October
01
downdays season 14/15 MAGAZINE
Freeski Culture – For Free !
Joss Christensen Interview Greenland Boat Trip Nine Knights in Sequences
crew GPSY
ERIC POLLARD Combine And Define With The Style Dial At anonoptics.com
M2
THOMPSON
Magna-Tech™ Quick Lens Change Technology Spare Low-Light Lens
Boa® Micro-Adjustable Fit System Fidlock® Magnetic Chin Strap Fastener
GPSY
crew
GPSY
crew
downdays season 14/15 MAGAZINE
October
Dropping 08
09
downdays season 14/15 MAGAZINE
After the ordinary, beyond the conceivable There is the new, the unconventional A source of creativity, a moment of insight. This is what we seek.
October
Dropping
Rider: magnus graner | Spot: lycksele, Sweden | photo: David Malacrida
Editorial
10
The Curators “Cultural confinement takes place when a curator imposes his own limits” Robert Smithson
October
What does the neocortex have to do with freeskiing? Short answer: everything. It is the part of the brain in charge of spatial reasoning, conscious thought and motor commands; it enables humans to achieve the previously inconceivable. It is the source of creativity. Essentially it wasn’t Scott Schmidt, Glen Plake or the New Canadian Airforce who invented freeskiing in the first place, it was the neocortex. Capable of conceiving completely new thoughts, it is this multi-layered, slimy and frankly somewhat gross part of our body that, seemingly out of nowhere, decides, “Hey, why not strap some pieces of wood on my feet to get down this hill?” or “Let’s take to the air off this bump!” and “Let’s rotate 360 degrees while in the air.” Only after allowing the body to follow these whims, a more primal brain region, the subcortex, responds, “Oh, that felt good!” and “Let’s do that again!” Therein lies the rub; there is always a risk that the sensation is anything but pleasant, yet avoiding new avenues eliminates the chance of a potentially rad experience and the countless more that could follow. This is pertinent to the new Downdays magazine because we have spurred our neo-cortex to develop a completely new approach to freeski print media. We wanted to tread a path that took us far away from others, boil down what freeskiing means to us and find a way to display it that we had never seen before; and in doing so inspire our readers.
downdays season 14/15 MAGAZINE
It started with an idea: curating freeski culture. As is so often stated, freeskiing is more than just a sport. Yet we believe it is more than a lifestyle; it’s a culture in its own right, that has sprouted many thriving sub-cultures. Whether freeriders or urban slayers, competition riders or film skiers, travelling adventurers or resort crews, our goal at Downdays is to curate the culture created by their endeavours. Thus, we developed a style of presenting freeskiing we believe is different to any other. What lies before you acts as a subtle frame for the all-important content; fascinating photos and engaging texts. Captivating stories, interesting people, creative styles, progressive events, rad crews, useful knowledge or the history of freeskiing; all facets that fit the phrase freeski culture have a place in the Downdays magazine. Allow your neocortex to lead you through new avenues and enjoy the ride.
The Downdays Team
Contents
12
Cover photo
Rider: Flo Geyer Spot: Obertilliach Photo: Flo Breitenberger
Downdays
16 Dialogue
Karl Fostvedt
20 Freshies
22 Gallery 36 Brains
Early Season Perils
38 Gear
Backcountry Ruler
40 Essentials 42 Creative
Mountain Roots by Eric Pollard
44 Talent
Magazine
Zuzana Stromkovรก Christof Schenk
48 History
Freeze Magazine
October
50 Thought
October
Olympic Freeskiing
52
Joss Christensen Interview
60
Greenland Boat Trip
70
Portfolio
Dogs & Olympics
The White Continent Nine Knights in Sequences
80 Spray
Ski Bum Etiquette
82 Science
Climate Change and Freeskiing
84 Insider
Filip Christensen
86 Crew downdays season 14/15 MAGAZINE
Gpsy
88 Destination
Ischgl Les Arcs
92 Portrait
Issue
Loic Collomb-Patton
96 Vibes
SAGE CATTABRIGAALOSA
RIDES THE AUTOMATIC 117
Get your season updates on our Facebook page: FB.com/atomicskiing
14
Contributors
Imprint
Stephan Skrobar
Stéphane Godin
Evolved from a young world-travelling, hyperactive punk skier into a slightly older world-travelling, hyperactive punk skier; Stephan is the head honcho of the Die Bergstation freeride centre. He has immense knowledge of the backcountry, examines instructors and runs a communication agency. A founding member of the Fischer Freeski Team, Stefan also manages the Pieps Freeride Team.
Victoria Beattie
With a Masters in professional photography under his belt, three Canon 1D’s in his bag, a love of natural landscapes and some legit skiing skills to boot, Stéphane is a ski photographer of the highest order. When not cruising the French Alps, shooting some of the best freeriders in the world, Stéfane is usually adventuring somewhere between Uzbekistan, Greenland or Indonesia.
Eric Pollard
October
Once one of the most progressive female freeskiers in the scene, Victoria was even invited the Jon Olsson Invitational back in 2006. Now an out-of-work freeski coach and part-time judge, Tori coached fellow Australian Anna Segal in the leadup to, and during the Olympics. Although she claims, “I only went to the Olympics so that I could photobomb my athlete”.
An amazing skier who changed the ski media landscape by founding Nimbus Independent, Eric Pollard is an immensely creative human being who can seemingly never sit still. He films, edits and skis for Nimbus Independent projects – without fail, unique video creations that are always a pleasure to watch. Eric also paints, sketches and designs in whatever spare time he finds.
“Adventure is just bad planning.” Roald Amundsen
Imprint Publisher Distillery Concept & Creation GmbH Innsbruck, Austria Editor in Chief Mark von Roy | mark@distillery.cc Production Manager & Photo Editor Klaus Polzer | klaus@distillery.cc
downdays season 14/15 MAGAZINE
Photographers Nate Abbott, Pierre Augier, Alessandro Bellusscio, Jeremy Bernard, Florian Breitenberger, David Carlier, Dominique Daher, Mattias Fredriksson, Louis Garnier, Stéphane Godin, Grant Gunderson, Chip Kalback, Robin Macdonald, David Malacrida, Kyle Meyr, Klaus Polzer, Tero Repo, Daniel Rönnbäck, Erik Seo, Ethan Stone Authors Victoria Beattie, Stéphane Godin, Kyle Meyr, David Malacrida, Eric Pollard, Klaus Polzer, Rafael Regazzoni, Stephan Skrobar, Mark von Roy Art Direction & Design Floyd E. Schulze | hello@wthm.net Jan Schöttler | hello@janschoettler.com Magazine Layout Floyd E. Schulze
Editorial Staff Alexandra Engels | alexe@distillery.cc Kyle Meyr | kyle@distillery.cc David Malacrida | david@distillery.cc English Translation & Correction Mark von Roy, Kyle Meyr Image Processing & Desktop Publishing Klaus Polzer Print house Mayr Miesbach | www.mayrmiesbach.de Adverts & Marketing Simon Kegler | simon@distillery.cc Head of Distribution Ben Burnett | ben@distillery.cc If you want the Downdays Magazine in your shop, chalet or bar, please send us a mail!
