18-Year-Old Italian Free Skier Leonardo Donaggio Kicks Off The Season With Some Of The Gnarliest Jumps These Eyes Have Ever Seen

Good lord. I don't even know how I came across this kid, but I'm glad I did. He's only eighteen years old and is already throwing some of the gnarliest jumps these eyes have ever seen. I mean look at this shit...

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Eighteen years old. How do you even build up to that in such a short amount of time? I guess you just have no fear, right? Like if you're not afraid of getting hurt you'll try anything. Which is the exact opposite of me when I'm on the mountain. Granted I took a ten year hiatus from skiing before getting back into it, but I am irrationally afraid of being injured. The recovery time is simply too long. God forbid I tear a knee I'll never be the same. Regardless, I've always been fascinated with freestyle skiers. Guys like Simon Dumont and Tom Wallisch who are so good at their craft they make most complex tricks appear effortless. Just the amount of spacial awareness it takes to go off a jump and not lose control is insane. Then you've got guys like Birk Irving who is only 22 years old and doing the same thing as guys twice his age. It's wild. 

On a personal note, I got the Epic Pass this year and need to buy skis so if anyone has suggestions drop a line in the comments. I like to go fast and consider myself an above average skier if that means anything. Definitely not a jump guy either. Now here's one of my favorite compilations from a few years back. Enjoy…

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