Mark McMorris
A slopestyle visionary who revolutionized trick progression and battled back from near-fatal injury to claim Olympic bronze three times.
Born 1993 (age 33)·Canadian snowboarder·Birthday: December 9·Millennials
Biography
Mark McMorris didn't just compete in snowboarding; he authored its next chapters. Hailing from the flatlands of Saskatchewan, he used ingenuity—building jumps out of hay bales—to forge a technical prowess that would dominate the world. He landed the sport's first backside triple cork 1440 in 2011, a trick that redefined the possible. His Olympic narrative is one of extraordinary resilience: he won bronze in Sochi 2014, then survived a life-threatening backcountry crash in 2017, fracturing his jaw, arm, pelvis, and ribs. Miraculously, he returned to win bronze again in PyeongChang 2018, and a third time in Beijing 2022. With over 20 X Games medals, his consistent innovation on rails and jumps has made him the most decorated slopestyle athlete in history, a quiet force whose creativity and toughness are woven into the fabric of modern snowboarding.
Millennials
1981–1996
The first digital natives. Grew up with the internet, came of age during 9/11 and the 2008 crash. Highly educated, deeply indebted, slower to marry and buy houses. Redefined work, identity, and what it means to be an adult.
Mark was born in 1993, placing them squarely in the Millennials. The events that shaped this generation — the internet revolution, 9/11, and the 2008 financial crisis — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Mark Was Born
The biggest hits of 1993
#1 Movie
Jurassic Park
Best Picture
Schindler's List
#1 TV Show
60 Minutes
Mark's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1993Born
European Union officially established
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $86,600Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"I Will Always Love You" — Whitney HoustonBest Picture: Schindler's List
1998Started school
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
2006Became a teenager
Twitter launches; Pluto reclassified as dwarf planet
Gas: $2.59/galHome: $174,700Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Bad Day" — Daniel PowterBest Picture: The Departed
2009Could drive
Michael Jackson dies; Bitcoin created
Gas: $2.35/galHome: $148,500Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Boom Boom Pow" — The Black Eyed PeasBest Picture: The Hurt Locker
2011Could vote
Osama bin Laden killed; Arab Spring sweeps the Middle East
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $138,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Rolling in the Deep" — AdeleBest Picture: The Artist
2014Turned 21
Russia annexes Crimea; Ebola outbreak in West Africa
Gas: $3.37/galHome: $160,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Happy" — Pharrell WilliamsBest Picture: Birdman
2023Turned 30
ChatGPT goes mainstream; Israel-Hamas war begins
Gas: $3.52/galHome: $361,600Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Flowers" — Miley CyrusBest Picture: Oppenheimer
2026Age 33 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won three consecutive Olympic bronze medals in men's slopestyle (2014, 2018, 2022).
- Holds the record for the most X Games medals in snowboard slopestyle, with over 20 total.
- Became the first person to land a Backside Triple Cork 1440 in March 2011.
- Landed the world's first Front-Board Double Cork 1170 off a rail in April 2018.
Did You Know?
He learned to snowboard on a homemade hill built by his brother, using a tractor to pile up snow.
He is an avid fan of the NHL's Toronto Maple Leafs.
He survived a near-fatal crash in the British Columbia backcountry in 2017, hitting a tree.
He and his brother, Craig, co-founded the McMorris & McMorris brand and the wildlife conservation charity 'Protect Our Winters.'
“I just love snowboarding. I don't do it for the medals. I do it because it's what I love to do.”