Publishing House & Editorial Address Distillery Concept & Creation GmbH Leopoldstrasse 9 6020 Innsbruck Austria Tel.: +43 (0)512-307 811 Fax: +43 (0)512-307 812 info@distillery.cc www.distillery.cc Downdays Magazine is published in English, French & German. Downdays is also a website: www.downdays.eu Downdays social media: www.facebook.com/downdays www.instagram.com/downdays_eu www.downdays-eu.tumblr.com The magazine and all contributions are subject to copyright. Duplication, publication or any other re-utilisation, as a whole or in part, is only allowed with prior written consent from the Publisher. The Publisher and the editorial team accept no responsibility for text or images submitted for appraisal.
Dialogue
16
Born: May 9th, 1990 in Ketchum, Idaho Home: Salt Lake City, Utah
Home Mountain: Alta, Utah Hobbies: Ski, Surf, Skate, Edit
Interview:
Summer Job: Surf Bum Favorite Skiers: CR, Pep Fujas, Andy Mahre
CRAZY KARL
Sponsors: ON3P, Anon, Dakine, Full Tilt,
Tree Fort
David Malacrida
Most people call him “Crazy Karl”. That may be accurate in regards to his skiing antics. Yet when I sat down with Karl Fostvedt after the Vars Tournament, I discovered that his views of the world and environment are far from crazy…
Vars Tournament just finished up. The format was kind of like a game of S.K.A.T.E. and we saw lots of different skiers compete. What did you think of this event and other competitions in general? I was really stoked with it ‘cause it’s really different than other competitions out there. You see so many tricks you’ve never seen before and they produce edits for each head-to-head competition. Filming is definitely my focus in skiing so it’s cool
to participate in a unique competition like Vars. I think there are so many different ways to ski. Regular competitions are far more controlled by FIS now and that takes a little bit of the creativity and fun out of it. When was the last time you saw a “gap-to-rail-over-a-boxing-ring” in a slopestyle comp? People may not be doing triple corks at VARS, but guys like Vinnie Gagnier are still coming in and doing tricks people have never seen before.
I think we can all understand where you are coming from. So can you explain what brought you to Europe and is this your first time here? It’s my second time in Europe, but the first ski focused trip. It was very last minute ‘cause I got an invitation from AJ Dakoulas [Owner of 4bi9 Media] to join a trip to Bosnia with Joss Christensen, Chris Laker, Andrew Napier, Mike McLeod and Nate Abbott to shoot urban on a TGR trip. We went to ski old Olympic sites in Sarajevo. The time in Bosnia was crazy ‘cause it was 20 degrees and sunny almost every day we were there. It was the worst snow year for a while. We got this truck with a hydraulic system on top and paid a guy to bring snow to abandoned hotels and the old Olympic sites. Even though we got limited snow we managed to have three or fours loads a day. We set up a wall ride, step up, handrails and a couple of big jumps. Joss was on fire after winning the Olympic Gold,
Nate Abbott
downdays season 14/15 MAGAZINE
KARL Fostvedt
Yeah, competitions like VARS tournament, the B&E Inventational and Nine Knights are definitely important for the progression of our sport. What is your unfiltered view of the Olympics? Haha, I was a little hesitant to hop on the Olympic bandwagon because my first introduction to freeskiing, Freeze Magazine, always promoted “FIS sucks.” Part of the reason I got into freeskiing was because it was so edgy and unsanctioned. Now, FIS controls the biggest stage our sport has. Even though the Olympics were the highest level slopestyle competition to date, I still don’t agree with us selling out to FIS to get to the Olympics. From what I’ve seen, FIS puts their board members first and athletes second. That’s why we didn’t need them back then, and thanks to comps like VARS, Sammy Carlson Invitational, Tanner Hall Invitational, JOI, War of Rails, and X Games we don’t need them now.
So what do you think of this kid winning the Olympics and heading on an urban trip just a month later? I have so much respect for him! He is exactly the same kid he was before winning the Olympics. He could ride the Olympic fame wherever he wants, but Joss just likes to ski and kick it with his friends and family. He came back to Park City and was stoked to film with friends and even more stoked to go on an urban trip. Joss has always been the most talented under-the-radar skier. He grew up just like me watching guys like Tanner Hall, CR Johnson, and Candide Thovex winning all the competitions. We saw how much fun those guys were having, and always wanted a chance too stand on a podium just like them. I respect Joss for seeing the opportunity the Olympics brought, and going out there and skiing like a champion. Joss is why the Olympics are great. FIS is not. How did you end up in Utah and how has that influenced you as a skier? I’ve skied at Park City since 2002, and have been skiing with guys like Joss Christensen and the Peters brothers (Max and Tosh) for over 10 years now. But I grew up skiing in Sun Valley. My
parents signed me up with the Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation (SVSEF) when I was seven years old. I was always the smallest kid trying to hit the big kid jumps, so my coach started to call me Crazy Karl and it’s still here 15 years later. We didn’t have a snowpark in Sun Valley, but we did have an annual competition in Park City. We just skipped the comp and went to the park, all day long with guys like Collin Collins teaching me backflips and cork 7’s. He was a cool mentor when I was a kid. Collin would hand build jumps all over Sun Valley and let everyone hit them with him. Even though we all wished we had a snowpark when we were growing up, it’s kind of good that we didn’t ‘cause I would’ve wasted all my time there. Because we didn’t have a park we had to learn our tricks off of cat tracks, cornices, and random kickers. There are so many ways to get airborne on skis, and I’m stoked that I learned that at a young age. Anyway, eventually I moved to Salt Lake City for university; it was the perfect set up to have a good university and also such great mountains just a 30-minute drive away. In my second year in Utah I started to film with the same guys I do now, like John Ware, Dale Talkington, Jake Doan, and Tim McChesney. The filmers got better and we all progressed. Poor Boyz saw me in some edit with Evan Heath from Park City and they were stoked
about it. So I started to shoot with Poor Boyz and now I got my first TGR segment, but it’s more like a 4bi9 trip that will be in the TGR movie. Filming with multiple different production companies, travelling the world and studying, that must be hard to balance? It sounds like a lot, but I just take it dayby-day and it usually works out. I will be graduating this summer of 2014 from the University of Utah’s Environmental and Sustainability Studies program. It took me six years to have this one ‘cause of my ski problem. Normally it takes four years. When I started filming with Poor Boyz I almost dropped out cuz’ all I wanted to do was film the most insane segments I possibly could. I was already over halfway finished though when I started with Poor Boyz, so I just took some summer classes and that freed up time for me to film more in winter. The hardest thing has been balancing the information I learned in my studies with my diehard skiing lifestyle. Skiing and the environment are kind of at odds with each other when you consider the carbon footprint associated with someone who skis 200 days a year. Sounds like the environment and the impact we have on it is a really important topic for you.
