Over the weekend we received the sad news that Dillon Ojo, one of the most heralded new riders of the past few years, died in Montreal late on Thursday night.

Aged just 22, he’d already achieved more than most riders could hope for in a full career. From modest beginnings in Ski Mont Saint-Bruno, Quebec, to travelling the world filming for critically acclaimed projects like Deja Vu’s Encore, Snowboarder’s Foreword and, most recently, Vans’ Landline, it’d be hard to find a hardcore fan of street snowboarding that wouldn’t rank him amongst the most exciting riders of the moment.

With a skate-influenced style that was as smooth as it was raw, you just have to watch the Raw Files from his most recent part to see not just how good he’d already become, but how much potential there still was to come.

“By all accounts, he was an amazing human first, talented snowboarder second”

However, what most will remember him for was his infectious energy, charisma and stoke – by all accounts, he was an amazing human first, talented snowboarder second. You just have to look at the tributes and outpourings from the community on social media over the weekend for confirmation.

Lastly, in an industry dominated by the white middle-class, it was refreshing to see a black athlete rise through the ranks and make his mark on snowboarding, no doubt providing inspiration to many others. The importance of this can’t be understated, and we hope his influence and legacy continue beyond his passing.

Dillon Ojo, 1995 – 2018. Our thoughts go out to his family and friends. Rest in peace.