If you know snowboarding, you would know about Sage Kotsenburg, and if you don’t, you will soon.  Young Sage was born with a snowboard strapped to his feet.  At just 15 years old he is already one the riders to watch at Park City, no mean feat when you consider the proliferation of talent that comes out of this shred hot-spot.  Sage is gradually working his way up the Swatch TTR ranking and his profile is steadily growing.  

Definitely one of the most motivated young riders coming out of the U.S, Sage knows he has what it takes to be throwing down with the big dogs and he is doing everything he can to step it up in his quest for snowboarding super-stardom.  The family that ‘shreds together, stays together’ and the fact that the whole Kotsenburg family are stoked on riding will help Sage in his mission to become one of the world’s best.  With siblings as training partners and parents that manage, film and finance his career, Sage has got the support network in place to boost him into the big time.


When and where did you start snowboarding?  

My brother, Blaze, started snowboarding a little bit before me.  He was having so much more fun on a board than on skis, I had to try it.  I started snowboarding at Park City Mountain Resort when I was five years old.  I have been riding there for ten years now and love it more every year!  
 
Could you give me a brief explanation about your first contest and how you got into competing on the TTR circuit?  

The very first contest that I did was a GS racing event at Park City when I was 7 years old.  I won my age division and it lit a fire in me to become one of the best.  I think my first TTR competition was the U.S. Open Men's SS when I was 12 years old.  It was awesome to stand up there in the start gate and know that I was competing with some of the best riders in the world.  I have gone back there every year since.  
 
There is a tonne of awesome riders in the U.S. Which riders inspire you? Who do you look up to as a kid coming up?

Yeah there are so many talented riders here in the U.S. and around the world and there are many riders who inspire me.   Too many to name.  If I have to name only one it would be Travis Rice because of the way he progresses the sport with his riding.  I look up to not only Travis but also Kevin Pearce and Torstein Horgmo.  The one rider I look up to the most is my older brother, Blaze.  He has always been the one pushing me and getting me to do tricks that I probably would never have tried on my own.  
 
When did you realize you could make it as a professional snowboarder?  

Well, the seed was planted when I was about eight years old and I started doing the U.S. snowboard series.  I won every event in my series for four straight years so I knew that I was at least halfway decent at this sport.  I won my first prize money when I was 11 years old and came in 3rd Place at the Volcom PBRJ Finals 15 & under in Mammoth in May 2005.  That was a big event for me mentally.  I knew then that I had the start of what it takes to become a pro.
 
What are your goals as a snowboarder? How big do you want to go? What do you want to achieve?  

Goals are a big deal to me, and not just in snowboarding.  I set goals, long-term and short-term, all the time.  When I attain a goal, I cross it off and put down another one.  My goals as a snowboarder are to be one of the best in the world one day, progressing the sport as much as I can and get as innovative as I can.  I want to give everything I have to snowboarding right now and achieve my goals sooner rather than later.  I want to fuel the passion that I think all of us riders have for snowboarding by taking advantage of the opportunities to ride whatever my stoke is at that point in my life.  Right now I'm super stoked doing the comps.  I want to achieve a lifetime of satisfaction in snowboarding.   
 
You have been doing well on the TTR Circuit, slowly climbing up the rankings.  How does it feel to be coming up and doing well?  

I'm only 15 but I have worked really hard at perfecting my riding.  I still have a long way to go but It feels so good to be rewarded for the years of hard work that I've already put in.  Climbing up the rankings isn't the end all for me but it sure feels awesome to see something tangible for the effort.  

You attended all the Southern Hemisphere events this year.  How do you feel your snowboarding developed at these events?  

Yeah, the Southern Hemisphere events were the start of a new season and a whole new chapter for me.  I turned 15 during the Burton New Zealand Open and it kind of hit me that I was capable of putting in a good finish in a world class event.  When I was down under I learned a lot of new tricks that I have been trying to include in my comp runs.  I was down there for a month so I set goals to do the whole time and it has really paid off for me.  I also realized that strategy plays a big part in the competition format.  I have tried to develop those strategies into my comp riding.  
 
 
 I know you have a brother who is also competing in snowboarding.  Apart from him who else do you ride with.  Who pushes your riding?  

Yeah I pretty much ride with my brother, Blaze, and my sister, Kirra, all the time.  Blaze isn't doing comps this year, so we have missed riding together.  I also like to ride with Dan Brisse.  He's a methodical rider like me and I like to ride with Eric and Chris Willett, Sam Hulbert, and Tyler Flanagan.  I would like to think that we all push each other.  But a lot of the time I actually ride by myself, pushing myself.  That is when I try new tricks the most.  When I'm in that mode, I find that riding with other people slows me down.  

 You are a new rider coming up on the scene.  How has Swatch TTR helped you progress your riding?  

The TTR offers so much to a rider who competes.  You have a choice of small events to the high profile invite-only events.  I have gotten the opportunity at some of these events to ride with some of the big name pro guys and I really enjoy that because they automatically push you to do your personal best.  The TTR has helped me progress this year by holding events at some awesome resorts with perfect venues.  Big jumps are my passion.  Last month at the BEO, I was able to ride one of the best Slopestyle courses and attain one of my current goals.  I landed by first b/s 1260 at Laax.  
 
Anyone you want to thank or shout outs?  

First I want to give a shout out to my whole family.  They are super supportive.  My mom home schools us three kids, films, makes movies and travels with me.  My dad works really hard trying to make it happen financially.  I know he sacrifices a lot.  Thanks to Blaze for giving me his share of travel monry this year so that I could compete around the world!  Thanks to Kirra for being my number one fan.  Shout out to Mark "Funky" Beauchman.  He's the guy who got me hooked on big jumps when I was 12 and taught me how to spin off my toes.  Shout out to XRC!  Thanks to my sponsors for all the support they give me throughout the year.
 
What can we expect from Sage Kotensburg in the coming years?  

I would like to believe that I am going to strive to be one of the best riders in the world.  I love the competitions and I think it would be safe to say that I will continue to be pushing myself to become a better snowboarder.  I think you can expect that I am going to be around for awhile and loving every minute of it!