Audrey is searching for kids in the Rochester area who are doing big things.
Today she interviews fifteen year old Gavin Canzano who is part of the U.S. Ski Team’s Aerials National Development Group. He is in tenth grade at Victor High School. He loves crab legs and steak, scary movies, and Jamaican music. He lives with his mom, dad, twelve-year-old brother Deacon, and a Bernedoodle named Remi.
Can you describe what you do for your sport?
Aerials is part of freestyle skiing. It involves skiing down a steep inrun, hitting a jump—or kicker—and doing a combination of flips and twists in the air before landing on my feet! Right now, I compete on the double kicker. I ski down the inrun at about thirty-four miles per hour, hit the double kicker, which is twelve feet high, and do a full-full, which is two flips and two twists. Our score is 20% takeoff, 50% form, and 30% landing.
How and when did you get started?
I was a freestyle mogul skier to start. Moguls require inverted tricks, so I had been working on those on water ramps [practice ramps that are near large bodies of water] since I was ten. In 2024 I was invited to Project Gold, the U.S. Ski Team’s development camp. My parents made me go even though I was scared of aerials at the time. But I did well and hit the double kicker for the first time. It was definitely scary, but it was fun!
What do you enjoy most about aerials?
It’s intense and I like doing flips. It’s exciting and I love the feeling and when the adrenaline hits. I don’t ever get bored, because it’s always challenging and scary.
What are some of the biggest challenges?
It hurts a lot! Everything hurts all the time! Crashing on snow or hitting the water wrong during training HURTS. It has to be precise and a lot of things can go wrong. Even a tiny mistake on the takeoff can alter the whole jump.
Can you tell me about competing in your first World Cup?
It was a great experience, competing against the top aerials athletes in the world. It was very intense, because most of the other athletes were competing for spots on their Olympic teams. I wasn’t in the same situation, but I did my best full-full to date and did well!
How much time do you put into this?
I don’t think about that, but I guess a lot. I think about skiing all day and all night. During the summer, I train for six weeks at the Utah Olympic Park. In the spring and fall, I train at Bristol Mountain’s water ramps. And during the winter, I’m training every weekend, several weeks at Lake Placid and competing in maybe five big competitions. If I didn’t have to go to school, I’d do it more.
Who is your favorite athlete?
All the guys on the U.S. Ski Team have been great. Chris Lillis is from Pittsford and skied with Bristol Mountain Freestyle and has always helped me so much—even as a little kid. Connor Curran and Ashton Salwan are great guys, too, and I admire their careers and jumping styles.
What are your dreams for the future?
I want to podium at a NorAm Cup (North American Cup), make the U.S. Ski Team by the end of high school, win a World Cup and go to the Olympics!
Follow Gavin on Instagram: @gavincanz_8
This article originally appeared in the Spring 2026 issue of (585) Kids.
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