The Impact of Jake Burton on Snowboarding
In the context of the Winter Olympics, the impact of one entrepreneur named Jake Burton on snowboarding cannot be overstated, especially with the Milan Cortina Games highlighting the sport. What many might not know is that Burton’s journey to becoming a snowboarding pioneer has an unexpected connection through the grandmother of Zoi Sadowski-Synnott, the defending slopestyle champion and an athlete at the Games.
A Unique Connection
Sadowski-Synnott’s grandmother, living in Long Island during the 1970s, inadvertently shaped snowboarding’s history when she employed a young Burton to tend to her lawn, responding to his advertisement for lawn care services which he had created as a teenager. This small job was a fragment of the entrepreneurial flair that Burton displayed early on, which later blossomed into the renowned Burton snowboard company.
Early Days and Challenges
His wife and business partner, Donna Carpenter, shared memories of those early days, recalling how Burton was initially met with skepticism, working diligently alone in a Vermont barn while dreaming of transforming a makeshift board known as the “Snurfer” into a legitimate sport.
“Success is the best revenge”
was a mantra he adhered to, helping him push back against doubters throughout his grassroots journey into the world of snowboarding.
Legacy and Recognition
Sadly, the snowboarding community continues to feel the absence of Burton, who passed away in 2019. Sadowski-Synnott herself remarked on the significance of Burton’s legacy after meeting him briefly at the Burton U.S. Open, emphasizing,
“Without him, we wouldn’t have snowboarding.”
By the late 1970s, in a bid to turn his vision into reality and push the nascent sport into the limelight, he forwent a promising Wall Street career. His relentless efforts paid off, particularly when the Olympics recognized snowboarding as an official sport in 1998 amid pressures to engage younger audiences, as noted by Carpenter.
“They need that new culture of snowboarding to promote within the Olympics,”
she explained, highlighting the blend of traditional Olympic values with modern, youthful swagger found in snowboarding culture.
Burton’s Enduring Influence
Now, as teammates and competitors ride under the shadow of Burton’s influence, his name is prominently displayed on the boards of many competitors at the Winter Games. Olympian Anna Gasser noted,
“Everywhere we go around here, we see his legacy,”
showcasing how deeply rooted Burton’s legacy is in modern snowboarding. This statement echoes the sentiments of many in the industry who have seen snowboarding evolve into a multi-billion dollar enterprise, with riders now constituting significant portions of mountain activity.
In a spirited nod to their camaraderie and Burton’s ethos, athletes like Gasser carry reminders of his philosophies, showcasing stickers that exclaim, “At Burton, we take our fun seriously.” Meanwhile, Canadian snowboarder Mark McMorris, a close friend of Burton, honors his legacy with a tribute sticker, reminding the community that it was Burton who endeavored to keep the love of the sport alive amidst pressures.
Remembering the Spirit of Snowboarding
In sharing one of her most cherished memories, Gasser revealed a helicopter ride Burton organized for a select group of Olympians to indulge in powder snow in Canada.
“He wanted to remind us why we got into this—after the Olympics, just go snowboarding because you love it,”
she reminisced, summing up the true spirit of the sport’s culture that Burton helped cultivate and continue to inspire today.
