OLYMPICS: Snowboard-Norway's Roisland has nothing to lose after injury and Beijing silver

LIVIGNO, Italy – Norway’s snowboarder Mons Roisland is heading into his third Olympics with “nothing to lose,” embracing a sense of freedom he hopes will allow him to perform at his most creative.

Roisland, 29, has had a rollercoaster Olympic journey. At the 2018 Pyeongchang Games, he suffered a severe crash that broke his chest bone and tore a shoulder ligament, calling it the biggest crash of his life. Four years later in Beijing, he claimed a silver medal in big air, the highest podium finish of his career.

“I feel like I have nothing to prove now. I just want to go for it, not play too many tactics, and give it everything,” he told Reuters on Wednesday.

Roisland said his two very different Olympic experiences have shaped his mindset. “I don’t feel like there’s more pressure. I feel more confidence and less pressure,” he said. He treats the Games like any other event, maintaining the same routines and focus despite being at the sport’s elite level.

Competing in Europe feels different for Roisland, who spent much of his childhood riding and competing in the area from ages 10 to 13. “It’s really cool to be back,” he said.

Aiming for Creativity

For Roisland, creativity remains at the heart of his snowboarding. He favors unique axes and inventive trick variations over the increasingly high spin counts that dominate the sport today.

“It’s more fun, and for me, it’s more fulfilling,” he said. Known for blending technical precision with distinctive tricks, Roisland has established himself as one of freestyle snowboarding’s top athletes.

While he acknowledges the sport continues to evolve, with riders constantly pushing boundaries, he worries the rising difficulty could make it harder for fans and younger generations to connect with snowboarding. Still, he welcomes judging trends that reward style and originality.

“It is really cool to watch, and I think it’s more fun to do,” he said.

-Reporting by Giulia Segreti in Livigno; Editing by Ken Ferris/Reuters