the BMX racers. He started snowboarding around the same time he started BMX racing. This year, he's competing in the men's snowboard cross event.

READ MORE: Big White snowboarder heading to Beijing Olympics

“They’re powerhouses and I mean I’m powerful for my size but they’re bigger,” he said. “I didn’t quite have what it took in BMX… but I’m happy it worked out in snowboard cross because gravity helps and the skill and technique is very similar to BMX.”

He didn’t get into snowboard cross until he was 19 but thought since he already had the drive to win, it helped with changing sports. He likes how there’s a little more room for error in the snowboarding event.

“You can overshoot a jump and still win a race, you can make little mistakes and still win but in BMX you pretty much have to have every jump and every finish... aligned to win,” he said. “In boarder cross, you can sometimes have a horrible start but still win the race.”

Kevin Hill (centre) and Tess Critchlow (third from right) are two Central Okanagan residents competing at the Winter Olympics in Bejing, China.

Image Credit: FACEBOOK/Kevin Hill

More and more, it’s better to be in second or third as the snowboarder in front can break the wind for second place so the second place can come out on top.

Hill always liked individual and extreme sports and when he was younger he chased the sports that cost less to get into.

“I just knew that it was the pinnacle of BMX when it was introduced in 2008… and when that didn’t work out, I wasn’t bummed. I knew there were reasons why, I knew I just didn't quite have what it took and I was completely fine with that and so I chased after it with this sport.”

READ MORE: Olympic medallists Leman, Thompson, Phelan headline ski cross team for Beijing

Hill competed in 2014 in Sochi, finishing eighth in the snowboard cross men’s event and again at the Winter Olympics in PyeongChang, finishing 14th.

For his third event, he’s described it as “stressful.” There’s a different feeling this time around with no ceremonies or ability to explore the country due to COVID-19.

“It’s a totally different vibe. There’s less pressure as well, I set my expectations high but I know now in my career it’s not a do or die,” Hill said.

“At least now after doing a couple, it takes a lot of weight off the shoulders, you can enjoy it a lot more now realizing that. Just be thankful for everything that’s been given.”

When he’s not training, he’s landscaping in the summer to pay off his snowboarding in the winter. The future is open, depending on how the body and bank account feels, he said.

Canadian diplomats are also not attending the events as part of a boycott against China over human rights abuses.

READ MORE: Olympic athletes heading to Beijing warned about Chinese cyber spies

“I could care less who's watching on TV or in the stands, just being able to compete is all that matters to me, no politics are in my mind, just getting into the country, getting out of the country, that’s pretty much the way I look at it,” Hill said.

Hill is also coming to the games with a minor knee injury, but during his last training session, he’s felt the best he’s ever been.

“I’m just ready to compete,” he said. Family and friends will be watching his race from Vernon. Big White snowboarder Tess Critchlow is also competing in the women's snowboard cross event as part of Team Canada. The events will be held Feb. 4 to 20.

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