Mikkel Bang

For the record, you should know that Norway’s Mikkel Bang is a regular-footer. It may seem like a minor detail but when you see this kid spin, it’s hard to tell which way is more natural for him. Seriously, he’s that smooth, no matter which way he takes off or lands. And that’s got a lot to do with the fact that he’s been strapped into a snowboard pretty much full-time since he was shorter than Haakonsen’s highbacks. Once a wee lad with a promising skill set, Mikkel spent his formative years on the storied slopes of Hemsedal resort, and raised in that progressive setting, he quickly evolved into the prototype of the postmodern pro. Now at 22, he’s all grown up. Big and powerful and yet at six-foot-two he’s got the style and grace of a cat. From the high-pressure environment of international competition in both slopestyle and big air to the consequential arena of backcountry filming, Mikkel is both confident and gifted. He’s also focused. In addition to plenty of podium placings, Mikkel continues to fill his endless winters with a stacked contest schedule and filming commitments, but he wouldn’t have it any other way. As long as good snow is on the menu and he can bring his guitar along, he’s 100-percent down.