Cynthia Constantino works at Axis Boutiques in Mont Tremblant and Mont Saint-Sauveur, Quebec. Working at two shops she meets riders at all levels, and we love her taste in gear—especially watches.

What advice do you give girls coming in to buy their first set up? "If you want to enjoy your first experience and makes it easier, you should buy a technical board that’s a little shorter and don’t buy it because of the board’s look or because it matches your outfit! The type of riding you plan to do should be the biggest influence on the type of board you purchase. It also has to be your set up so we make sure everything you get properly fits. Don’t take someone’s board, boots or bindings to complete your set up, it has to be perfectly set for you. Have the perfect boot size and then make the perfect stance on the board which is a combination of footedness, stance width, offset centered and binding angle so your body will be in the perfect position to keep you balanced on the board. After that, go ride a few hours and then start tweaking! All you need is a screwdriver and some love!"

What are three items in store right now that you love? "That’s It, That’s All and the Nixon Vega—I have a collection! And Nikita clothing."

How often do you get up riding and where do you like to go? "This is the first year I have riden since a bad accident in December 2006—I still have pain every single day. So I go slowly, but surely, maybe once a week. I went on a snowboard trip to Quebec City with my girls few weeks ago... I went to the Massif for my first time ever and wow! Nicest trip of my life! I also like to ride at Mont Tremblant, where I’m from—not in the peak season, though! And Mont Saint-Sauveur is still my favourite little place."

What's your set up this year? "As I haven’t rocked the mountain in the last 3 years, I still ride my little Forum with Burton Freestyle junior bindings (I wear size 4-5) But I’m looking forward to gettin the Burton Feelgood. I’ve 32 boots and I am never without my Shaun White socks. I got the gold B by Burton Lana jacket with the black B by Burton Novak pants. I just got the Hi-Fi Red helmet in black and gold and the Anon Majestic goggle. I’ve got pink Grenade pipe gloves and for those cold days I’ve my duck-down Nikita mitts! I’ve a thousand toques but my favourite ones are Burton; and of course, I’m never without my boyfriend’s DC polyester long-T!"

What's the greatest thing about working at Axis? "The team! I drive over 200km back and forth to go work at the shop (part time), even if I’ve a bachelor in Kinesiology, I still want to keep my place in the family : Dan, Bil, Max, Vince and my love at first sight Laurie, guys you rock! I also work at Axis Saint-Sauveur part time and girls and boys you’re awesome!"

Any funny stories from working in a snowboard shop? "When people ask us if we have snowshoes, golf clubs, jock straps, swimming caps or Empire stickers!"

Check out Axis Boutique at axisboutique.com

Every week we'll be asking Canadian snowboard gals a different question a là Heathers lunchtime poll. Leave your own answer in the comments.

Guilty pleasure would have to be catching the weekly Grey's Anatomy episode. –Nat Gough

Chocolaaaaaate, tequilaaaaaa, sex, surfing, green and hip-hop my friends!!!! Cause they're simply what I enjoy doing, they don't all involve guiltiness, but they all do involved pleasure! They're classics actually!! –Magalie Dubois

Homemade wonton soup. I am the Iron Chef of making that stuff.  It’s so delicious. –Breanna Stangeland

Really bad television. –Molly Milligan

Buying jewellery from Rocks and Gems of Canada. –Meghann O’Brien

I’m a sucker for treats! Yum. –Mercedes Nicoll

The Big Mac. I know that they are pretty bad for you but still, there is much more pleasure than guilt involved. And I love Rotten Ronny. –Raewyn Reid

This week everyone cheers on Torah and the rest of the Women's halfpipe competitors at the Olympics—and who knew Elena Hight requested they play that Miley Cyrus song during her run? Post pipe, Olympians headed to Seymour for the Nike 6.0 Greatest Hits Park.

February 23

leannepelosi For all non-USA peeps who can't see NBC, check the Kevin Pearce piece with Tom Brokaw on utube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jZsYPBacfRs

February 22

spencerobrien  awesome day up seymour in the @nike6 park. loving it up there right now, i'm a bit sad to go back to breck tomorrow.

February 21

leannepelosi 6 days sledding in a row. I'm missing my sleep...but how I love watching beautiful sunsets on the top of the Whistler mountains. Pink skies.

