When the elusive professional snowboarder first reared it's ugly head the steps required to become one were very cut and dry: enter contest, win contest, repeat. Somewhere along the line video parts started to play a larger and larger role in this process. Eventually there were two distinct categories, the contest rider and the video (or ‘lifestyle') rider. More recently the video pool has become so diluted with marginal snowboarding that it is obvious a more direct route to becoming pro, and making a name for yourself, is to go back to shredding's roots and start winning some contests. Two young Canadian riders doing just that are Charles Reid and Sebastien Toutant (aka Seb Toots). Seb, having just turned 16 in December, certainly has a results list that is well beyond his years, while Charles Reid, 18, is no slouch coming off a win at the 2008 Shakedown where he just barely beat out Seb for top spot.

Seb Toots and his recent second place slopestyle win at the Burton Canadian Open.

With the professional snowboard realm becoming more and more competitive there is definitely a necessity to stand out amongst the rest. Part of the reason why contests are great for this is that the results aren't subjective (Depending on who you ask of course, but that's for a different column...). At the end of the day there is distinct ranking of who rode the best at that particular contest. With video parts it is next to impossible to really rank everyone into a distinct order. Obviously there will be 3 or 4 standout parts but the rest inevitably end up blurred and muddled into one big heap tied for 5th. Seb understands this and explains, "to help grow my name a little bit it is definitely better to win some contests. There are a lot of movies so it's hard to have the best part but with contests it's a really good way to measure your skills against other riders."

Contests enable the industry to easily rank snowboarders based on performance. It's doesn't take a rocket surgeon to realize this is by far the easiest way to stand out from the crowd. If you consistently get top spots at contests, you are obviously one of the top snowboarders.

The bottom line when it comes to making your sponsors happy is exposure. The more snowboarders that you can touch with your riding, contests, video, photo or otherwise, the better. Seb has found a spot that works for him with O'Neil and Oakley, "My sponsors like that I can get exposure in different ways. I can get my name out there in contests and with a video part. It's pretty much my decision though. My sponsors give me a lot of flexibility as long as I get the results at the end of the year." Charles describes how Burton, Anon and Nomis view his riding, "They want me to do contests mostly. If I get a chance to shoot at the end of the season they are stoked for sure." Having the right sponsors that provide the support required to travel around and compete is key. Without the financial backing from sponsors it can get extremely expensive chasing the dream from event to event. But if you are getting the exposure, sponsors will usually pony up the dough.

Seb in a rare non-contest appearance. 270 to front bus-slide, 270 out.

In a land where halfpipe snowboarding pretty much got it's start it's tough to find a young hungry schralper looking to make a name in the U-ditch. Accessibility seems to be the biggest problem. "My home resort of Val Saint Come in Quebec always has a great park," Seb describes, "so I practiced a lot more slopestyle when I was younger. We don't have a lot of good pipes in Quebec but I like to ride them when I can." Charles had to travel to find a pipe worthy of his talents, "I went to Colorado for a month to ride pipe and then did the Grand Prix and I am going to try and ride a lot more pipe and try for the Olympics for sure." Obviously with halfpipe being an Olympic event it could very well make the pipe rider the most sought after of the bunch. But until great pipes and the infrastructure to train and school young pipe phenoms is more accessible in Canada we will probably be farming mostly slopestyle riders. Seb and Charles seem to have no problem with that though, as their contest results show.

With X-Games being the pinnacle of slopestyle snowboarding it's no wonder these guys have their sights set on getting to Aspen. Canada hasn't had a major player, or any player for that matter, in men's slopestyle at X-Games for a number of years. Seb hopes to change that this year, "One of my biggest goals is to ride at X-Games and do really well. This year I am on the waiting list so I am going to Aspen in February and will get to practice and hopefully compete if someone drops out." Charles sees some of the other major contests as stepping stones, "I am just going to go out and ride my best at Dew Tour, US Open, and the Grand Prix and work on my rails. I want to get to the X-Games soon for sure!"

[Update: Seb was on the wait list for the X-Games, waiting for someone with a spot to not show up. Even though a spot opened up, he was unable to attend. I'd say there's a good chance he'll be on the short list next year and everyone else should keep an eye on him.]

With these two guys pushing the proverbial envelope in the snowboard world it looks like Canada will have a strong showing at contests for years to come. Focusing on contests and having a good time will inevitably get your name out there and then the sponsorship, video parts, girls, Crystal, Lambough's, and private jets are bound to follow...

[Update 2: Check out coverage from the Burton Canadian Open where Seb got second in slopestyle and Charles got third in slopestyle and 5th in halfpipe.
Halfpipe coverage, photos
Slopestyle coverage, photos
Qualifying video]

Seb Toutant proudly rides for O'Neil, Oakley and Universe Boardshop.
Charles Reid proudly rides for Burton, Anon, Nomis and Axis Boardshop.

Results:

Toutant:
2nd, Burton Canadian Open, Slopestyle, Calgary, AB, 2009
1st, Telus World Ski and Snowboard Festival, Big Air, Whistler, BC, 2008
2nd, Shakedown, Mont Saint-Sauveur, QC, 2008
Rider's Choice, Quiksilver Showdown Over the City, Grouse Mountain, BC, 2008
1st, Burton European Open, Slopestyle Junior, 2008
9th, Burton European Open, Slopestyle, 2008
1st, Billabong Snowstock, Big Air, New Zealand, 2008
1st, Metal Breakdown Rail Jam, 2007
1st, SMF Rail Jam, Trois-Riviere, 2007
2nd, SMF Rail Jam, Gatineau, 2007
1st, Empire Shakedown, Mont Saint-Sauveur, QC, 2006
2nd, Empire Shakedown Qualification, Mont Saint-Sauveur, QC, 2006
2nd, Atlas Open, Slopestyle, 2006
Best Trick Winner, Cab 1080, 2006
2nd, You Look Good, Slopestyle, Mt. Tremblant, 2006
2nd, Rodeo Fest, Slopestyle, Sutton, VT, 2006
1st, Rodeo Fest, Big Air, Sutton, VT, 2006
2nd, Canadian Championships, Slopestyle, Avila, 2006

Reid:
3rd, Burton Canadian Open, Slopestyle, Calgary AB, 2009
5th, Burton Canadian Open, Halfpipe, Calgary, AB, 2009
6th, Winter Dew Tour, Slopestyle, Colorado, 2008
1st, Shakedown, Mont Saint-Sauveur, QC, 2008
3rd, US Open, Slopestyle, Stratton, VT, 2008
2nd, New Zeland Open, Slopestyle, New Zealand, 2008
1st, Volvo 28 Stairs Rail Jam, Australia, 2008
1st, Stylewars, Australia, 2008

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Related:
Seb Toots = Unstoppable?
Style Wars Videos, Day 1, 2, 4
Charles Reid: World Record Holder