Profile... Lesley McKenna
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Introduction...
Lesley Mckenna is the highest ranked and most successful British female competition snowboarder. She is also one of the most versatile. Lesley has been competing on the World Cup Tour since 1997 and this year completed her most successful season by winning a World Cup Halfpipe event.
Before concentrating on Halfpipe, Lesley was as a racer before moving on to BoarderX, in which she had numerous top 5 World Cup finishes. As a result of efforts as a halfpipe rider, Lesley represented Great Britain at the Salt Lake City Winter Olympics in 2002. She was the only British snowboarder to qualify for the Olympic Games and one of only 20 girls in the world to compete, which is a huge achievement.
Within the British snowboard scene, Lesley has also won the British Championship titles in Halfpipe, BoarderX and Big Air - totalling 19 titles all together.
Always one to rise to a challenge, Lesley has now started to ride more slopestyle events and surprised everyone by coming 3rd at the prestigious Roxy Slopestyle Pro event last season.
Lesley plans to compete again on the World Cup Tour and is looking forward to the next Olympics in Turin in 2006 as well as planning to ride more slopestyle events. Lesley is a director of ChunkyKnit Productions, a company set up to produce the all girl snowboard film "DropStitch".
When she is not riding or training, off the snow she likes to dabble in alternative therapies. She also loves to dress up and go out dancing.
Check out www.lesleymckenna.co.uk
By Josie Clyde
Snowboarder Questionnaire
How old where you when you first began riding?
20 years old
What/Who got you into it?
The boardwise posse at the time.Justin Westcott, Si Smith, Ross Dempster and Graham "gromit,G" Kennedy.
What sort of board do you ride?
Nidecker Princess 152
What length board do you ride?
152cm
Do you ride Regular or Goofy?
Regular
Stance width?
50cm
Stance angles (front and back)?
Front 18 Back -3
Favourite resort?
Les Arcs
How many seasons have you done?
11, 5 ski-ing and 5 snowboarding
Where and when did you do your seasons?
Jackson Hole, Breckenridge, all over, Interlaken, St Foy, Meribel, Bourg St Maurice, St Anton.
Lesley McKenna © Josie Clyde - DropStitch
From Lesley's Action Gallery.
What was your favourite trip and why?
Best trip was the Dropstitch trip to New Zealand as the country and the people were amazing and it was nice to be doing something different for a change.(filming) Check out www.chunkyknit.com
What do you love about snowboarding?
THe places you do it, the people you do it with and the fun you have doing it yourself.
What's your goal within snowboarding?
To keep learning new things
What aspect of snowboarding gives you the most satisfaction (powder, kickers, halfpipe, competitions, big air, cliff drops, etc.)?
Love all aspects of riding although cliff drops scare me stupid and I am petrified of avalanches.
What style of snowboarding best describes your riding (include a couple if you want)?
Versitile, agressive
What's your favourite trick?
backside air in the pipe
What's your scariest snowboarding moment?
Going to fast off of a very big kicker and seeing the landing disappear below me.
What are your top safety tips when riding?
Never free ride alone and always check the avalanche risk. Make sure those you are riding with, as well as yourself have a tranceiver and know how to use it. Drink lots of water and wear sun screen.Wear pads in the park and pipe.Do not ride if it is icy or if you don't feel up for it.
What advice have you got?
If you are not enjoying yourself then try and change things so you are. there is always a way to make things better. If things are good, make the most of it.
General Questionnaire
What are your other interests?
Alternative medicine, fitness, Scotland, friends and family
Lesley - portrait © Josie Clyde - DropStitch
From Lesley's Lifestyle & Portrait Gallery.
Where would you like to see yourself in the future?
I would like to see myself giving something back to female riders and females who are interested in sports in general. Sport is such a large part of my life that I would love to share my knowlage and experience with others.
Realistically, what will you be doing in the future?
Who knows where my path will lead!
Who are your idols?
Madonna, my mother and father.
What music are you into?
Depends on what I am doing. Rock, guitar bands, hip hop, drum and bass, disco, cheesy house as long as it has words, Super U.........
What's your favourite book?
Lord of the Rings
What's your favourite film?
Lord of the Rings
What's your favourite quote?
damned if you do and damned if you don't
Best cocktail, shot or drink?
Gin and lemonade all the way. Or nice red wine
What's your most prized possession?
not telling
Thanks to:
My Family and friends, all the people who have sponsored me and helped me out in my career.
Lesley - Pipe © Josie Clyde - DropStitch
From Lesley's Action Gallery.
Anything else you want to say?
Snowboarding is wicked, go and give it a try.
Lesley's Results/ Achievements...
Year | Event | Discipline | Category | Position |
| 2003 | World Cup Japan | pipe | WC | 1st |
| 2003 | British Champs, Les 2 Alpes | pipe | senior womens | 1st |
| 2003 | Roxy Slopestyle Pro | slopestyle | womens | 3rd |
| 2003 | World Cup Overall standings | pipe | womens | 5th |
| 2002 | World Cup Overall standings | pipe | womens | 4th |
| 2001 | Cham Jam | big air | womens | 1st |
| 2001 | World Cup Germany and Japan | pipe | womens | 2nd |
| 2001 | World Cup Overall Standings | pipe | womens | 3rd |
