Pro Freerider Tanner Thomas UpdateStory & Photos: Tanner Thomas It all started by flying into San Luis Obispo, California, Memorial Day weekend. My truck was brought down from TC Freeride and left at the airport by my friend Trevor Allred. That way when I landed Saturday evening I could drive straight down to the Liquid Militia Team Weekend event held at the fabulous Dos Pablos Private Ranch. Located near Santa Barbara California. It was great to get to come down and catch up with all my good friends and sponsors in attendance there.Sunday afternoon it was time to hurry up to the TC Freeride shop where my good friend and mechanic Hiroyuki Ogino was there building my new competition 900cc ski. Hiro was brought over to help me and my team try to get our program to the next level in Freestyle. Dasa Racing, TC Freeride, Rickter, Skat-Trak , Hiro and myself are putting the pieces together on new products and testing for the future of freestyle.Having Hiro come to TC Freeride and teach Taylor and I so much stuff was lots of fun. Hiro is from Japan and has a completely different outlook on things. Together as a team this year we should be able to make some jaws drop. Already my new Rickter XFS Competition 900 is lighting it up on the water! With a few days to tune in the new ski and get me practicing, we were all dialed in and ready for the 3rd and 4th rounds of the Jettribe "Best Of the West" Tour. Very early Friday morning Hiro and I headed out on our road trip from Central Cali down to Riverside to get the Dasa Racing Facilities Tour and then onto Skat-Trak in Calimesa for another wonderful tour. Both stops were so great to show Hiro the factories where the products are made while he was in the US. By the late evening time we arrived in Parker AZ! After checking in with my KMG Racing Team we checked into our room at the Blue Water Hotel and Casino. Such a cool spot for a race. Right on the cool Colorado River, and thank gosh with the heat hitting 108' on Saturday!This event was very special to me with KMG Racing. Saturday we had a team dinner where they inducted me officially into the team KMG Racing family along with Mystic Lubricants! Such an amazing group of fun and talented people to have on my side.It is a true treat to hang out with them and pit with them at all these events. The level of support is wonderful.With the ski dialed in and retuned to the climate Saturday morning Hiro's work was done and it was my time to continue working on my routine and my ankle. Thankfully that is healing well and almost back to full capability. Suited up in my favorite JetPilot gear, Saturday was a great time for freestyle with a turn out of 7 riders! Super fun to have good healthy competition with some great guys. Saturday I was excited winning the 3rd round and helping secure my points lead a little farther along on the tour.Sunday rolled around and I wanted to take my run from saturday and clean it up a little bit as well as get more amplitude and difficulty in my tricks. I feel like I nailed that with nice big one handed, one footed flat spin 360s and madonna backflips. I felt like my run was improved over saturdays. I was very pleased with my riding and how the ski was running. At the end of the day Vaclav "Iceman" got me on the points with many many combinations of tricks. Couldnt have been beat by a nicer guy and a great leader in our sport. Congrats to Vaclav on sunday and I am still very pleased with 2nd place.Soon after awards we started our 7 hour drive back to TC Freeride to regroup after a great weekend. Thanks to Taylor Curtis of TC Freeride I have a home base in California where I can leave my equipment and prepare for events.Monday I was able to get my red Practice XFS all crated up in time for Alaska Marine Lines to arrange the shipping back to Alaska! I am very excited to bring a ski and my JetLift tote home to ride for my local supporters and friends and share what i've been up to first hand!Also very excited to have a new JetLift Tote on its way to TC Freeride! Pictures soon!!Thanks to all my 2015 Sponsors! I am still seeking additional support for this season due to how much traveling is involved.Proud SupportersRickter BAM Tyler Rental Dasa Racing TC Freeride Alaska Diesel Power Skat-Trak Alaska Marine Lines JetLift Sign Pro JetPilot Liquid Militia KMG Racing Mystik Lubricants Sourdough Tactical