Errol Kerr, the "Usain Bolt" of Ski Cross World, Qualifies to Represent Jamaica at the Winter Olympics in Vancouver in February '10

Skiing phenom Errol Kerr, dubbed the "Usain Bolt" of the ski cross world, qualifies to represent Jamaica at the Winter Olympics in Vancouver in 2010.

Errol Kerr, 23, has taken the ski cross world by storm and he has qualified for the Winter Olympics in 2010. He will be representing the "no problem mon!" island of Jamaica as a member of its Winter Olympics team. Some have labeled him as "Usain Bolt" on skis, a honor he takes seriously and to heart. The Hinterland Gazette interviewed this remarkable skier today and I was in total awe of his conviction, determination and his excitement at representing Jamaica in Vancouver from February 12 - 28, 2010. Ski cross is the only new sport at the Winter Olympics and it promises a great deal of excitement with its fast pace, rugged course with moguls, jumps, turns and yes, even wipeouts!

Jamaica  proved that it was a serious contender in the winter games when its bobsled team first entered the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary and inspired the Disney comedy "Cool Runnings."  The island will be a force to reckon again with ski-cross phenom Errol Kerr. Kerr, who was born to a Jamaican father and an American mother, has felt right at home on the slopes ever since he was a child. His mother, Catherine Kerr, once a ski racer herself, imparted the same love of the sport to her son when he was four years old.



Here is an excerpt from this fascinating interview I conducted with Error Kerr (listen to the video above):

HG: From what I have read, you have accomplished a great deal in your career and you have qualified for the Winter Olympics. How do you feel about being a trailblazer for people of African descent in the sport and being an ambassador for Jamaica?

EK: I love it. you don't see very many minorities in skiing sports. Skiing's a really old traditional sport. I just think it is very exciting.  It lays the ground work for more and more people to come along and do what I have done. Somebody always has to do it first and then it seems easy.

HG: How do you feel about being called the "Usain Bolt" of the ski cross world?

EK: I believe it's a really big honor. Another thing about the sport, male skiers don't peak until their late twenties and early thirties. I am about 10 years younger than a lot of people that I race with. I think it's an honor and by no means am I quitting any time soon.

What resonated with me throughout this entire interview was the excitement in Errol Kerr's voice when he talked about his love for the sport. He talked about his father, who did not live to see him accomplish so much in his career and attributed much of his success to him and what he stood for in his life. It is a given that his father would be very proud of him today. I think the message in this interview is that you can accomplish anything you dream of, despite all the odds against you. Errol summed it up best by saying, "I feel like I am taking a pair of skis and showing the world how far your dreams can take you." To Errol Kerr, you have blazed a trail for Jamaica into the world of skiing. I hope your dream will be realized of catapulting from the 10th fastest in the world to the world champion. Go deh bredda go deh (go brother go)!

Be sure to visit Errol Kerr's Web site where you will find more information about him, his upcoming schedule and videos showcasing his talent. He will be competing January 28 - 30, 2010 in Aspen, CO, at the Winter X Games, which will be televised on ESPN.

Background on Ski Cross

What is ski cross?  It is a relatively new type of skiing competition that is based on the motorbike discipline motocross and a cousin sport known as Snowboard Cross. It is a timed racing event and is often considered part of freestyle skiing because it incorporates terrain features that are traditionally found in freestyle. In a time trial or qualifying round, each competitor skis down the course, which is built to encompass both a naturally occurring terrain and artificial features such as jumps, rollers, etc. After the time trial, the fastest 32 skiers in men's events, for example, compete in a knock-out style series in rounds of four. A group of four skiers start simultaneously and attempt to reach the end of the course. The first two to cross the finish line will advance to the next round. At the end, the final and small final rounds determine 1st to 4th and 5th to 8th places, respectively (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skicross). In short, the race requires skill, strength and physical endurance because the course is very demanding.

Governed by the International Ski Federation, competitors are not allowed to pull, push, hold, or block each other during those sections of the course where passing may occur. A deliberate interference basically spells doom -- an automatic disqualification. Errol Kerr is well adapted to the demands of ski cross, as evidenced from his extensive background in Alpine skiing, plus it makes good use of his motocross and BMX skills. He has a good shot at picking up a medal at the Olympics because of his raw and natural talents on the slopes.