downdays season 14/15 MAGAZINE
Sarajevo, Bosnia & Herzegovina
Nate Abbott
he was so stoked on this idea to jib what Sochi might be in a 30 years. The whole trip turned out really well.
KARL Fostvedt
Dialogue
17
Segments:
2011 - “Set Your Sights” Toy Soldiers 2012 - “WE” Poor Boyz 2012 - “Act Natural” Toy Soldiers 2012 - “Keep Looking” 4bi9
So what is your place in that system? It’s tough ‘cause consuming is too easy in our society. I don’t know how I can justify flying across the Atlantic Ocean to ski, but there’s no way I could justify never stepping foot in the Alps either. Meeting more people, new cultures and getting experience could help me to be a better person and bring good ideas to the USA; reduce my impact in the long term… I know I’m not perfect, but I’m going to try to get a little better every year. The point is to be a part of the solution and not a part of the problem. Right now I’m on the wrong side of it. I think it comes with age; there is so much to learn about the world. In the mean time, I’m working with my family to produce as much food as we can without going to the supermarket. We’ll be growing everything we can in the garden this summer.
and over. There are so many better things to do. 20 years from now, I’d like to be skiing strait from the mountain into my backyard. Hopefully I’ll have a house with solar panels, rainwater catch/snowmelt systems, garden, greenhouse and all that. What are your plans for the near future? More than anything I want to improve my backcountry style, improve my understanding and knowledge of avalanches, snowpack structure, snow crystals, learn to understand it, and safely travel in the mountains. Every decision you make up there is a gamble. So I need to improve these skills to be able to enjoy skiing for the rest of my life. Thank you Karl, for the great conversation!
What are your plans for the longterm future? I want to show the pleasure of skiing to people. I don’t want to be in an office 12 hours a day, doing the same thing over
2013 - “Tracing Skylines” Poor Boyz 2013 - “All Damn Day” 4bi9 2013 - “Valhalla” Sweetgrass 2014 - “Twenty” Poor Boyz 2014 - “Burn” 4bi9
2014 - “Almost Ablaze” TGR Awards:
2011 - West Coast Sessions “MVP” 2012 - iF3 “Rookie of the Year”
Grant Gunderson
Yeah, of course. I’ve only recently become aware of the idea that my all-time favourite activity, favourite way to feel alive, is adding to the forces that are threatening our delicate environment. I know I can’t stop skiing, but I’m motivated to find ways to reduce my impact on the environment in other aspects of life. For instance, just as I know I have to ski, I also know I have to eat. As I learned more about the ways we produce food in my country, I became inspired to radically change my diet so that I support people and products that harm the environment as little as possible. It’s crazy the infrastructure we build in USA for agriculture, where food is produced, all the chemicals. We take, take, take from the environment. There is a lot to do against that and one of those is to be aware of where the food comes from. Try to buy local. It’s crazy to come to a place like France where the food is already better. It’s way better to have a community producing their own than it is to have corporations inventing new ways to process mass amounts of genetically modified corn.
2014 - War of Rails 1st Place 2014 - VARS Tournament 3rd Place 2014 - Total Fight Slopestyle 2nd Place
kiroro, japan
downdays season 14/15 MAGAZINE
KARL Fostvedt
Dialogue
18
Nine hours was a bit unusual: Most people aren’t willing to spend all day up top hoping for a window. I joke about a dedicated stopwatch, a running total of time spent waiting. I’m not sure I want the true number. When you get your break and there’s no one dropping in on top of you—it ’s wor th the wait. One mind-blowing run is all it takes to zero out the clock.
More dropping, less waiting: See photos and video of Kye Petersen and Dave Rosenbarger’s Cham experience at patagonia.com/findaway Photo: Christian Pondella | © 2014 Patagonia, Inc
Freshies
20
Inspired Tour Rumours Riding on the success of the B&E Inventational, Inspired are expanding their concept to include more events. While this is still a work in progress, the rumours we heard from credible sources are very exciting indeed. Confirmed for this season are the B&E Inventational and the Newschoolers Invitational, with other high profile events in the pipeline. With an all-star cast featuring the likes of Henrik Harlaut, Phil Casabon, Adam Delorme, Candide Thovex and many more, this tour – if it comes to fruition – is shaping up quite nicely. It may be exactly the development that saves the freeski competition scene. Be sure to head to downdays.eu to stay up to date on these developments.
October
iF3 Innsbruck Save the date! On the 3rd and 4th of October, 2014 the International Freeski Film Festival (iF3) returns to the Stadtsäle in Innsbruck, Austria. Featuring the European movie premiers from Legs of Steel, Freeski Crew, Level 1, Poor Boyz and many more, any freeski aficionado would be a fool to miss iF3 Innsbruck 2014. Each of the evening screenings are followed by a concert by yet to be determined A-class musicians. Last year hip hop legend Ali Shaheed Muhammad from A Tribe Called Quest and metal masters Jett Black laid down hammer performances and if last year is anything to go by, it’s going to be one hell of a party. Needless to say, you’ve got to go. For tickets and more info check: www.if3.at
downdays season 14/15 MAGAZINE
Downdays ProLevel We at Downdays have always dreamed of seeing someone land a trick while still holding their grab. In celebration of our brand spanking new downdays.eu website we decided to launch the Downdays ProLevel online video competition to make this dream happen. The ProLevel concept is simple; submit a video to Downdays of you landing a trick while still holding a grab. The person with the most legit trick wins a box of 24 beers and a bunch of Downdays schwag delivered to their doorstep. Not only does this person hold the Downdays ProLevel title, he/she declares the next Downdays ProLevel trick for others to attempt. And who doesn’t love beer? For more details on prizes and how to enter, head to downdays.eu!
