DaKoTa KaRKoulas

By VIRgIl KNapp

Dakota Karoulas comes from a family full of racers with both her siblings competing in Snowcross (her older sister Brooklyn, directly against her no less), which must lead to some interesting family dinners on Sunday night! 2022 was a pivotal year for Dakota as she took home titles in the Pro AM Women’s class and the Junior Boy’s division. Hoping to continue that momentum into 2023, we caught up with Dakota just prior to the start of the new year and new CSRA Nationals season.

First off congratulations on winning the Pro AM Women’s class and the Junior Boy’s class all in your rookie year no less! Did you do anything different this year over previous ones that led to so much success?

Thank you! It was a great year. No Drastic changes this year, always just working on pushing myself and trying to do my best. However, this year we did begin practicing at Black River Racing’s track in Muskoka.

The track and support there is just amazing, which I definitely feel helped improve my riding and racing. Another change would be racing a full throttle sled for the first time. This gave me more confidence when hitting jumps, and eventually I was able to do all the jumps on both my full throttle, and half throttle. I just needed that little boost in self esteem the full throttle gave me, in order to encourage myself to try the harder jumps.

I know from interviewing your sister Brooklyn in the past, she considers you one of her strongest competitors in the Pro Am Women’s class. Typically in racing you wouldn’t share a house with other riders you’re actively competing against throughout the season. Does this ever create tension at home or it’s easy to leave whatever happens on race day at the track?

Oh man I would be lying if I said the tension didn’t follow us into the trailer and home. We improved on keeping our cool throughout the season, but the first couple races were tense! The first corner off the green light always seemed to be our biggest issue, as that was when we were the closest on the track. Our line picks always seemed to be very close, if not right beside each other as well. Putting us ski to ski right off the line. But, we live and we learned. Avoiding conversations right after a tight race was the most effective way for us to remember we’re sisters before competitors.

What is the biggest difference between the Pro AM Women’s class compared to the Junior Boy’s?

I would say the biggest difference for me would be that there is a higher number of racers. The boys class also seems to be more aggressive as they aren’t afraid to rub. You’d be hard pressed to find me letting off the throttle before the first corner, which sometimes caused issues in the boys class because they also aren’t afraid to back down.

Usually, if I could make it around the corner I was good for the rest of the race.

I read that your jumping evolved this year and you were hitting triples you wouldn’t have previously attempted. Did you find taking bigger risks like that paid off in faster lap times?

Taking bigger risks DEFINITELY paid off in the long run. I found a new comfort place in the air, which I had never seemed to of been in before. I have always liked jumping, but this year was different. The air was calming and exciting. During some races I would forget all about the other competitors and would be competing against myself when going over the jumps. Always trying to get higher, jump further. I would be yelling “weeeeee” in the air while I was supposed to be racing!

Are you picky with sled set up?

I am the WORST when it comes to sled set up. I come off the track and my Dad tries to ask me about my sled. How it’s running, if I’m bottoming out, etc. and I could not tell you a single answer to any of those questions! When I’m on the track I do not take in or register anything, but the track and the riders around me. Even though I don’t know anything about the mechanics, my Dad always keeps my sled in tip top shape. I just worry about the riding aspect.

Despite being only 16 you’ve been racing for the majority of your life. Do you feel like a veteran or you still think there’s a lot to learn?

I still feel like a ‘newbie’ some days. When I’m struggling with a jump or a corner, I sometimes feel like I know nothing. In the end, there is always lots more to learn. I love watching other riders. How they move, how they hit the jumps, do they ride the berm around the corner, or do they brake hard and power out. And then I try to copy them. Later checking in with my Dad looking at lap times and seeing what he thinks is the fastest and best way to ride at certain times.

If you could only use one social media app for the next year would it be Tik Tok, Instgram or Snapchat? And why?

Definitely Instagram. I could scroll for hours if I could. It’s got all my favourite things. Snowmobiles, racing, French Bulldogs, and my friends!

Fast forward 10 years do you see your self still racing sleds?

I definitely would if I could. With post secondary coming up faster than ever, there’s no telling what will happen. Racing or not, I will always love sleds, and will definitely try my hardest to get to some races.

What do you love most about racing? And what do you dislike the most?

Hmmmm hard question. I love so many things about it. I love just riding, and flying through the air, I love going fast and being with friends and just so much more. The pressure is definitely a downside to racing though. Except it’s not pressure I feel from other people, but from myself. Sometimes I take the fun out of it for myself, because I’m just so focused on the end result of crossing the transponder line first, and not appreciating the process, and enjoying the actual riding and racing. My goal this year is definitely to try and relax. I just want to have fun and take in the experience and do my best.

Do you ever see a time when the guys and girls could compete in a mixed class at the pro open level?

Yes! I cannot wait for the day there’s a female in the pro open class. Maybe I’ll even be that female rider. I think it is so much more than just possible. At just 15 I raced Pro Women, so for the traditional female classes that’s as high as I can get. But I’m not ready for that to be the end, as I know many other girls as well, who are still wanting to progress in levels. So where else is there to go than to keep moving up with the guys! I don’t think there is anything stopping a girl from racing in the pro class. When helmets are on, we’re not racing against girls and guys, but are against racers and competitors.

Who has been in your corner and would you like to thank?

I could not have accomplished nearly as much as I did this season, and past seasons without my sponsors. I am so grateful for them all and am so proud to use their products, and have their support backing me up. I like to try and wear lots of my sponsors clothing as much as I can so everyone around and see how amazing they are as well! I’d like to give a giant thank you to Bailey Motorsports for the years of support, Ski-Doo, Motul, Fly Racing for always keeping me looking great and warm, Dayco, Studboy, C&A Pro Skis, Rox, Off Road Vixens, Scott Goggles always keeping my vision clear, Backwoods Promotion, 139 designs for my wraps that I love!! St.Onge Recreation, and Atlas Braces. Thank you to everyone else who has stood by me through my racing career thus far as well. Big thank you to my Dad for everything he’s done for me, from the countless nights of working on the sleds, to the before races ‘pep talks’. Thank you to my mom for always encouraging me and giving lots of hugs when I’m getting down on myself, and thank you to my sisters for being my competition, but also my supporters who never would not give me a good luck handshake before a race. I would not be where I am now without those around me, so a huge thank you to them.