Curren Caples Wins Toyota Athlete of the Year Nomination

After a standout performance at the Toyota City Championships in San Francisco, Curren Caples earned himself a nomination for the 2013 Dew Tour Toyota Athlete of the Year (TAOTY) award ultimately worth $25,000 and a cool $2,500 for the time being.

Caples—who turned pro earlier this year—put together a more than respectable set of runs during his Dew Tour debuts in both Street and Streetstyle earning his way into the final round in each discipline.

In his third and final Streetstyle run, Caples’ smooth Z-boy style captured the attention of fans and judges alike with a monster frontside smith grind along the top of the brick pyramid and huge melon grab off the shipping container onto the Toyota Corolla.

Scoring in at 89.75, just a quarter point shy of frontrunner Ryan Sheckler, Caples walked away with a well-deserved second place slot.

Not quite sure how the Toyota Athlete of the Year is decided? Here’s a quick refresher:

Every sport has athletes who perform staple tricks at each contest, but there are also athletes who go to each event to push their riding – and their sport – as far as possible. The Toyota Athlete of the Year program will focus on the athletes who are elevating their sport by pushing their riding with progressive runs and tricks, and providing amazing and inspiring moments for their fellow athletes and fans.

After each event final in 2013, Dew Tour Judges will nominate the most progressive rider in each discipline. The athlete nominee runs/tricks are then edited into a piece for online voting. The athletes who receives the most online votes after each event is awarded a $2,500 prize on behalf of Toyota, and is then eligible to win Toyota Athlete of the Year. After the third and final event in Breckenridge, the three athletes, and video of their progressive riding from the Dew Tour, will be subject to a panel of industry judges who will determine which is the official Toyota Athlete of the Year.

The Winning athlete will be awarded $25,000 on behalf of Toyota.

Curren Caples, nosegrind

Caples joins previously-nominated Garrett Hill, who earned himself a finalist position for his performance at the Dew Tour Beach Championships this past June. A third and final nominee will join these athletes contending for the 2013 Toyota Athlete of the Year award.

Grab your hats and gloves, and head to Breckenridge, Colorado for the iON Mountain Championships, December 12-15, where the top freeski or snowboard athlete will be selected for the third nomination.