Rebecca Flynn: The USA Snowboard prodigy born for the big stage
After achieving her first slopestyle World Cup podium at the age of 18, Flynn tells Olympics.com about her snowboarding philosophy, and how she competed with a broken wrist.
Snowboard
Snowboarding prodigy Rebecca Flynn may still be a teenager but she already looks like a natural fit for the sport's biggest stages.
Last year, the Minnesota native was just 17 when she was announced as the youngest member of Team USA’s five-strong slopestyle team.
The athletes she grew up idolising had become her teammates and friends.
“It was so surreal showing up for my first team camp and seeing all the pros. I loved it,” Flynn explained to Olympics.com.
“Everyone was so accepting of me. This season, I came out to Chur in Switzerland a bit early for a girl’s trip with Julia Marino, Hailey Langland, and Hahna Norman. It's just so much fun and I still find it crazy that I’m riding casually with some of my favourite snowboarders growing up.
“Watching how they ride, and seeing how they adapt to the conditions… they’re so good and I’ve learned a lot. They're so hard working and it motivates me to want to be like that.”
Rebecca Flynn (USA) in action during the Snowboard Women’s Big Air at the Welli Hilli Park Ski Resort. The Winter Youth Olympic Games, Gangwon, South Korea, Sunday 28 January 2024.
Rebecca Flynn's brilliant 2023/2024 season
The benefits of those experiences were evident in her successful 2024 season, which began with a Big Air silver medal at the Gangwon 2024 Youth Olympic Games.
Next up there was a spectacular performance at a tricky slopestyle World Cup opener in Cardrona, New Zealand, where strong winds meant there were few practice runs and several delays during the competition.
But Flynn showed maturity and composure beyond her years to finish with bronze and her first World Cup podium.
“I was not expecting that at all. I was honestly just planning to land a run that would maybe squeak me in the finals,” she admitted.
“When I saw they put me in third I literally couldn't believe it. I was even more surprised when I stayed there! Especially in the first comp of the year.”
This result may have even ‘boosted confidence too much’ in Flynn’s own words.
In her final training session before the Big Air event in Chur, Switzerland, in October she fell off a rail and broke her wrist.
After a cast was fitted, she went straight back on the hill to keep practising, and competed in Chur.
What could have been a disaster for an athlete in the form of her life, didn’t even register for the mentally-robust shredder, whose greater concern was for her reputation at home.
“I hate to admit that I broke it on a rail and not a jump because I'm from Minnesota and we mostly do rails there!” she said with a smile.
“The injury didn't give me any kind of mental blocker and hasn’t affected me physically either. I can still grab with the hand on that wrist which is nice.”
(L-R) Silver Medallist Rebecca Flynn USA, Gold Medallist Murase Yura JPN and Bronze Medallist Lucia Georgalli NZL celebrate on the podium during the Medal Ceremony for the Snowboard Women's Big Air at the Welli Hilli Park Ski Resort. The Winter Youth Olympic Games, Gangwon, South Korea.
Rebecca Flynn's penchant for pressure
Flynn’s ability to thrive under pressure despite her age stems from her ultra-competitive mindset.
Instead of getting overawed by competing against Olympic and world champions, she gets inspired to reach their level.
“While I'm fine with maybe not always being first right now because the girls are absolutely crushing it and are so much more experienced, I want to close that gap,” she said.
“I tend to perform best when I’m under pressure, or I put pressure on myself.
“I welcome the nerves and the occasion and that’s why I love Big Air comps. There tend to be bigger crowds for the finals compared to slopestyle and it can get a little wild which makes it a bit more nerve-wracking. But I love it when people are watching and definitely feed off of the occasion and the crowd.”
With that in mind, Flynn’s ‘biggest goal’ is to compete at the Winter Olympics Milano Cortina 2026.
She believes consistency is the key to realising her dream, and trains with a philosophy that perfectly illustrates again that she seems to be made for snowboarding.
“I really try to make every day on the snow count. The more I’ve competed, the more I've learned to enjoy every good day on snow because they don’t happen all the time," she said.
“I have one eye on the Winter Olympics and if I can keep improving this year, I’m praying I can get on that plane. That would mean everything.”