Raibu Katayama

Raibu Katayama’s radical style and hold-nothing-back approach to snowboarding makes him one of the most interesting riders to watch rip a halfpipe. His actions speak volume about both his attitude and his abilities. Go big, hold on and look sick af while doing it. He has used this technique to see success in the competitive side of things, enough so that in 2018 he became an Olympian once he competed at the PyeongChang Games, finishing 7th. He’s so much more than your typical pipe jockey, though. His approach to riding and personal flare has won him accolades at events like Peace Park and helped him lock in roles to film video parts like Fleeting Time and ARK–where an entirely other side of Raibu emerges. He knows how to charge Japan’s legendary powder with the best of them and has a way in the backcountry that just looks natural. Regardless of where, what, when or why—when Raibu rides, we watch.