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22 Sports Oakville Beaver SPORTS EDITOR: JON KUIPERIJ Phone 905-845-3824 (ext. 255) Fax 905-337-5567 email sports@oakvillebeaver.com · SATURDAY, MAY 17, 2008 Snowboarder adjusts sights after reaching new heights By Herb Garbutt J truly is within striking distance of the top riders. The event draws the world's top riders, with a field even stronger eff Batchelor reached new heights than the World Cups. For snowboardin terms of his own performance. ing, it's as close to the Olympic-calibre Now, he wants to push the limits competition as riders get each year reigning Olympic champion Shaun of the sport. After a season in which Batchelor White won this year's event. Batchelor finished 15th but just won two World Cup silver medals and qualified for the finals at the Burton making the final proved to be quite an U.S. Open, the 20-year-old's newfound accomplishment on its own. With dedication and experience have him more than 100 competitors, there are setting his sights on the world's top four rounds of qualifying just to reach the final. And by making the final this riders. When Batchelor returns to the half year, he'll get to skip the first three pipe after taking the summer to rest rounds next year, earning a pass to the and recuperate after a long season, semifinals. Batchelor said his international he'll focus on incorporating more experience has been valuswitch riding (landing or able in helping him distaking off backwards), "I don't like to covering a routine that adding some of the tricks tire myself out. It works for him at competiof the top riders, like a cab seems to be a tions. Usually he'll fly to a 1080, and push the boundstrategy that competition on Monday, aries of the sport with the works for me." take Tuesday as a rest day likes of a backside 1260. to get over jet lag, a day of "I've come close to practice on Wednesday to landing it but nobody has Jeff Batchelor get used to the half pipe ever landed one in compeand then work on his tition," Batchelor said. "I think it's purely mental. Usually you tricks on Thursday. The new element just practice that trick but if you want of the routine is a light day on the to do a full run, you need to link it up Friday. "I don't like to tire myself out," he with five others." Batchelor admits that sometimes he said. "It seems to be a strategy that wasn't as dedicated as he needed to be, works for me." It's one that he came about by acciciting his first training camp with the national team in New Zealand. As a 17- dent after he twice broke his board year-old at the time, he said it was easy during Friday practice sessions. He's also learned that a less to get distracted by the country's lively rigourous off-season can actually be party scene. "I definitely need to make better use beneficial, allowing his body, and in particular his knees, to recuperate after of those trips," he said. Batchelor said working with the a long season. After the World Cup seaIcarus Snowboard Team, an elite group son ended, Batchelor still had a busy of Ontario boarders coached by former competition schedule that saw him finpro snowboarder Jesse Fulton, has ish second at the Canadian nationals, first at the junior nationals and topped helped in that regard. "He's been a very good influence on by his strong showing at the U.S. Open. "I've got to take some time off to let me and my work ethic," Batchelor said. "He'll push me. He'll say you're not my body heal," he said. "With 2010 (Olympics in Vancouver) coming up, I stopping until you do this." The results on the World Cup cir- have to make sure my body physically cuit have encouraged Batchelor but is peaking and mentally I'm peaking so the U.S. Open let him know that he I can go the distance at 2010." OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF HIGH HOPES: Jeff Batchelor performs a frontside 540 tailgrab as he soars through the air at the Telus World Ski and Snowboard Festival this past winter in Whistler, B.C. The 20-year-old local resident, coming off a season in which he won two World Cup silver medals and qualified for the finals at the Burton U.S. Open, hopes to overtake the world's top riders next year. The true story of a man, a pig and their journey to the table. Look for this innovative series Look for this innovative series in The Hamilton Spectator Saturday May 24 The Hamilton Spectator Saturday, May 24 to June 7. h il d June 1003