Adam Delorme
La Clusaz
downdays season 14/15 MAGAZINE
Pierre Augier
October
Gallery 22
Gallery
Samuel Anthamatten
Zermatt
Tero Repo
Vincent Gagnier
downdays season 14/15 MAGAZINE
Denver, COlorado
Chip Kalback
October
Gallery 24
Flo Orley (on skis!)
Taschachwand, Pitztal
Klaus Polzer
Obertilliach
downdays season 14/15 MAGAZINE
Flo Geyer
Florian Breitenberger
October
Gallery
27
Shea Flynn
Auburn, MAinE
downdays season 14/15 MAGAZINE
Erik Seo
October
Gallery 28
Tignes
downdays season 14/15 MAGAZINE
Julien Lange
Louis Garnier
October
Gallery
29
Jacob Wester
St. Moritz
Daniel Rönnbäck
downdays season 14/15 MAGAZINE
October
Gallery
31
Bruno Compagnet
downdays season 14/15 MAGAZINE
Couloir Holzer, Sella, Dolomites
Jeremy Bernard
October
Gallery 32
Fin
Kaj Zackrisson
Cortina d’Ampezzo, Dolomites
Mattias Fredriksson
P h o to : DA MI EN D E S CH A MP S
GPSY
crew
IS EVERYTHING U LT I M AT E S T R E T C H & b R E AT H A b L E M O U N TA I N W E A R f e at u r i n g 37, 5 m e m b r a n e - s a m fav r e t
Brains
36
Early Season IS A DOG
Winter often shows its ugly face during the early season. Autumn is undoubtedly a special time of year, however, there are a few things to consider about early winter skiing, its dangers and how to avoid them. Text: Stephan Skrobar
Early Season Perils
It is a beautiful time of year. Fog covers the valleys, the days grow shorter and the nights colder while the drinks become warmer. The many opening events on glaciers throughout the Alps that celebrate the arrival of the snowy season receive both critical and enthusiastic reports. It’s an exciting time of year. It’s autumn. For skiers that search for stoke away from groomers during this period – before proper winter and the typically strong snowfall of December – harbours numerous dangers that are often overlooked due to the joy of being on two planks again. Inversion layers often blanket the autumn – depressive weather consumes the valleys and brilliant sun shines upon the mountains. Snow coverage is usually thin and after dry and windy periods a hard crust develops; a layer that separates the snow below. While an icy crust is hardly dream material for freeriders, what happens below can cause nightmares. The cold air trapped in this layer transforms the structure of the snow, creating a bond that is about as strong as a pile of marbles. For the adventurous skier who disturbs a layer like this, even with only little snow, the chance of an avalanche is very high. The danger lies less in being buried, although that can never be excluded, rather it is the unwanted slide and resulting ride over rocks and even cliffs that in all likelihood will lead to some sort of painful injury at best.
downdays season 14/15 MAGAZINE
Snow removes nature’s edges and blemishes, replacing them with beauty and calm. But below the calming beauty lie pain-inducing creatures known as snow sharks. Not to be confused with the amazingly shit monsters of “Avalanche Sharks” (the best worst B-movie of 2013), snow sharks refer to the many rocks barely covered by early season snowfall. When it’s low tide, the sharks come out to play. Conservative line choice is key, as is knowledge of the snow level and which aspects collected the most good stuff; that slash spot you found may not be as deep as you think or wish it is. Sharks are almost impossible to spot until it is too late and then either you, your gear or both must make an early season retirement. If sharks are not enough of a deterrent, there lie other, even more lethal hidden beasts in the glacial world. Crevasses! An open maw of these oft unscalable chasms can be covered easier than you think and every season overzealous freeriders fall victim to these silent assassins. All glaciers are riddled with crevasses. Search for images of glaciers during summer and you will truly understand just how many hungry mouths split the surface of these ancient snow fields. In autumn, snow bridges that survived summer are weak and even just a small amount of snow fall can cover previously open abysses. Glacial areas with a convex and concave shape are often more prone the crevasses, yet any zones are of a potential danger. When you are freeriding on a glacier it pays to go with an experienced local or guide who has knowledge of the danger areas. Be wary of where you stop,
as you never know what lays below. If you fall and lose your skis, don’t go trampling about to collect them – that method will greatly increase your chances of being swallowed by the depths – get help from a friend. Early season crevasses are also far less filled in with snow, and should fate strike you down only ice will
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downdays season 14/15 MAGAZINE
Trient, valais
Tero Repo
Early Season Perils
Another oft-forgotten peril is simply self-awareness. Brimming with over motivation, an unwanted tomahawk, twisted knee or similar is far more likely in the early season. Unless you were lucky enough to delve into a Southern Hemisphere winter, you won’t be as coordinated on your first days skiing this season as you were during the last days of the previous season. Additionally, your first days back in the saddle will more than likely be on a glacier; you probably don’t live on a glacier so your body won’t be accustomed to the altitude and you will tire quickly. A beer, Jaegermeister or sneaky joint will easily have twice the affect on you as in the lowlands and before you know it your legs have turned into noodles.
The simplest way to avoid sharks, crevasses and unstable layers is to ski defensively. Be wary of the terrain you are moving in, educate yourself on the snow conditions, think of what lies below and ski in a group. If you want to maximise your first days on the hill, prepare your brain and your body. Perhaps do a couple warm up runs before climbing into that epic freeride line. The winter is long and there is nothing more frustrating than cutting the season short before it has even begun. Get out there. Enjoy it. Be smart about it. And maybe enjoy the beer afterwards; it will be that much sweeter!
Brains
cushion your fall. If you are lucky enough to survive a fall unscathed, getting out unassisted is all but impossible.
