Iouri “iPod” Podladtchikov is quite a character. The Swiss with Russian roots once said that cars and watches are to him what bags and shoes are to women. He likes shopping in Aspen, Zürich and San Francisco and suits from Italy suit him the best. In his free time he takes pictures with his Leica and designs clothes for his sponsors. How he’s financing this lifestyle? He is one of the world’s best halfpipe snowboarders.

Iouri grew up riding in the Swiss powder paradise Davos, and that’s exactly where his first big contest highlight happened, as he took home a second place at the prestigious 6 Star O’Neill Evolution in January 2007. Since then, he pretty much crushed it on the tour. Numerous wins and podium places at 6 Star TTR as well as X Games events are proof of that. Highlights: surely his win at the Winter X Games in Europe in 2010 where he landed the first ever Double McTwist 1260 or his first place at the 2012 Burton European Open, quickly followed by aHalfpipe Champion title at the World Snowboarding Championships in Oslo. In 2013, he bagged the win at the Oakley Arctic Challenge in Oslo.

The 25 year-old was second in the 2010/2011 Overall World Tour ranking, he won the overall title of the 2011/2012 Halfpipe World Tour ranking and in 2012/2013 he came in second in the Halfpipe World Tour ranking. This character is a force to reckon with!

Since February 2014, Ipod also is Olympic Gold Medalist in Men’s Halfpipe – Congrats Iouri !

Iouri Podladtchikov at the Artic Challenges Finals – Photo by Thomas Holth