Return of the Jedi
Tavo reaches lift off on his 2022 world championship run in Kappl, Austria. pc screenshot @tavo.sadeg
A Truly Masterful Season
After coming oh so close at the 2020 junior freeride world championships Tavo wanted another chance... badly. Little did he know the following season would be cut short due to COVID restrictions and he would have to wait another two years before getting a second chance. And that was assuming he rode his way to another invite. Not an easy task even for the best riders.
So for the 2021/22 season, working closely with his coaches and supported by his family and teammates, Tavo put together a truly masterful performance. Choosing some of the more aggressive lines in competition and leaning on his countless hours of practice, Tavo absolutely shredded his way to four podium finishes in the season’s junior regional qualifying events including;
3rd place at Sugar Bowl
2nd place at Squaw-Alpine
1st place at Kirkwood
1st place at Alpine
Tavo’s incredible riding skyrocketed him to the top of the global rankings and earned him another invite to world championships in Austria. Tavo would finally get his chance.
Tavo at the start gate on his world championship finals run 2022. pc screenshot @tavo.sadeg
Shot At Redemption
This time Tavo was ready… or at least he thought so. Pulling a late start number on his final’s run, both Tavo and Team Palisades coach Adam Ryan had time to watch other competitors come before them. When several of the other snowboarders crashed on their runs Tavo and Adam took notice. As a result, they changed strategies and picked a new line to the looker’s far right. Then after settling in and preparing for what they thought was a great new line given the conditions, the course was moved yet again.
This time Tavo and Adam spotted a really aggressive option just outside the course boundaries, again to the far looker’s right. They appealed their choice to the head judge and safety committee before being given the green light. Interesting to note, during the event’s live broadcast the announcers were unaware of Tavo’s special approval and mistakenly announced that he was disqualified for riding out of bounds when he in fact he was not!
Scoping for a championship line... Adam Ryan, Tavo Sadeg, Kaiya Hanepen (left to right). pc @tavo.sadeg
Winning Run
To start his championship run, Tavo fired out of the gate catching the first of his four airs and accenting it with a front side grab. He safely worked his way down through avalanche debris on the top portion of the course as he got a feel for the snowpack, which by his account “was really variable and firm.”
On a technical and steeper lower section, Tavo hit two more jumps before sending what was arguably the best air of the day. In typical pro fashion, Tavo stomped a 25-foot cliff that he recalls was “bigger than I thought” and set the crowd on fire as he rode out to victory. Tavo had done it! With some outrageously great riding, he had rightfully claimed the title of 2022 junior freeride world champion. Congratulations Tavo!!
Highlights from 2022 FJWC, Tavo Sadeg @ 0:50
Replay of FJWC, Tavo Sadeg’s full run starts @ 58:22
When asked about his motivation for the sport and what it felt like to win a world championship he first paused (as if he didn’t know how to answer) and then modestly replied,
“I just love to ride. I really enjoy snowboarding and putting in the work so I can get better. I just wanted to be able to ride with the older kids and do what they could do on the mountain. I thought it would be so much fun to be like them and be up on the podium. I really can’t believe it happened. I feel really grateful and thankful for all the help I’ve had.”
Those comments seem to shed some light on his personality, too. A talented athlete who lives life chasing his passion and has fun doing so. A personality that finds deep inspiration in riding and freely shares it with others. (More on idea this next week!)
Tavo celebrates his 2022 junior freeride world championship. pc screenshot @tavo.sadeg
A Fine Balance
Like so many other young athletes, champions or not, Tavo puts in long hours of dedicated effort behind-the-scenes to make it all happen. And for Tavo that includes attending Sierra College while also pulling shifts at Tahoe Dave’s Ski & Boards shop as a gear technician. It’s a position Tavo has been working for almost five years now and one he is committed to doing as part of his snowboarding career. So whether he is throwing down in a freeride comp, tuning boards, taking college classes, or even wake surfing with friends he’s undoubtedly busy and just trying to find the right balance in it all.
Homecoming King of North Tahoe High 2021 and gear tech extraordinaire for Tahoe Dave's Ski & Boards Tavo Sadeg. pc screenshot @tavo.sadeg
Thankfully we’ve got a special opportunity to work with Tavo this season showcasing his run at making the FWT. We plan to share some of his best insights along the way and perhaps even include some of my own. We have lots of fantastic stories planned for you and look forward to publishing them in the New Year.
Special Message For Our Readers
We would like to wish you and your families a safe, happy, healthy, and prosperous New Year! Let’s pause and give a moment of respect to our beloved snow gods for the bounties provided thus far. We’ll see you back next week with more from On Tour with Tavo.
A special thank you to Tavo’s sponsors for their loyal support on this amazing journey!