GEAR
38
Backcountry ruler A day out in the backcountry may well be a freeskier’s dream, but it also tests the fitness of the aspirant as well as his equipment. In order to prevent your dream turning into a nightmare, be sure to be well prepared and only carry the best gear with you…
Smith | Maze Baron von Fancy AirEvac 2 Ventilation Self-Adjusting Lifestyle fit System Nine vents Skullcandy audio system available
Virtika | Signature Jacket Balboa
October
Three layer 25k waterproof shell Double stitched bar-tacked seams: 100% sealed Zip-off sleeves with locking zippers Six mesh protected vents
Smith | I/07 Neon Baron von Fancy AirEvac Integration Technology Single-Pivot Quick Release Lens System 5x Anti-Fog Inner Lens Includes two Performance Mirror Lenses
DOWN | Showdown 115
downdays season 14/15 MAGAZINE
Length: 190 cm Sidecut: 135-115-122 mm Two Full Carbon layers and Light Triax Glass Progressive radius: 29 m in tip, 55 m under foot and 35 m in tail
ATOMIC | Waymaker Carbon 130 Stiff/lightweight Carbon Spine 3M Thinsulate Platinum Insulation Free/Lock walking system
Marker | Duke DIN Range: 6-16 Triple Pivot Elite Toe/Inter Pivot Heel 0˚/7˚/13˚ Climbing aid Gliding AFD Plate
Scott | ridge Pants GORE-TEX 3 Layer shell Detachable bib with adjustable suspenders Pant-to-jacket interlock system Fully taped seams
DANE TUDOR
NO S H O R TC U T S
It’s amazing how the sound of a few deep breaths can make you realize how loud the rest of your life is. But when that moment arrives, when it’s just you, and a mountain, and the line of your dreams — that’s when everything makes sense.
SCOTT-SPORTS.COM © SCOTT SPORTS SA 2014 | Photo: Chris Bezamat
Essentials
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Black Diamond: JetForce Airbag Technology
Airbag backpacks are the new essential in avalanche gear. Able to keep you afloat and reducing danger lest you find yourself in a nightmarish situation, it is important you wear one you can trust your life with.
As opposed to the commonly used canister inflation airbag systems, Black Diamond’s new JetForce Airbag Technology uses the surrounding air to inflate. According to Black Diamond the fan-based intake system can inflate
the airbag in just 3.5 seconds from three sources of air intake around the backpack and keep it inflated for three-minutes. Thereafter, the bag deflates to provide a vital air pocket under the snow. The airbag itself is 200 liters, giving you much more volume and a significantly better chance of staying above an avalanche. Perhaps the biggest benefit is the system’s reusability. Black Diamond insists the bag is easily repacked and after recharging the Lithium Ion battery for eight hours, is ready to be used again. Each charge is meant to give you at least four deployments. Avalanches are a part of what we do. Although preventable, getting caught in a slide is one of the scariest dangers we face. Ski responsibly and make sure you drop into your runs prepared!
October
Mons Royale: Original LS It just makes sense to have the best base layer around. To cheat yourself with a half-assed base layer while skiing means
merino wool, the Original LS has been around since the beginning. A timeless design, this tech long sleeve base layer is
to overheat, freeze or just plain smell like a hobo. Stepping your game up to merino wool is how you ski for longer to really conquer the elements! Made 100% of
made to keep you warm, comfortable and looks good – a rare luxury in the base layer world. Practical and sensible, the Mons Royale Original LS has got you covered… literally.
downdays season 14/15 MAGAZINE
FlyLow: Quantum Pro Jacket & Baker Bib It is important that your suit can handle the hike up just as well as the ride down. Everyone who has earned their turns knows how important versatility is in ski touring outerwear: from freezing cold mornings to hot midday sun! FlyLow’s Quantum Jacket is cut specifically to handle the worst of your woes. The 20k waterproof three-layer
Intuitive Fabric is fitted to accommodate extra layers when you need them while maintaining movability. It is durable, light, easily packed and has plenty of pocket space to store your accessories. The matching Baker Bib reflects and enhances these functions all while keeping that hard-earned powder out and the heat in.
Creative
42
Mountain Roots by
downdays season 14/15 MAGAZINE
Eric Pollard
Eric Pollard
The idea that only 10% of an iceberg is visible, the other 90% is under water was my original inspiration for drawing trees and mountains in the same way. I like drawing pictures that show what could be underneath the earth. Mountain Roots is an attempt to capture the place where I grew up and learned to ski. The original sketch is a pretty large piece as far as pencil drawings go, it’s 69x104 cm. It took like 16 hours to draw and shade. My hand was definitely hurting when I finished. I don’t draw or paint much, just a few pictures a year, but I enjoy the entire process. — Eric Pollard
downdays season 14/15 MAGAZINE
Eric Pollard
Creative
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Talent
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Zuzana Stromková Born: May 21st 1990 in Liptovský Mikuláš,
Home: Liptovský Mikuláš Home Mountain: Jasná & Donovaly, Slovakia
Hobbies: Photography, Skateboarding, Hiking, Geocaching
Sponsors: Sappe Aloe Vera Drink, Roxy, Line, Dakine
ZUZANA STROMKOVÁ
Slovakia
Interview: Mark von Roy
people – I feel good and have to smile.
So do you prefer contests or making videos? Both are great, at contests you can usually meet a lot of friends from different countries and sometimes you can win something, so sponsors are also happy. Making edits and video-segments is fun, I love spending time on the mountain with my friends and when somebody can catch it on camera its awesome!
Who is the best girl skier at the moment? Lisa Zimmerman is one of the most progressive girls out there for sure, but I also like the style of Emma Dahlström or Maude Raymond.
It seems like you are always happy and smiling, no matter what’s happening. What is the secret to your happiness? Most of time I am surrounded by great
You are one of the only ladies in freeskiing to do rodeo 900s, why don’t that many chicks do rodeos? I don’t know why, but I think that chicks generally do more corks than rodeos. I guess everyone likes something different.
Klaus Polzer
What is your favourite contest and why? I really like Nine Queens, I don’t know if I can call it a contest but every time in the end of the event, which goes for a whole week, there is a small contest with a really pleasant atmosphere, friendly people and a perfectly shaped snowpark. It’s awesome and so much fun every year! What is the best thing that hap-
pened to you last season? Before the Olympics, I got some funding so I could spent much more time on snow than in previous years – so that was definitely the best thing! I traveled all over the world, my season started in August in New Zealend, then Austria, USA, Russia, Switzerland and Italy. The Olympics were also a great experience.
Nine Queens, Livigno
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What is the freeski scene like in Eastern Europe? Snow conditions in the East this season were horrible. We have just one really good resort called Donovaly, where you can jump and where they are willing to use snow-guns for the park. Other resorts still don’t understand that a park can attract more people, even if they have funds for it. There are a few rails in most of them, but they don’t want to provide groomer or snow-guns unfortunately. But despite it all, they sometimes grow new promising freeskiers.
