They watched for several moments, watching the boarders fly. It was more like aerial gymnastics than snowboarding, to Clover’s mind. The riders made it look effortless, as though all bodies should flex and reach and spin like that, but she knew now – from having watched Kit and Beau – the hours and hours and hours of training and drills they had to put in on the trampolines and ball pits before they could progress to the hard surfaces out here. This was training camp for the best of the best – the snowboarding elite, the alpha pack. Kit Foley wanted nothing more than to beat them; he wanted their approval and respect. Would he get it?

She poled off and sped down the piste before the others could even get their gloves on. Not if she could bloody help it.

*

Clover Phillips Have you been impressed by what you’ve seen him do?

Xander Bergstrom (Laughs) Man. (Laughs again) I mean . . . what . . . how do I answer that? I don’t wanna be a jerk but . . . I mean, he doesn’t look like he’s moving all that well . . . He’s pretty old, right?

C. P. Would you be surprised to hear he pulled off a Switch Backside 1260 nearly two weeks ago?

X. B. . . . Seriously?

*

Nina Heikkinen Well, the women’s tour’s pretty psyched, if you get my meaning. (Winks, sticks tongue out)

*

Yuki Watanabe He’s pretty quiet. He keeps himself to himself but I think he’s just staking us out. He knows eyes are on him.

C. P. From what you’ve seen, do you think he’s got what it takes?

Y. W. I’ve heard some rad stuff about him. I dunno, it’s not like I’ve really seen him much. He doesn’t move much off the pipe whereas I’m more about the aerials . . . But I’ve heard his brother is sick!

*

Mikey Schultz Is there any love for the guy? (Laughs) No.

C. P. Why d’you think that is?

M. S. He’s not a team player. He chose the wrong sport.

C. P. You went riding at Kaprun a couple of weeks back. Did you know he was going to be there?

M. S. Sure. It’s why I went. Why not? I was heading over here anyways so I thought I’d check him out. I’d been hearing some stuff.

C. P. And what did you think?

M. S. (Shrugs)

C. P. He rode straight after you; copied your ride trick for trick. Including the Switch Backside 1260. How did you feel about that?

M. S. It was a dick move. A flex.

C. P. Would you say the same if one of your crew had done it?