Next stop Italy for Special Olympics snowboarder
JONESBOROUGH, Tenn. (WJHL) — Chris Furches took to a snowboard several years ago like a fish to water, and now the 24-year-old’s skill at the sport has garnered him an invite to next year’s Special Olympics World Games in Turin, Italy.
“It’s a true honor for me I think and I’m just counting the days at this point,” Furches told News Channel 11 several days after capturing two gold medals at the Tennessee Special Olympics Winter Games at Ober Gatlinburg.
“I’m really looking forward to and seeing everybody, seeing how real snow’s like. So I mean it’s gonna be a big deal.”
Furches has competed in motocross racing for more than a decade, and said the transition to snowboarding roughly four years ago was fairly natural.
“It definitely helps the balance,” he said. “It definitely in my opinion makes me kind of a better motocross racer and a snowboarder because of like, you know, leaning with the thing.”
Furches took home gold in the Giant Slalom and Slalom events at Ober Gatlinburg. He already knew by the time he entered that competition that he had qualified to represent Tennessee at the World Games that will run March 8-16, 2025 in Turin. He’ll head to Salt Lake City for a training stint next month, which will mark his final preparation — other than lots of practice over the next year — for the big trip to Europe.
Furches said he loves the feeling of descending a mountain on the board, which differs greatly from motocross despite the emphasis on coordination. There’s no loud motor, no throttle, just gravity and speed.
“I just love the freedom of it,” he said. “I love going down the hill and it’s actually more relaxed than motocross. It takes your mind somewhere else and it’s even better when you’re on top of the mountain and you see everything from above. It just makes you feel free up there.”
What isn’t free is the trip to Italy. Furches and his family have begun the process of trying to raise $10,000 for that journey. More about his fundraising effort is at this webpage.
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