Introducing the Hot Forge Hoody
BlackDiamondEquipment.com
Bob Downs La Parva, Chile Photographer: Adam Clark
Talent
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Christof Schenk Born: September 20th 1993 in Bozen, South
Home: Gröden, South Tyrol Home Mountain: Seiser Alm, Gröden
Hobbies: Model Planes, Trampolining Summer Job: Baker
Sponsors: Colmar, Smith, Dalbello, Level Gloves, Völkl, Marker, F-Tech, Cober
CHRISTOF SCHENK
Tyrol, Italy
Interview: Mark von Roy
You’ve got a few brothers that are also freeskiers, how is it riding with them? I don’t ride so much with my younger brother, cause he is seven years younger than me and still rides the smaller park. My older brother Stefan is only a year older, we always ride together and try to help each other to progress together.
Last year you landed your first triple. So what are your thoughts on Quads? I think someone will do one at some point. But we will never see it in contests. You need the right jumps for that, and you hardly see jumps that are good for triples at comps.
Together you also hit the backcountry a fair bit, is this something you would like to do more in the future? This season we had over three meters of snow and I love powder skiing. I would like to film more in the backcountry and maybe even do a few freeride contests. I really dig how Markus [Eder] mixes backcountry and park skiing.
What is better, winning big contests or making dope video segments? Both are cool for sure. But I prefer making good videos. At contests there is always so much pressure. Videos are way
Is Markus someone who you look up to? He is definitely someone that I look up to, but he is also a friend and somewhat of a rival.
I saw you started speed flying, what’s that like? Yeah I started this March with a friend of mine. It was kinda Kamikaze, I just started without asking many questions, haha. It’s super fun! There isn’t really that much freeskiing involved, it’s something completely different. What is the best thing that happened last season? Landing a triple backflip for the first time at the Jon Olsson Invitational. Haha, That was pretty funny. Tell us your ultimate goal. Competing at the next Olympics and of course competing at X Games as well!
Alessandro Belluscio
more chill and you can really show everything you can do.
Seiser Alm
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What was your worst ski accident and how did it change your perspective towards skiing? Four years ago I tried a double front flip, did two and half and landed on my head. I displaced my 4th and 5th vertebrae. Since then I have brought my head into the game a lot more. I think about tricks a lot before trying them. That makes it a lot easier to land tricks. I’ve tried to become safer over time by practicing on the trampoline and training a little, now I feel much stronger.
Teamrider Basti Daschner
SAVIN | seagreen
WWW.ZIENER.COM
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Freeze Magazine
History 48
Every movement, every scene, is inseparable from certain milestones that helped shape it. They are the account of a juncture and years later still serve as guidance. For freeskiing those are often films, yet the legendary Freeze Magazine is undeniably one of them. Although that was hardly foreseeable in 1996. By the mid 90’s freeskiing was experiencing its first boom – at the time still referred to as Extreme Skiing – yet freestyle still played a rather subordinate role. The big stars of that era were Glenn Plake, Scott Schmidt, Doug Coombs or Dean Cummings and the upcoming talents were Shane McConkey and Seth Morrison. Matchstick Productions and Teton Gravity Research were just beginning to shake things up in the film scene and a number of new magazines started giving the well established market leader POWDER a run for their money. We can thank the digital revolutions for both of these developments. While everyone was still shooting photos and videos on film, video editing, magazine layouts as well as postproduction were
days, they were undeniably badass and helped shape Freeze’s image. Between them however, numerous filler articles set on questionably busy layouts, as well as the occasional blatant sellout article, made some pages rather less entertaining. Due to financing issues, Freeze was taken on board by a big American publishing company relatively early on. Beside the daring and ambition to explore all the possibilities of desktop publishing, what remained and what makes Freeze still relevant today is the uncompromising stance that gave the new freestyle scene an unfiltered portal which often challenged the well established ski establishment. The growing freeski scene loved Freeze for this and the influence on the first generation continues and is perpetuated to this day.
A Question
of timing
Freeze Magazine
saw Freeze, as the least profitable magazine of the Transworld giant, cut off by ruthless managers who perhaps lacked a little foresight. Considering the growth of this fringe sport, the story of Freeze could have been a completely different one, instead Freeskier Magazine lucked out and tried to fill the gaping hole left by Freeze. Although a quality magazine, Freeskier could never reach the relevance and edge that Freeze had, although in all likelihood, the editorial team surrounding Micah Abrams would have been hard pressed to continue its classic editorial style all these years. Nevertheless, they did reappear shortly with the hilarious parody magazine Skeeze a few years later, which took their unique style to new heights. Now the Internet, through social media and infamous Newschoolers.com gives a voice to every athlete, crew and fan – a concept that would have been unimaginable during the inception of Freeze. While the pinnacle of print media may have passed, magazines are still a very important part of the scene, however, they serve a different purpose than twenty years ago. The talented group of individuals who started Freeze were definitely in the right scene at the right time and seized the opportunity to create an icon of freeskiing that will still influence freeskiing for many years to come!
downdays season 14/15 MAGAZINE
History
Freeze Magazine is a fixed point in the freeski universe. For almost a decade it was 49 the voice of the scene until it unexpectedly – and to everyone’s disappointment – just disappeared. It shaped the freeski landscape and its influence can be felt to this day.
When Freeze announced its final issue at the end of 2004 the whole scene was in shock. The internet bubble at the start of the new millennium and the following consolidation
Text: Klaus Polzer
finally possible on a computer. This development enabled many freeski start-ups to begin creating their own media, much to the joy of skiers around the globe. Thanks to Kent Kreitler, a legendary skier of the time, another freeski magazine called Boards in Motion first appeared at the same time as Freeze. Both focused predominantly on Big Mountain to begin with and Boards in Motion was actually more on point. The big shift came when Freeze started focusing on the emerging Newschool movement. It was definitely a gamble as so-called Newschool skiing was a fringe movement at the turn of the millennium – it was the new orientation that turned Freeze magazine into the voice of this new freeski generation and why Boards in Motion swiftly vanished from the scene. The substantially worse name is perhaps also a factor in why hardly anyone remembers Boards in Motion, while almost all established pro’s of the earlier generation received their first freeski socialisation through the pages of Freeze. Flicking through old issues one gains a rather mixed impression. While many Editors would shy away from publishing legendary columns like Liftie of the Month and Ask Brad nowa-
Rings of Fortune The Olympics heralded an avalanche of opinion both critical and optimistic. The unfiltered view of a freeski veteran and Olympic slopestyle coach’s experience in Sochi gives insight to freeskiing’s debut on the mainstream stage. Text:
Victoria Beattie
There was an atmosphere of celebration amongst the fortunate few who made it to Sochi to represent their country at the highest level. They were there to have fun and make long-lasting memories first, and to compete against each other second. The judges’ score didn’t determine success or failure for these athletes. They were there to express their creativity and to show the world the love for what they do. Whether that meant a medal or just landing a run, the end result came a distant second to the experience of simply competing, and the smiles and waves in the finish corral exemplified this.
ning one of the heaviest slopestyle courses ever and having a ball doing it. The weather was so good that one of the final training sessions just turned into a slushy spring-sesh throwdown, as people had finally come to grips with the course and were sending things they would otherwise never try, whooping and cheering for each other in the process. The competition days themselves were momentous occasions. Awareness of the global attention meant that nerves were on a level never experienced before. Men’s slopestyle was a day of days, the greatest slopestyle competition in the history of our sport.
