Torstein Horgmo has quickly become one of the most progressive riders in snowboarding and has pushed boundaries every time he’s strapped himself to a board. Contest judges wait in sweaty anticipation when he approaches a newly built kicker and film premiere audiences exclaim praise in adoration of his seemingly impossible on screen feats of strength.

A native of Trondheim, Norway, Torstein has turned up in many discussions as the rider to watch. It was in 2004 that the at-the-time 16 year old made his first impact on snowboarding, winning the Burton European Open Junior Jam followed by the Air & Style Rookie Challenge in 2005. Shortly after, he barely missed the podium with his fourth place at the 2006 5Star Burton European Open. This pushed him even more to win his first ever TTR title just a week later by claiming the Slopestyle at the 5Star O’Neill Pro Freestyle in Avoriaz, France. That same season he got a personal invitation by Terje Haakonsen to ride at the legendary 6Star Oakley Arctic Challenge and finished in 10th. Not bad at all.

Closing in on the end of his 2006 season, an unfortunate back injury left Torstein unable to compete for the rest of the season. After months of recuperation and virtual shredding, the Norwegian powerhouse came back into the game with arms swinging, proving he was stronger and more determined than ever. It was from then on that Horgmo became known for absolutely destroying the scene down under. Dominance kicked off in 2007 with a Slopestyle title at the 5Star Abominable Snow Jam at Mt. Hood. He continued with top five finishes in the Slope and Pipe at the 4Star Garnier Fructis Australian Open and finally an intense and deserved Slopestyle title win at the 3Star Stylewars after his 150-foot Frontside 1080.

At the end of the 07/08 Swatch TTR World Snowboard Tour season, Torstein finished as World No. 10, solidifying his inheritance of becoming one of snowboarding’s greats. The 2008/2009 season saw similar results down under with a second place finish at 2008’s Stylewars and a Title win at the 5Star Burton Australian Open. Amidst a beefy filming schedule, he managed to fit in an appearance at the 5Star Red Bull Snowscrapers in New York city and bagged a second place, finishing last season in World No. 15.

Aside from his impressive competitive career, Torstein is also making a name for himself among snowboarding film gurus and already has opening and ending parts in some of the best films of recent winters. Don’t believe us? Well, give these flicks a spin: Up in the Sky, DC Mtn Lab 1.5 and Standard Films’ Aesthetica and their newest entry, Black Winter. One viewing of each will not be enough to witness and experience the gargantuan awesomeness of the riding laid down by Norwegian board master Torstein Horgmo.

The 2009/2010 season of the Swatch TTR World Snowboard Tour witnessed some great riding, as Horgmo has added a second place Slopestyle finish at the 5Star Burton NZO and a top ten finish at the 6Star Billabong Air & Style and a second place at the prestigious 6Star Oakley Arctic Challenge to his notable list of competitive accomplishments.