Snowboarding has been waiting patiently for a young woman like Jess Kimura to arrive. Not since the groundbreaking video parts and female feats of Dakides or Meyen, has women's snowboarding been so electrified by one rider. While most worthy female shreds end up stuck on the narrow path of competition, Kimura sidestepped the whole "contest girl" scene. After claiming Canadian Junior titles in pipe and boarder cross during her high school years, Jess walked away to go filming and boarding on her own terms. With a go-for-broke approach, Jess' riding stands out in contrast to her peers — brutal slams and tech street moves come in equal measure, showing she's got not just tricks, but heart. And in case you haven't figured it out by now, she's no girly girl; Jess skates, plays guitar, and works construction. Yes, construction. Maybe that's because Jess understands the relationship between labor and success. And right now, she's putting in work.