Another weekend, another payday for Vernon’s Kevin Hill.
The 24-year-old outlasted top American riders to claim the US$10,000 first-place purse in snowboarder cross at the Snowboarding Grand Prix Saturday at the Canyons Resort in Park City, Utah.
It is the second big payout for Hill in three weeks as he won silver (and US$15,000) in men’s snowboard cross at Winter X Games in Aspen, Colo. He was supposed to race in a World Cup event last week in Korea, but poor course conditions caused the event to be cancelled.
“X Games was more money, but the feeling of this win was great. It has boosted my confidence a bunch,” said Hill.
The Grand Prix represents the U.S. championship, but only American-born riders qualify. Beantowner Jonathan Cheever was second behind Hill to take the crown.
Hill knew it was going to be a challenging event when he had to face Cheever and X Games gold-medallist Nick Baumgartner in his first heat.
“It was a stacked field,” said Hill.
This is Hill’s third full season on the world cup circuit, and he has already earned a Canadian championship and was an alternate at the Vancouver Olympics last year. He attempted to defend his national title Thursday at the World Cup event in Stoneham, Que.
“Last year was a building year, and this year it’s time to start getting the results,” said Hill, after a training session in -18C conditions Tuesday in Quebec.“The more money I see coming in, the harder I’m going to work for it.”
