Meet the toddler who can snowboard at just TWO after her parents bought her first board when she was just three weeks old.
Parents Tiffany Dos Santos, 32, and Phillip Ward, 32, go on winter sports trips up to six times a year, so wanted daughter Lola Ward, now two, to learn early.
They bought her first board for her when she was a few weeks old, so she could get familiar with the sport.
They stood her up on the board to start teaching her properly when she was just three months old - and she first took to the snow at 10 months 0ld.
She took to it instantly, and after six trips to practice this year, she is already gliding down the slopes unaided.
Mom Tiffany, a construction worker from Melbourne, Australia, said the tot is "better than me already" and the possible future Olympian has "amazing form" on the board.
"Lola loves it. She is honestly cackling and laughing. The whole time she has a smile on her face," she said.
"She is happy every single time we put her on the board and she loves it. If she didn't want to do it we wouldn't put her on the board."
Tiffany was first introduced to snowboarding by her partner Phillip Ward, 32, a tradesman from Melbourne.
"My partner has snowboarded all his life - he introduced me to the sport," she said.
"We did it as a couple and always thought whenever we have a child, we would love to have a family trip and get our child into snowboarding.
"I have been snowboarding for six years and Lola is better than me already."
As a family, they have been snowboarding around six times this year, after being unable to go because of lockdown, when Lola would practice her skills at home instead.
"We went up last Sunday but because of lockdown we haven't been for a while. We generally go up around three or five times a year," Tiffany said.
"This year we have been up around six of seven times to Mount Buller. It is a three hours drive away from us.
"Australia has everything that you want; we have beaches, snorkeling, mountains, we have it all - I love Australia."
She said: "I know kids adapt to things a lot easier.
"Her form is amazing - she even squats down to get real low and get ready for a jump - it is amazing what she can do at such a young age."
Tiffany and Phillip both said that if they were to have another child, they would also get them snowboarding from a young age.
"It is such a random thing. Normally people get a soccer ball or ballet slippers but we thought we would be a little bit different," she said.
"I remember people asking if it was weird and if Lola enjoys it, if she doesn't like it then onto the next hobby.
"She always does dancing, one day she was standing on her snowboard in her dancing clothes and I was like 'which one is it? dancing or snowboarding' maybe she could be a dancing snowboarder."
Stories and infographics by ‘Talker Research’ are available to download & ready to use. Stories and videos by ‘Talker News’ are managed by SWNS. To license content for editorial or commercial use and to see the full scope of SWNS content, please email [email protected] or submit an inquiry via our contact form.
We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept All”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent.
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
Cookie
Duration
Description
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional
11 months
The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy
11 months
The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.