No mountains - one rider: Seppe Smits

If you think you need mountains in the country you are living to become a superb snowboarder, forget about it. It's definitely a wrong conclusion. Born 13^th of July in 1991, Seppe Smits grew up in Westmalle, Belgium being a fridge kid who learned to ride on dry slopes before actually shredding real snow in Gerlos, Austria, for the first time in 1999.

But as it is not likely that a snow green horn could progress in such a way Seppe did, he benefitted from the support of the Hotzone.tv crew who convinced his parents to back his talent after they had seen him in action.

Seppe worked hard on his spins putting more and more tricks to his store finally becoming a respected rider on the FIS World Cup circuit.

Over the past seasons, the younger brother of Anthony, also a snowboarder, competed in several World Cup competitions bringing home three third rank-finishes in the big air discipline (Stockholm 2008, Quebec 2009 and London 2010) as well as a runner-up spot in slopestyle at COP Calgary 2009.

In addition, he clinched Silver in the big air contest at the 2009 FIS World Championships in Sungwoo, Korea. But two years later, it was time for him to step it up! At the 2011 Worlds in La Molina Spain, the freestyle talent crowned himself the first ever Slopestyle World Champion while also bringing home another Silver medal from the big air contest.

Due to these top results and a win at the rookie challenge the 2010 Air & Style also to his record, it's no wonder that Seppe paved the way for a successful pro career - with the main goal of competing for his home country at the 2014 Olympics.