Even though he missed most of the racing season, an athlete from Campbell River, B.C., wins his second world title in a row
Tyler Turner is speaking via Zoom from an Airbnb in La Molina, Spain. He is showing off a prosthetic snowboard foot and talking about how it feels to beat the odds again and win his second straight world title in Para snowboard cross, even though he missed most of the racing season getting used to his new prosthetic legs.
Turner said, “I didn’t want to put too much pressure on myself because I had taken so much time off and didn’t know how well my new legs would work since I just got them a couple weeks ago.”
“But when the race started, I thought, I want to win. I want to come in first place and win the world championship again. So I’m really happy that I did that.”
The Campbell River, B.C., native has had quite a run of wins. A year ago, she won gold and bronze at the Beijing Paralympics.
Turner says that he has a fierce alter ego that takes over when he gets to the starting line.
He said, “When the gate drops, I can only see straight ahead.” “When I start competing, I just flip a switch and see red.”
The 34-year-old man, who lost both legs in a skydiving accident six years ago, is a lot like his “go-for-it” attitude.
Turner also competes in Para surfing and loves to skateboard. When he’s not flying around in his wingsuit, he still teaches skydiving.
And that’s not all. Last year, he and his girlfriend Kayleen sailed the boat they live on from Campbell River, on the northeast coast of Vancouver Island, about 265 kilometers northwest of Victoria, to Mexico, which is 4,000 nautical miles away.
‘Nothing in moderation
Oh, and he also plays the bagpipes, so if there’s ever a contest to choose Canada’s Most Interesting Athlete, he’s sure to be in the lead.
“That would be a great title,” he said with a laugh. “I like to say, “Nothing in moderation.”
It’s not surprising that people are interested in Turner’s story, and he’s getting more and more requests to speak. Even though he has a clear message about overcoming problems, he tries to stay away from “easy cliches.”
“The most important thing I like to say is that what I do looks great on Instagram and the internet, but that’s not how it really is. I would say that the real story isn’t romantic; it’s just about hard work, determination, and not giving up “he said.
“Everyone always wants to know how you did it. And it’s like, well, I woke up. Even though I didn’t want to get out of bed, I did. I didn’t want to get groceries. I went shopping… You take a shower, go to the bathroom, do the thing, and then you keep going.”
Turner isn’t done with snowboarding yet. His long-term goal is to try for more medals at the 2026 Paralympic Games in Italy while helping to train the next generation of Canadian Para snowboarders.
He said, “I’m not getting any younger, and our team as a whole is a bit older.” “I know they’re out there, so I’ve been doing everything I can to get the word out.”