‘Reconnecting to the joy of finding your best’

Editor’s note: this is an edited version of a story that first appeared in a 2019 edition of the Prince George Citizen.

After a frightening crash and compression fracture in her spine ended her season in early spring, Meryeta O’Dine worked harder than ever. Her recovery plan and many tough months of intense physical training paid off.

O’Dine achieved her lifetime best results in SBX National Team standardized physical fitness testing, surprising her entire technical team after injury and deciding to train in Prince George.

“Because for me this year, snowboarding is about a lot more than placing your best, its about reconnecting to the joy of finding your best,” she said.

Missing the end of the previous season meant she landed 14th overall in the World Cup standings for 2019.

“This season I have less and more going on. I’m focusing on refreshing myself between World Cups, not just physically but mentally. Anyone in their right mind will be excited to show up for their dream job, but you won’t be able to do your dream job if your head’s in the game and your emotions are elsewhere.

“It’s up to me this year to reconnect with myself, my passions and my process.”

This year’s World Cup circuit will feature eight races, hosted in various countries throughout Europe, including China in February, which will be a great preview for the 2022 Winter Olympics venue.

The exciting addition of the snowboard cross team event in the Olympics provides another opportunity to race with Canadian teammates.

“The test event in China is an exciting event especially because we can use it as a mock build up to the Olympics. We get to learn the venue, the snow, and conditions while we’re there and try to capture the Olympic balls-out feeling on the course we’re riding.”

Government funding only covers a small portion of racing costs.

Even with sponsorships and a full-time job, it’s still difficult to cover all of the costs.

As a result, she held a fundraising evening at the Kinsmen Hall that included a buffet dinner, a comedy show featuring her comedian mom Virginia O’Dine plus special guests, a silent auction, and a dance.

CITIZEN FILE PHOTO Meryeta O’Dine was home in Prince George for the summer of 2019, working a full-time job, training and fundraising for the next snowboard cross season.

CANADIAN PRESS, CBC PHOTOS WHATEVER IT TAKES Meryeta O’Dine celebrates her bronze medal finish in women’s snowboard cross at the 2022 Winter Olympics, right. After Caterina Carpano of Italy landed on O’Dine in the team snowboard cross final, top left, both racers fell and slid down the slope. They jumped to their feet, crawling and hopping up the next berm, above left, with O’Dine getting to the top first before heading down the mountain to finish the race.