Tanner Meyers tears through the snow at a snowmobile hillclimb competition in Afton, Wyo., in February. (Photo by Paul Gritton/Idaho State Journal)

By Kendra Evensen/Idaho State Journal

Snowmobile hillclimb racer Tanner Meyers just became a world champion. Again.

The 18-year-old Soda Springs resident took three first place prizes during the World Championship Snowmobile Hill Climb in Jackson Hole last week. He raced to the top in the Semi-Pro Improved and Semi-Pro Mod finals, and he won Semi-Pro King, an event that pits top competitors against each other.

“I was excited to start winning,” Meyers said, adding that it’s been a difficult year for him.

In the past three races he’s competed in, he’s come in third through fifth, he said. But he picked an excellent time to reverse that trend last week.

“This is the biggest race of the year,” Meyers said. “(The) sponsors and vendors are watching.”

And this year, they watched him walk away with $1,800 in prize money, three trophies and a coat.

Meyers, who is part of the Polaris Race Team, said he couldn’t have done it without the help of his sponsors, including Bret Jensen and Darin Gould with Polaris, among many others.

Tanner Meyers as a member of the Soda Springs High School football team. (Submitted Photo)

He has been riding snowmobiles since he was 2 years old, but has only been racing for about four years. Still, he’s garnered two junior world championships and three high-point championships during that time, and that doesn’t include his most recent wins.

Although it can be difficult for Meyers to stay calm and not overthink things during his races, he says he enjoys the adrenaline rush and the demands that come with the competition. And he’s thrilled when he succeeds.

“When we raced, there was only four people to make it over the hill that day. I was two of the four — I made it over twice,” he said.

When he was younger, Meyers remembers watching his dad, Babe, race up the hills, and he said he always longed for his chance to do the same. Now that he has it, he’s determined not to give up when he’s racing.

His dad has since retired from racing competitions, but Meyers and his sister, Tayler, are continuing the legacy. The three of them work together on their training, and Meyers’ family members push him to do his best.

Meyers said they go backcountry riding a few times a week, and they have a course set up behind their house so they can practice even more often.

He plans to compete in a few more races this year and is hoping for some more wins in the future.

“For me, what I’m looking for is to stay consistent and not be, like, off and on,” Meyers said.