When Bart Poll from Nistelrode was 8 years old, he started snowboarding during a winter sports holiday. A few years later he opted for snowboard cross, the winter version of BMX. “When I finished high school, I chose freestyle because that sport seemed more fun to me. I was 17 at the time. I used to do stunts with friends for fun. Everyone knew my somersaults, but as a competitive sport it is something different.”
Meanwhile, Bart is 21. If you like security, then you don’t have to be jealous of him. The life of the freestyle snowboarder from Nistelrode is a great adventure in which no day is the same. “I always have to see which competition or training is best for me, that’s where I travel. Sometimes it is Sweden or Finland, other times I am in the south of France or Austria.”
Freestyle snowboarding looks spectacular. In Bart’s favorite event, slopestyle, participants make jumps and show off tricks on a course with obstacles. “A wonderful sport in which you can show a lot. I sometimes see guys doing even crazier, cooler things outside of training. But during matches you play it more safe.”
“If you fall on an icy slope, it can hurt.”
The fact that Bart is more careful during competitions does not mean that he is anxious. “We practice a lot of jumps and tricks with our trainer and know what we can do. Everything revolves around technology, you don’t take unnecessary risks. For example, if you break your elbow, you will miss a long period of the winter sports season. It is always possible that something will happen. If you fall on an icy slope it can hurt, but I usually know how to catch myself.”
This prevention of injuries also takes place in the summer. “I work full-time in the summer months, regularly train abroad on a large airbag and I also go to the gym five days a week. By staying as fit and athletic as possible, I ensure that I don’t immediately tear everything off in the event of a fall.”
“Everyone knew me for my somersaults.”
Between all his adventures in the snow, there were also moments when things didn’t go well. “At the end of 2022 I found myself without a team and was completely alone. I also no longer had a permanent place of residence in Austria. During the second part of the winter sports season I drove everywhere by myself and arranged everything myself. You get used to it and it’s quite nice too. Fortunately, I have joined an international team for this season. They arrange everything for me, so that I can focus on the sport.” Bart is a donation campaign started because his sport is so expensive and he receives no compensation from the association.
More than three years after his ‘debut’ as a freestyler, he hopes to make his debut at a World Cup on behalf of the Netherlands. “I am clearly making progress, but there is still a lot of work to be done. My ultimate goal is to participate in the Winter Olympics in 2026, and I will do everything for that.”
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