During the Vancouver 2010 games, it was hard not to get caught up in the excitement of Alexander Bilodeau’s craftsmanship on the moguls or Sean White’s creativity and courage in the half-pipe.
Whether or not you are a sports fan who prefers traditional athletics, such as hockey or football, there is no denying that ‘extreme sports’ are here to stay and there is a wave of them that is growing in popularity among today’s youth.
This week’s ExerciseToronto.Com athlete of the week, Patrick Switzer, is one of these extreme athletes… And after getting to know him a little bit, it’s clear that the passion he has for his sport, is larger than Toronto’s biggest Leaf fan!
Switzer, 22, is recognized as one of Canada’s biggest up-and-coming downhill longboarders – a sport that propels daredevil humans down steep hills and tight corners at speed in excess of 90km/h.
We sat down with him to get to know him a little better, understand his sport and to try and figure just what exactly motivates him to do what he does!
Patrick, to begin, what are some of the athletic organizations you are associated with?
Currently I am working with a few great sponsors: The British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT), Orangatang Wheels, Fullbag Skateboards and Vicious Griptape.
At BCIT, I have been involved with leading the longboarding club, being a member of the Student Association, and climbing club since September 2009.
With regard to downhill skateboarding, teams or rather family I belong to are known as the Escarpment Surfers (ES), Ontario Longboarding and the Multi-Cultural Dragons (MCD)
What is the greatest accomplishment of your athletic career?
In 2009 I competed in the IGSA World Cup Series and placed 3rd in the world. I attended races in France, Italy, Austria, Czech Republic, England, Canada and the United States.
I won 1st place at the Maryhill Festival of Speed in Washington, USA. Maryhill is the largest event of the season attracting international racers and substantial whooping crowds.
What are some of your short-term athletic goals?
An important short-term goal for me is to become comfortable riding switch (opposite stance).
As exercising the mind is just as important as the body, I am training to adapt myself to be an ambidextrous skater.
This will help overall control of myself on the board and equal out the strain of using one side of the body exclusively.
What are some of your long-term goals?
1) To master body rotation in terms of drifting control on a longboard. Being fluent in my freestyle riding makes riding a longboard that much closer to the feel on a snowboard.
2) Grow the sport of skateboarding. To share my knowledge and positively influence the worldwide community of skateboarders. To portray downhill skateboarding as a professionally acknowledged sport.
3) Finish my mechanical engineering diploma at BCIT and continue my learning to attain an engineering degree or focus in avenues to better my skills in public relations and media production.
Are there any individuals you know/have met personally, who have been an inspiration to you?
Adam Colton for his kindness and unique style. Adam is consistently pushing his limits and showing the world what is possible.
Renee Michaud, as she is true to herself and believes in a sustainable, ethical way of living. Her fun-loving, adventuresome nature draws people to her. Community, family and making a difference to those around her drives her success.
What motivates you to be successful?
I enjoy a challenge… My motivation for success is knowing that my only limitation is how high I set the bar.
Trust in myself has taken me much further in life than going by what I expect to accomplish.
What type of training do you do to prepare for your long-boarding competitions?
A significant amount of exercise is directed towards strengthening my core and flexibility. Rock climbing, soccer, bike riding and balance training. The sport of downhill skateboarding is demanding and adrenaline driven.
Training to ride a speedboard would be like balancing on a slack line attached to an F1 racing car.
Please go into detail about what a typical day would consist of for:
Wake up to classic rock radio. A wailing guitar always starts the day off well.
A giant’s serving of fruit infested oatmeal topped with pure Ontario maple syrup. Living close to school allows me to enjoy a longboard or bike ride every day for a healthy dose of fresh air.
After or between classes I visit the on campus climbing gym. At night I make use of the playground next door as my cross fit gym. The day isn’t complete without a hearty meal to satisfy the palate.
During my training season I prefer skating fresh and early before traffic congests the roads.
I push my limits with high speed or free-ride runs down mountain roadways practicing technical skills on steep roads, and dialing race lines through sweepers and hairpins. Riding can last a few hours, to a nine-hour day depending how nice the scenery is, and the overall level of stoke in my fellow riders.
How did you get involved in your sport?
I became involved through Toronto’s weekly downtown “Old Skool Night Shred’s” in 2005.
All of a sudden I was immersed in a family of skaters every week.
The influential local crew took me in as I was put through the paces picking up slalom, technical sliding, downhill and tight pack garage riding all quite quickly…Racing was a natural progression.
Are there any additional details you wish to mention?
My 2010 riding season is June till December. Visit www.PatrickSwitzer.ca as well as www.twitter.com/PatrickSwitzer to stay updated and look forward to high quality media event coverage also general horsing around lifestyle in whatever destination my crew and I are in.
Visit “LoadedNewsletter” on YouTube for high quality videos showing the progression and diversity in longboarding…http://www.youtube.com/user/LoadedNewsletter
Till next time, stay safe and make someone smile!
Thanks for taking the time to do this Patrick, and the best of luck to you.
Exercise Toronto Staff
April 29, 2010
Just had to leave a note. I went to college with pat in his first year. This guy lives, breathes, sweats and bleeds longboarding and he deserves all the recognition in the world for the time, effort and care he puts into his training and how he promotes the sport. Iv never seen someone in an extreme sport so focused on promotion of safety, Helping others progress, and professional development of himeslf and the sport. This Guy has a big story to tell and an even bigger heart. If theres ever a chance, this guy needs to be praised for his commitement and what he will be doing for this sport in the years to come. Patrick Switzer teaching me to longboard was my therapy through college and he is a master at the game.
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Comment by Russ Walton — @ 5:36 am