Colorado's Patti Zhou returns to Dew Tour, snowboarder hopes to inspire other girls
If you're looking for a new athlete to support who calls Copper Mountain their home mountain, might we suggest the charming, infectiously spunky 12-year-old Patti Zhou? A competitor in both halfpipe and slopestyle on her snowboard, she's one to watch as she competes with athletes twice her age at the Dew Tour in Colorado where she took home the silver medal.
Her initial inspiration that actually got her to enjoy snowboarding.? Two squirrels.
"I was in Japan for my first season but the mountain was really big and scary so I didn't want to go snowboarding because there was so much powder over my head... I get stuck and like 'Ahh... so uncomfortable' and then I saw two little squirrels running around and that was what inspired me to go snowboarding."
From humble beginnings, the Summit County local has become a standout not only for her skills on the slopes but because of her positive attitude and genuine excitement surrounding life you might expect in someone her age.
"Drink tequila!!" Zhou said laughing with a big smile (a quote we couldn't add to our video version of this story but desperately wanted to, so we're putting in the web copy.) She was, of course, referring to gifting her coach with the drink should she take home a prize from this year's Dew Tour. This bubbly, quirky girl represents the next generation of snowboarders, nipping at the heels of young women, in the sport.
"They are all my friends, I never thought that they were really old," Zhou said, when asked about competing against older opponents "We are old friends but I know deep down they all want to beat me!"
"We are frenemies!"
While the 2024 Dew Tour was not one where she saw much success, placing 7th in the women's snowboard superpipe, she's still serving as an inspiration to younger athletes looking to get into the sport.
"I just want to show everyone that the new generation is good and it is coming and I hope I can inspire more little girls."
