The short version
I've been snowboarding for 30 years. I raced FIS competitions representing South Africa, coached at every level from first-timers to advanced carvers, and spent three seasons logging over 200 days on snow each year. I hold a snowboard and ski instructor certification from the Polish Ministry of Sport and Education.
Now I'm building Carving Intensive - a structured methodology for teaching snowboard carving that works with or without a coach present.
I write regularly about mastery, process, and what works on snow at canmanski.substack.com.
The longer version
I worked at Tiffindell Ski Resort in South Africa as a ski instructor back in the mid-90s. Every day at Tiffindell, we had internal training. Not only were we getting better at skiing and teaching, but once a week we also did cross-over training: skiers had to snowboard, and snowboarders had to ski. By the end of the season, which ran from mid-May to late August, I bought a snowboard. I naturally drifted into carving and then got my first slalom board.
For a number of years I trained and raced in snowboarding races - namely Parallel Slalom and Parallel Giant Slalom. I took part in local races, European Cup, World Championships. I won South African Championships many times and placed 2nd in Polish Championships in PGS.
In the late 2010s, I collaborated with Never Summer Industries - a snowboard manufacturer from Denver, Colorado - on some of their carving snowboards, in particular on The Chairman and The East. It was a great experience to have a real influence over how the boards perform for one of the best snowboard companies in the world.
Credo
I am a snowboarder.
I strive for mastery through hard training and working on myself every day.
I don't recognize shortcuts. I believe only consistent work brings true progress.
I am grateful for every day I can spend on the slope.
The most important turn is the one I'm making right now, here and now. The previous turn is just a trace in the snow, the next one may never come.
I share my knowledge with everyone ready for hard work and learning.
I focus on process, not outcome - because process leads to mastery.
Find me
- Writing: canmanski.substack.com
- Instagram: @canmanski
- X: @canmanski