Travis Rice


Travis Rice is an American professional snowboarder. He is #13 on Snowboarder magazine’s list of the 20 most influential snowboarders of the last 20 years. The 37-year-old has featured in more than twenty snowboarding films. Rice’s biggest claim to fame was when he arrived at Snowboarder magazine’s Superpark contest at Mammoth Mountain and launched a 'mammoth' of a backside rodeo across a 117-foot gap jump. He has been considered "the Paul Revere" of the big mountain freestyle movement. In 2013, Rice was named the best contemporary snowboarder in the world by Red Bull; Rice was also hailed as one of the greatest snowboarders of all time by numerous writers and publications.

Early life

Rice was born in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. He was raised near Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, where he continues to reside. Raised as a skier by his father, a member of Jackson Hole Ski Patrol, Rice initially did not understand the rave of the new sport springing up on his mountain. However, he soon caught on and joined the local team.

Competition

In 2001, without a sponsor and only 18 years old, Rice drove to Mammoth Mountain in California to ride at Snowboarder magazine’s “Superpark”. Recognition from the snowboarding world would come at this event, when Rice launched a backside rodeo off a 117 foot gap jump. Absinthe Films' producer Justin Hostynek immediately approached Rice to begin filming for their upcoming movie, Transcendence.

Films and Other Media

Rice has filmed outstanding video parts year after year, producing jaw-dropping shots like his switch 540 over Chad's Gap in Utah, a 120 foot backcountry gap jump. On top of that, he has won several US Opens, an X-Games gold, and an Icer Air gold, where he landed the first double rodeo 1080 in competition.
In 2008, Rice co-produced and starred in the snowboarding film That’s It That’s All. This film featured Troy Blackburn, Jeremy Jones, Mark Landvik, Terje Haakonsen, Nicolas Müller, Scotty Lago, Pat Moore, John Jackson, Jake Blauvelt, Danny Kass, and fellow Jackson Hole residents Bryan Iguchi and Kyle Clancy. Rice’s part in That’s It That’s All, which included the first ever double cork 1260, heavily influenced his sweep at the Transworld Magazine Rider’s Poll. He won Rider of the Year, Video Part of the Year, Standout of the Year, and Readers’ Choice award. On September 7, 2011, Rice released The Art of Flight, a film made in collaboration with the same team behind 'That's It, That's All, including John Jackson, Mark Landvik, Nicolas Müller and Jeremy Jones,Scotty Lago,Mark McMorris. The success of the Art of Flight enabled Rice to once again win the TransWorld and Snowboarder Magazine Rider of the Year awards for 2012 .
In 2012, Rice coordinated with Red Bull to create Supernatural, a backcountry freestyle competition held at Baldface Lodge in British Columbia, Canada. The competition was attended by the world's top snowboarders, including Nicolas Muller, Gigi Ruf and Mark McMorris, with riders competing in naturally created backcountry terrain. The inaugural winner of the event was the competition creator, Travis Rice.
In 2016 Rice released his new film, The Fourth Phase.
His sponsors are Quiksilver, LIB Tech, DC, Red Bull, Union bindings, Bluebird Wax, Contour, Jack’s Garage & Jackson Hole Mountain Resort.
He is also a downloadable, playable character in SSX. He is the first "real-life" snowboarder to ever be featured in the franchise.

Highlights

Travis Rice's professional snowboarding career started in 2001. Various competition results taken from EXPN.
2016-2017
2011–2012
2008–2009
2007–2008
2006–2007
2005–2006
2004–2005
2003–2004
2002–2003
2001–2002