O’Neill team rider, Antoine Truchon (CAN), won the prestigious Toyota Big Air in Sapporo, Japan this past weekend, edging out crowd favorite Toshiki Yamane (JPN) and third place finishers Sage Kotsenburg (USA) and Gjermund Braaten (NOR).
Played out over two days and in front of more than 30,000 fanatical spectators, the Toyota Big Air has become a right of passage for the world’s top riders over the last 17 years. Treated like veritable rock stars from the moment they touched down in Japan, the riders threw down all weekend long, with 22-year-old Truchon stomping a front 12 in the finals to claim the biggest title of his career.
It was a spectacular return to form for the French Canadian rider, who kicked off the season in podium-dominating style back in September when he took first place at Stylewars in Australia before scoring second place at Freestyle.ch on the shores of Lake Zurich, Switzerland.
Speaking to the press after his victory, and with the sound of Japan’s famously vocal crowds still ringing in his ears, Antoine said: “This is what dreams are made of – every rider dreams of coming to Japan to experience this crazy world where the passion for snowboarding is like no other place on earth. It’s amazing just to be here in Sapporo, but to win this event is something else! And now it’s time celebrate!”
Despite his victory in the Sapporo Dome not counting towards his World Snowboard Tour ranking points total, Truchon currently sits in 5th place in the Big Air Tour rankings – a title already claimed by compatriot Sebastien Toutant. Joined at the top of the sport by good friend Maxence Parrot, the French Canadian trio of O’Neill team riders have been pushing freestyle riding to the next level this season.
