Meet the Legends - Brioney Johnston

Meet Brioney Johnston, a freeride snowboarder and Terrain Parks Supervisor at Mt Hotham

What does a typical day look like for you when you're building in the snow parks? 

"A typical day for me normally starts bright and early. I get myself into the workshop. It can involve the team making features, then going back into the workshop and doing maintenance on features that need to be fixed. The groomers and operators start at 6 a.m. most of the time, so I generally jump in the machines with them and start shaping from there. It can be a few hours, or it can be a whole-night job. We're trying to get parks built from nothing into a full line, top to bottom."

Has being a woman in trades and action sports presented unique challenges?

"Looking back, when I started there was no one in my position above me to look up to, and I was kind of creating this path myself. Now, the message I can pass on is that it's an extremely amazing thing to be another female in the industry and to show others they can take that leap and work in these spaces." 

Meet the Legends - Brioney Johnston

What does 'Nothing's Tougher' mean to you personally? 

"There's no easy way to do it. You have to do the hard work. You have to do the long days. You have to do the long seasons."

Meet the Legends - Brioney Johnston

What's tougher - snowboarding at a professional level or building the features yourself? 

"The competitive side of my life is extremely challenging. Most of the time, I'm in a new place and on unknown territory. When I'm standing in a start gate, half the time I can't even see ten metres in front of me. It can be frightening and terrifying, but you still have to take the line and trust yourself."

Meet the Legends - Brioney Johnston

What role does CrossFit or training play in your work and snowboarding? 

My training is extremely important to me, and it's non-negotiable. It keeps me more flexible and strong overall. When things get tough and my body starts to get tired, I know I can push through because I'm strong and I've trained hard. Nothing's Tougher.

Meet the Legends - Brioney Johnston