GretchenBleiler What Olympic sport should we watch today? Curling? Hockey? Cross Country? Skier Cross? Enjoying the rest of the Olympics and Vancouver!

danopendygrasse This is Marie-Andrée Racine getting warmed up on red ledge. She was charging all day http://tweetphoto.com/12123201

February 20

Elenahight Stoked on the greatest hits @nike6 day at seymour... Fun shredding and chillin with @louievito and @gregbretzz

ChanelleSladics In Munich! Next stop Madrid! All travels going smoothly! Read, sleep, wrote, listened, watched last flight! Always feel inspired on planes!

gabiviteri Yayy out of the hospital and flyin home...On my way to recovery. Thank you everyone who helped me on my journeys.@aaronleyland your awesome!

February 19

LinnHaug Feeling much better! Im an Olympian now, why not? See you in 2014!

mercedesnicoll don't know what songs they played last night during my runs, but I hope at least one was single ladies! haha xoxo

lisawiik Olympics over for me. No more FIS I think:) :) :) haha. Cant wait to let the rest of my season continue... Oh la la

February 18

mercedesnicoll Stoked! 6th xoxo

spencerobrien so stoked for the lovely torah bright! stoked to go party with friends at shaun's @redbull party. good times whenever @steveaoki is djing!

leannepelosi Yay torahhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Elenahight I put my hands up they playing my song, its a Party in the USA!

MGTSnowboard Torah will be wearing gold necklaces if she lands this double today: http://bit.ly/d8DfKs #van2010

February 17

mercedesnicoll Heading up to watch the boys!!! Good luck @brad__Martin

By Siofan Davies

Hometeam advantage rarely counts in halfpipe, especially Olympic competition, still, proud Canadians that we are we had high hopes for Sarah Conrad, Mercedes Nicoll and Olympic rookie Palmer Taylor. Yet, rather than focus on the podium (I know, I know, that’s who gets the medals, there’s no participation medal), when compared to Torino four years ago, Canada is definitely moving up in Olympic Halfpipe standing.

At the 2006 Olympic Games, Conrad had our best finish of 15th place, with Nicolls at 27th, neither making it to finals. (If you don’t remember, the third member of the Women’s halfpipe team was this year’s snowboard cross winner Maëlle Ricker, she placed 23rd in Torino.)

Nicoll, 26, was the only Canadian woman to make it into the finals this year, based on the strength of some impressive spins in the semifinals. However, once she came into the finals, her 540s and 720s would not be enough for a podium finish, when pitted against the height and style of Torah Bright doing similar spins or Kelly Clark’s 900. However, with her sixth place standing, she still gave her hometown something to cheer about, and Canada it’s second-best ever placing in Women’s pipe at the Olympics (Ricker got 5th at Nagano in 1998).

Conrad had a strong second run in qualifiers, advancing her to semis but in both her runs she ran into problems, first with her backside 7, and then in a second run she was smooth until she went down at the end attempting a 9. But at only 24, Conrad certainly has another Olympics in her should she choose to continue to make pipe her focus.

What will really be interesting to see is the growth that 17-year-old Palmer Taylor goes through in the next four years. Bright’s poor placing at Torino was the driving force in her training for Vancouver, and now that Taylor has had a taste for Olympic competition, she can use this in her training. While she came in 26th place, the next four years could make a huge difference in where she stands in Russia in 2014.

I'd say helicopter is quite balla', but really, when's the last time I went heli-riding, never... So I'd have to go with sled!!! Way better than hiking that's for sure!!! –Magalie Dubois

Sled. The only helicopter I have ever been on was when I was airlifted to a hospital when I dislocated my elbow and lost circulation in my arm. I have not been on a snowcat yet, but I am sure it is fun. I just bought a sled that gets me from point A to point B, and allows me to snowboard in the backcountry and gives me a sweet workout when I get it stuck and have to dig it out. –Taylor Godber

I have a sled, which is fun and accessible, but I haven't been in a helicopter.  Despite their wastefulness with fossil fuels I still would love to go in one!  I'm also getting into splitboarding which should be great fun, likely to be the best of all. –Meghann O’Brien

Never been on a heli, sledding is pretty sick. snowcats are too slowwwww. –Molly Milligan

All of the above! But I do like cats, you get to ride and catch up with friends! –Mercedes Nicoll

Probably a helicopter. Never taken one but I’m sure their pretty handy. –Breanna Stangeland

Teleportation! –Raewyn Reid

Never been in a helicopter, so couldn't say. But the motion sickness felt in a snowcat would have to leave me with sled, simply by process of elimination. –Nat Gough