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My name is Keenan Demchuk, I'm 24 years old, born and raised in Winnipeg, Manitoba. From about ten years old I began developing my passion for snowboarding inspired by my older brother Braeden. To start learning the sport, my mom purchased a 4-pack of lessons from our local hill in Winnipeg, Springhill Winter Sports Park. After my first lesson in a brutal -30C windy prairie evening, I told my mom in tears that I never wanted to go snowboarding again. Although the frustration had gotten the best of me as a child, my mom sat me down and politely explained that there were 3 more pre-paid lessons that I had to carry on with. By the end of the lessons I had a drive in me to learn as much as I could every day on my snowboard and chase my already experienced older brother around on the hill. Thanks mom for buying the value pack!
I began competing in local freestyle competitions around 12 years old and got to travel to my first national level event in Calgary, Alberta. From there, the world of true competitive snowboarding became my top focus in my teenage years. As a young athlete in Winnipeg, this sport was incredibly niche among my peers at school and even among local riders at the hill. My drive and passion to learn and progress kept me going though, at 18 I took a leap of faith and moved to Whistler, BC to train and compete among the best in the country. National events became more familiar and I was making more finals and podiums than I ever dreamed of as a kid. My first national podium was a 2nd place at Mont Tremblant in 2019 and my first win was at Sun Peaks in 2023. I began competing in world cups and international events in 2024, making finals in both Big Air and Slopestyle at my first international debut in Silvaplana, Switzerland.
Making a competitive career in this sport is no easy task. The financial requirements at the highest level can be overwhelming, even with working full-time labour jobs over the summer season and working full-time night shifts during the winter. Travel, gear, proper nutrition, dryland training, and registration fees are just some of the expenses that can be challenging to face up to. With your help, I can reach my goals of becoming a member of the Canadian National Team and attending the Olympics!
Thank you!