Arriving in Russia was the culmination of many years of preparation, a logistical operation on a military scale. Just getting into the start gate at the Games was half the battle, and extremely aggressive injury management strategies were used. Controversial decisions were made with athlete’s bodies. The time, money and hope invested into every single athlete was incomparable to anything else in the sphere of our sport. Athletes were on strength and conditioning programs, everyone had a support crew following them around. Access to physiotherapists, dedicated wax techs, sports psychologists, performance analysts, nutritionists… It was a very different beast to the scenes of yesteryear, and when stepping back to observe it all for what it was worth, it was pretty laughable. At the end of the day it was still just a bunch of kids throwing tricks on skis.
After the dust of competition settled and uniforms were packed away, reflections on the bigger picture of this event are mainly positive. The sport of freeskiing was introduced to the world in fine fashion. Whether or not people understood what they were watching, they were surely impressed and excited by this new sport. Good things will come from this new chapter in freeskiing. Many skiers will continue to digest a mixed bag of feelings for many years to come, but being an Olympic athlete is an experience the athletes there will proudly cherish for the rest of their lives. It was a special experience that no one will forget any time soon.
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Despite press to the contrary, Russia put on an incredible Games and were amazing hosts. Venues and facilities were state of the art and brand-new. Security was ever present and you were acutely aware that you were being watched over by uniformed security officers both seen and unseen. This made for a safe and relaxed feel to a Games that was under the threat of attack more than any other in recent memory. It felt like being on school camp, everyone staying together, wearing matching clothes, and eating together in the giant food hall. The freeskiers were a far more tight nit group than any other athletes and everyone laughed at each other’s compulsory uniforms. We arrived in Russia seven days before the opening ceremony and had most of the slopestyle training days before the Games actually started. It was such a chill vibe on the course. There wasn’t the constant noise of snowmobiles and dubstep that is the soundtrack to the X Games. It was almost serene, a group of friends sessio-
For now our sport will return to relative normality, and despite all the fuss, the spirit of freeskiing lives on. Alive and well.
Robin Macdonald
Olympic Freeskiing
Thought
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RU L E THE MOUN TA IN TAIN
ALL BLACK
JESTER RANGE OF USE
DUKE EPF FEATURES
RANGE OF USE
FEATURES
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Joss Christensen Interview
Feature 52
Dogs &
Sarajevo, Bosnia & Herzegovina
Nate Abbott
Olympics
Feature
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The last twelve months of Joss Christensen’s life could easily be adapted for the big screen. As a complete underdog he barely made the ultra competitive US Freeskiing team, edging out the people’s favourite. Joss silenced any critics by landing the best slopestyle run of all time to win the Olympic Gold medal, which he dedicated to his late father. Throughout the ensuing whirlwind adventure of photo shoots, television interviews and meeting all sorts of celebrities, the young American kept level-headed and humble. When it comes down to it, Joss is just a kid who digs playing video games and loves going skiing more than anything.
I think a Bosnian dog bite easily qualifies as worst, that sounds gnarly! So what’s the best thing that’s happened? I’d say the best thing was Nick [Goepper], Gus [Kenworthy] and I getting to do a photo shoot with Rolling Stone Magazine. We felt like rock stars, they put us in leather jackets and tight pants. We were all hung over that day, so we were sweating and they took like 2000 photos. We didn’t smile once in any of them. Haha. That was pretty badass, and the photos turned out really cool. Besides that, I tweeted at a whole bunch of actresses that I have had crushes on, but I guess they are all too famous to be interested in a C-list celebrity, Haha. A Maxim model tweeted at me, that was Born: December 20th 1991 in Salt Lake City,
Utah
pretty cool. But she didn’t follow me on twitter. I hope Emma Watson follows me one day. The three of us were up there though, I’ve been three times in US Weekly, in People magazine twice, Seventeen magazine once and of course
in Rolling Stone. All of those magazines, except for Rolling Stone, were more interested in our celebrity crushes than our skiing. We talked a bunch about skiing, but they never reported it. It’s pretty crazy how people recognise me now. I went to the local pizza joint in Park City and my friend who works there has decided to give me free pizza every time I go there. Basically I think that’s the best thing: free pizza. Free pizza, that’s a pretty nice deal! Sounds like a few new doors have opened up to you. What was it like meeting Barack Obama?
Home Mountain: Park City, Utah Music: Mostly Rap and Hip Hop
Yeah actually, that was pretty good too. It was really crazy. There were about 200 of us – cause the whole Olympic Team got invited to go – but actually only two thirds of the athletes showed up, or maybe even less. The more celebrity athletes didn’t go, like the figure skaters and some of the alpine racers, I guess they had other stuff going on. We had to go through a few security checks, got sniffed by dogs to make sure we didn’t have anything on us. Then we got to the White House and they kinda just let us do whatever we wanted on the South Lawn before they let us go on a self-guided tour of the whole place. We got to see the Library, the China Room and George Washington’s swords. It was really hard for me to believe that it was all the real thing, but it was! Unfortunately we weren’t aloud to have cameras with us when we got to meet President Obama, cause during the London Summer Olympics the athletes took too many selfies that things got weird. Nick, Gus and I all had our medals on and got introduced to him in a row; you get to shake his hand and it was up to him if he wanted to talk to you for a while or not. His hand was actually quite small, I was a little surprised about that. I was trying to think of something to say beforehand, but I started getting really nervous as we got closer. He said, “Congratulations!” the first thing I said was, “This is Crazy!” and then he goes, “What you guys do is crazy.” I just blurted, “Thank you.” and moved on, got a hug from Michelle Obama and she is really tall, so I was kinda hugging her around her waist. I was so struck about getting to meet the president and
Hobbies: Mountain Biking, Skate Boarding, Golf, Trampolining, Video Games, Billiards
Sponsors: Fischer, Oakley, Rockstar, Park
City, Giro
Nate Abbott
Hi Joss, first up massive congrats on winning that elusive Gold! Since becoming Olympic champion, what’s the worst thing that has happened to you? Thanks man! I guess the worst thing that has happened to me, well, nothings really been bad. The minimal amount of sleep I guess. It’s been busy. But I can’t complain. Oh yeah, guess I got bit by dog in Bosnia. That was probably the worst thing. It was quite a hassle, I got like over forty injections. Between rabies vaccine and tetanus. And then I had to take a pretty heavy antibiotic. Everything was going pretty well and starting there my travelling started getting heavy again. And with the dog bite, everything was pretty hectic. I had to get three shots in Bosnia and then like thirty two or more in Maine, then one in New York and one in Sweden. So that was pretty wild.
