Snowboarders who are serious about making their passion a career need to take their snowboarding to the next level. These days, it's simply not enough to just be a good snowboarder. They need to go a step further and translate their skills into some sort of measurable indicator: banger video part or trio of top contest results. If a company invests it's money into an athlete, not only do they want to get their money's worth in terms of exposure, but rather they genuinely want to support them on their pathway to being as successful as possible.

During the past three years, I've watched Vernon, BC's Jess Kimura climb, no wait... scale her way up the ranks through competitions and video parts to where she is now.  After having one hell of a successful year, I thought it might be a perfect time to ask her what she's got planned for the future. After sitting with her and going through a few questions, I'm more convinced than ever that, after this past year, this Gandhi-quoting girl is just getting started at making her mark on the global snowboard scene.

I'd say you had a hell of a year. If I'm not mistaken, that might have been your best season to date? 
Yeah, it was pretty good... I mean, I got to travel more than ever, and do some things on my snowboard that I've been wanting to do for a long time. I had some really good opportunities this year.

You travelled all over the place this season! I know some of it was for contests, but you also got some filming completed with Think Thank and a Euro story for Volcom up in the mix. What was your schedule like?
I spent most of my season focusing on filming parts for Think Thank and Peepshow. I went on trips to Alaska, Ottawa, interior BC, Austria, Switzerland, Quebec, Washington, California, Oregon...it was so sick to be able to travel that much for snowboarding. I also spent some time out east to film a documentary for PeepShow. I did some contests as well as men's and women's Superpark.

Peepshow vs. Quebec: Jess Kimura

So what can we expect to see you in this upcoming year? More vids?
Yeah, I worked really hard to make sure I have tons of magazine coverage coming out for next year. I filmed a part for the new Think Thank vid, Right Brain, Left Brain, and also a part for PeepShow's Let's Make Better Mistakes Tomorrow.

At the both the Ride Shakedown and Women's Super Park, you came up on some pretty good cash. What plans do you have for all that money?
Snowboarding and travelling on my own dime for the past few years had put me pretty deep in debt. I used the money to pay off some credit cards and I finally bought a new computer.

All contests aside, what else made your season so damn successful?
There is no secret: hard work, dedication, and persistence.

How do you stay positive when you get hurt during the snowboard season?
That's the hardest one. I try to focus on getting the shit done that I don't have time for when I'm riding every day. I do a lot of work on my computer, sort through footy and photos, answer emails... I try to be as productive as I would be if I was riding, just in other ways. It also gives me a chance to re-focus on getting my body in top shape so I don't get hurt as easily the next time.

After a season that busy, you're deserving of some rest.  What are you up to this fall? Putting on the tool belt and gettin' ‘er done?
I've been riding lots at CoC in Whistler and at High Cascade down at Hood. I'm still trying to get some last minute bangers for my Peep Show part. After summer riding is done, I'll be going back to work construction. I need to make sure I have some back-up money for the next season so I can be sure to get everything done that I need to without having to rely on anyone else.

I think its safe to say that although some people may say you're good for a girl, I'm going to go ahead and say fu*k them cause you're just what the industry needs for girls snowboarding. Does that sound fair?
I don't know...I've been waiting a long time to see some change in the girls' industry. For a while it seemed like they were only looking for one type of girl. I wanted to kick down the door and make some room for something else. I hope that in a way I can help people take girls' snowboarding more seriously. I heard this quote once that said, "be the change you want to see in the world". [It was Mahatma Ghandi. - ed.] I spent this season with that in my head and I hope to be successful at it.

You're a good woman Jess. How much longer are you going to keep going with this snowboard career of yours?
I haven't even scratched the surface of what I want to do on my snowboard.  Trying to be a pro snowboarder, for me anyway, isn't about all the bullshit you get from it. It's about being able to spend all my time and energy on getting good at snowboarding, and documenting it through photos and video. There are so many things I want to do still so I wouldn't put a time limit on anything. I guess when I can't stand up to strap in anymore... That's when I go get good at surfing, haha.

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Related:
Sunny, Sunny Days with Jess Kimura
Jess Kimura in Sixes And Sevens
Jess Kimura Shreds Seymour