Travis Gerrits
Canadian freestyle skier
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Travis Gerrits (born October 19, 1991, in Milton, Ontario) is a former Canadian freestyle skier.[1] Gerrits was the silver medalist from the 2013 FIS World Championships and was named the FIS Rookie of the Year in 2011.
Canada| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | October 19, 1991 Milton, Ontario, Canada |
| Height | 5 ft 8 in (173 cm) |
| Weight | 150 lb (68 kg) |
| Sport | |
| Country | Canada |
| Sport | Freestyle skiing |
Medal record | |
Early life
Gerrits attended W.I. Dick Public Middle School and Milton District High School, both located in the Town of Milton.[2][3] He described missing half his classes in his school years due to his training and competitions.[2][3]
With an initial background in gymnastics and trampoline, the latter of which Gerrits had competed at the provincial level,[3] he had begun skiing at the age of 6.[3][4] When he was 10, he competed at provincial skiing championships, where he had gained mentorship and support from fellow skier Nicolas Fontaine.[2][5] Gerrits had spent his initial ski training sessions abroad in Lake Placid, New York, before the Canadian Freestyle Ski Association built a Quebec facility in 2004.[3]
Career
By the time Gerrits was 15, he had gained a position on the Canadian National Development Team for aerials.[5][6] He was invited to the 2010 Winter Olympics as a forerunner for the men's aerials.[4][6] He was named the international rookie of the year following the 2010 season.[4]
Gerrits spent the end of his 2011–2012 season recovering from a MCL tear.[4][6]
During the 2012–13 FIS Freestyle Skiing World Cup season, Gerrits won two silver medals.[7][8]
Gerrits' next breakthrough came when he won silver at the 2013 World Championships in Norway,[9] which meant his qualification for the 2014 Winter Olympics as a representative for Canada. After he commented on his success saying, "To me, second place is a victory in my eyes (because) I qualified for the Olympics. To be honest, I couldn't be happier. I did everything I wanted to do today and this whole season. It's awesome."[10]
At the end of 2013, Gerrits won the World Cup aerials in Beijing, China.[11][12][13]
In the 2014 Winter Olympics, Gerrits had come in 7th place for the Olympic men's aerials final.[14]
Gerrits withdrew from the 2018 Winter Olympics qualifying to enter rehabilition for sustained inquires.[15]
According to a 2019 interview, Gerrits had retired from his skiing career after 14 years on the Canadian national team.[16]
Personal life
In 2017, Gerrits opened up about his experience living as an athlete with bipolar I disorder.[17] Diagnosed in 2014, he commented on his treatment management, and how his career results "came in spurts and peaks" due to his illness.[18]
In 2020, Gerrits was inducted into the Milton Sports Hall of Fame.[19]
Results
Top Five Finishes
- Nor-Am Cup: 8
- World Cup: 7
- World Championships: 1
| Season | Date | Location | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006-07 1 top five | January 28, 2007 | Mont Gabriel, Canada Nor-Am Cup | 5th[20] |
| 2007-08 1 top five | February 16, 2008 | Apex, Canada Nor-Am Cup | 3rd[20] |
| 2008-09 2 top five | January 11, 2009 | Apex, Canada Nor-Am Cup | 3rd[20] |
| February 21, 2009 | Canada Olympic Park, Canada Nor-Am Cup | 2nd[20] | |
| 2009-10 2 top five | December 21, 2010 |  Utah Olympic Park, USA Nor-Am Cup | 2nd[20] |
| March 2, 2010 | Apex, Canada Nor-Am Cup | 3rd[20] | |
| 2010-11 3 top five | December 18, 2010 | Apex, Canada Nor-Am Cup | 2nd[20] |
| December 19, 2010 | Apex, Canada Nor-Am Cup | 1st[20] | |
| January 8, 2011 | Mont Gabriel, Canada Nor-Am Cup | 3rd[20] | |
| 2011-12 1 top five | January 15, 2012 | Mont Gabriel, Canada Nor-Am Cup | 3rd[20] |
| 2012-13 4 top five's | January 12, 2013 | Val Saint Come, Canada World Cup | 2nd[21] |
| February 1, 2013 | Deer Valley, USA World Cup | 2nd[21] | |
| February 23, 2013 |  Bukovel, Ukraine World Cup | 5th[21] | |
| March 7, 2013 |  Voss-Myrkdalen, Norway World Championship | 2nd[22] | |
| 2013-14 2 top five's | December 15, 2013 |  Beida Lake, China World Cup | 4th[21] |
| December 22, 2013 | Beijing, China World Cup | 1st[21] | |
| 2014-15 1 top five | February 21, 2015 |  Moscow, Russia World Cup | 4th[21] |
| 2015-16 1 top five | February 5, 2016 | Deer Valley, USA World Cup | 4th[21] |