A 20-year-old snowboarder from Collingwood, whose Olympic dreams were crushed after a car crash, is back on the hill and the podium.
Many have called Tayler Wilton the future of Canadian snowboard racing. She has won more medals than she can count – including double gold at the Canada Winter games in 2011.
You may also notice Tayler from commercials for Petro-Canada. Tayler was chosen as the face of Canada snowboarding but in 2012, just before the start of the world cup season, Tayler was involved in a car crash that could’ve ended her career.
“I blew out my knee, tore every tendon in there. A completely torn posterior cruciate ligament and tendon, a meniscus tear and a tear in the lateral cruciate ligament,” said Tayler.
“Initially we thought it was just a broken ankle but as we kept going to doctor’s appointments we found out it was worse and she did serious damage to her knee but life is full of challenges and this was no difference,” says Tayler’s dad Brian.
Tayler knew her chance of making the Olympic team for Sochi was gone but six months after the accident, knee brace and all, she was back on her board competing. Now Tayler’s one step away from regaining her form on the North American tour.
“I had a great finish to the year, five top 8 finishes and three top 4’s, and 3 thirds and a second.”
She wrapped up the season with a bronze medal at nationals.
“I got to tell you when I heard I must have jumped ten feet in the air – to know that she did it, she landed on the podium,” says Brian.
“Especially with the accident, I was really down and to know that I had the support (it) kept me going, kept me in it and that’s why I had a great season,” says Tayler.
And now Tayler hopes through fundraising she can afford to get back on her board at some of the biggest hills in the world and chase that childhood dream.
“On top of the podium at the Olympics of course.”
Follow Tayler on her Facebook page here.
