Robert BURNS

SNOWBOARDING FUNDRAISER
He put up a fundraising campaign to support his road to Beijing 2022 with an event that sold 150 tickets wihch happened on 23 October 2021 at Mount Shasta Ski Park. "The United States Ski and Snowboard Team (USSA) funds athletes at the very top of my sport. Currently there are no athletes being funded. One season of training, travel, equipment, housing and competition can cost upwards of 50,000 USD." (robbyburnssnowboarding.com, 26 Oct 2018)

"I was hoping to make a few dollars to support my travel. It ended being better than I could ever imagined so I’ve learned that asking the tough questions and putting yourself out there and being vulnerable, I think it’s the most challenging part. Making the claim and saying “this is what I wanna do, would you help me?". That's been the most challenging and also the most rewarding part. I feel like as a human I've been given incredible opportunities to not only travel the world but to follow my dream, and I think this all everybody wants and so often we don’t get that opportunity so for me definitely feels it’s not an opportunity it’s an obligation to follow this path as best I possibly can." (Snowbeat TV show, Dec 2020)

PYEONGCHANG 2018 MISS-OUT
"The Olympic year was anticlimactic for me. This was my first run to the Olympics, and everyone around me really tried there best to prepare me for the stress, anxiety, and challenges an Olympic year inherently presents athletes. I didn't make it to the Olympics, I truly struggled in my journey to get there, facing some of the most trying moments, sleepless nights, and frustrating behavior I've ever experienced. There were moments when it seemed the best course of action, in order to take care of myself, would have been to stop entirely, to quit. For me, that was never an option, but the thought did cross my mind. I struggled all season, to get the results I so desperately wanted, the results I had worked so hard to achieve. The Olympics came with so much anticipation, and they passed without hesitation. I was left in a hole of my own making, the depression, anxiety, and self hatred all flooded in together. The silver lining to this experience, would not be seen for a while, and is still being uncovered to this day." (robbyburnssnowboarding.com, 5 Jun 2018)

DEPRESSION
"After 30 years of having a constantly challenging experience on and off, I noticed that although there were very good times, and very hard times, I really was affected by everything around me, deeply.(...) The falls were really overwhelming." He has been diagnosed with Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) and General Anxiety Disorder (GAD) and is taking medication. "My experience on medication has been good for me, and hard too. I feel more consistent, with less drastic mood swings. So while the lows don't feel quite so low, the highs also don't feel quite so high. As an adrenaline-seeking athlete, highs and lows are commonplace. Not feeling them is peculiar."

FIREFIGHTER
"In a normal summer when I’m not snowboarding I’m a firefighter for the US Forest service. I've been all over the West fighting wildland fire as a hotshot wildland firefighter." (Snowbeat TV show, Dec 2020, and LinkedIn)

© Data by Sports Data Warehouse

Has 37 World Cup starts, his best result being a fourth place at Blue Mountain 2020 parallel giant slalom event.

Has six appearances at World Championships, his best result being 15th in parallel slalom at Park City 2019.

2019 PGS and PSL national champion.

2016/17 Nor-Am Cup winner.