After winning the first Olympic qualifier back in February, 17-year-old Red Gerard has put himself within striking distance of his first Olympic team. Though he’s one of the smaller riders in the field, he’s capable of landing triple corks, and growing up with a terrain park literally in his backyard has enabled him to develop a solid rail game.

The 2015 Dew Tour could be considered Gerard’s breakout event. It was there in Breckenridge that he finished in fifth place and proved he was ready to step up from the amateur circuit and battle for podiums with the world’s top slopestyle riders.

Snowboarding runs in the family for Gerard. Growing up with five older siblings meant that Gerard was chasing his older brothers around the mountain on a board at a young age. The family’s eventual move from Ohio to Colorado was a key moment that proved to be fortuitous for his career, as it was there that the family constructed the backyard course that served as a training ground for Gerard and his brothers.