Sarajevo, Bosnia & Herzegovina
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Joss Christensen Interview
Interview: Klaus Polzer
“[…] Besides that, I tweeted at a whole bunch of actresses that I have had crushes on, but I guess they are all too famous to be interested in a C-list celebrity, Haha.”
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Klausberg, South Tyrol
Klaus Polzer
Joss Christensen Interview
Feature
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Sounds like you have been on a Forrest Gump kind of adventure. Have you had any other meetings with high profile people? Compared to a lot of other athletes that medaled I haven’t met that many. I had a few opportunities but went skiing instead. I’ve been asked to meet Steven Tyler and CeeLo Green for a fundraiser, but I probably wont make it. I met a few American Football players that won the Superbowl, but I didn’t know their names cause I’m not a football fan. The David Letterman show was really cool. We didn’t meet him until we went on the show. I was really nervous. We explained the differences between stepups, true tables and step-downs. That was definitely the coolest appearance we did, ‘cause we did a lot on TV interviews and stuff, but Letterman was the most fun and original ‘cause he didn’t ask the same questions over and over again; he was actually really interested. Hopefully I get to meet some more people, but really I just want to keep skiing with my friends as much as possible. And avoid getting rabies… So has the ski world changed for you since the Olympics? A little bit. There was a lot of controversy when I got the last spot [on the US Freestyle Ski Team]. There was a lot of hate, but not necessarily towards me. I had a lot of pressure that I tried not to worry about. Many people voiced their opinion that Tom [Wallisch] should get the spot. When I got on I was really stoked, but it was also kinda weird. It would have been awesome if we could all have gone. So after winning, it helped me out a lot; I have noticed a lot of people act differently towards me. But I am still the same kid. In the end, it’s all positive so it’s cool. I guess if you go to perhaps the biggest event in the history of the sport, there’s enough pressure al-
ready. With all the controversy surrounding the qualification, did you feel added pressure? I knew it was going to be really hard to make the four-person team for the US and any of the four that made it would have a good chance of getting on the podium. From the start I just wanted to make the team and have fun when I got there. Then, when I barely made it, there was a little more pressure to prove myself because I only met half the qualifying criteria. At the same time I didn’t have that much pressure. Some people had big endorsements from corporations that were expecting them to win or do well, and I feel like that’s almost worse pressure than what I had. I wanted to prove myself, but didn’t feel like I needed to prove myself. There was no group of people – who didn’t know what skiing really is – saying, “You need to win!”
Yeah corporate sponsors definitely have their negatives as well as positives. So were the Olympic Games what you expected them to be? It was better than I expected it to be. Cause I went to Sochi for the test event the year before. Slopestyle was cancelled, the slope course was just dirt so we didn’t know what the jumps were going to look like. I expected the jumps to be tiny. The course this year was huge and rode really well. When I first saw the jumps, it looked like there was a house on top of a cliff. They were definitely the biggest jumps I have ever hit in a contest and the rails were really good. The event was run really well, we had so much practice, way more than at X-Games or Dew Tour. The slope-
style had the second biggest stadium, after Downhill, of all the ski events, it could hold like 10,000 or more people. On the day of the contest, on top of the cable cam and all the other cameras there were three helicopters in the air with TV cameras following people down the course all day, the constant thudding of rotors kinda gave it a weird intensity. It didn’t feel like a normal contest at all. I was pretty bummed for the first few days, just cause the vibe was so bad, especially in the US Team, for us [freeskiers] it kinda felt like we were the ‘other guys’. But then after the opening ceremony and when the contest actually started, all that broke away and it was great. Everyone was having fun and realised that it was just another contest. I started to see how magical the whole event was. The last season was very focused around competitions, particularly the Olympic qualifiers, with other events and filming taking somewhat of a backseat. How do you think next season and beyond will play out? I think we are going to start seeing a bit of a split, where the focus from the ski community will be both on filming and competition. There will be three less Grand Prixs, but at the same time the US Open is coming back. I think sponsors will gain more interest in freeski competitions, but it’s hard to tell what exactly will happen. I think there will be a wider spread of different athletes that people know about, compared to before when there was so much focus on just a few athletes. I think we are really heading toward the direction that snowboarding is in right now, where there are huge contest riders, huge film riders and the guys who are somewhere in between, that are strong at both. I definitely want to film more, but at the same time while my body is still feeling good I want to take advantage of contests and see what happens. I definitely want to try and make the next Olympics. That wasn’t my plan before, but after experiencing the Olympics it kinda lit a fire inside of me, and now I definitely want to go for one more. Let’s see if I can make it. Compared to other skiers, we didn’t really know a whole lot about you – other than that you were pretty damn good pipe and slope skier – you are kind of under the radar. Do
Jeffrey R. Staab / CBS
the first lady. Then he gave a little speech, he congratulated everyone and said, “I would personally like to thank all the freestyle snowboarders and skiers for making newscasters across the country say ‘Air to Fakie’ and ‘back to back double cork 1260s’. I don’t know what that means, but I just want to say it. I am pretty sure that I am the first president to ever say that.” That was crazy and something that I will never forget.
Late Show with David Letterman, New York
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Joss Christensen Interview
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you think your life will change with all this new interest in you? Definitely, I don‘t think it will ever be back to what it was before. I mean, I am still the same person but I am a lot more busy. I used to be the kid that was under the radar and not that many people knew me, even around my hometown and now it’s kinda crazy. It’s flattering and kinda hard for me to grasp ‘cause I’m pretty shy. I’m going to just keep skiing, ‘cause that’s all I’ve been focused on for the past ten years. Skiing is all I think about and I’m not trying to become some famous celebrity off the Olympics or anything. I still try and do as many interviews as possible, because I guess it’s good to get my name out there, but I don’t want to waste time doing that. I mean, after the Olympics I went to New York for ten days for all the media stuff with Gus and Nick. After that we all split; Gus did his puppies thing, Nick went on dates and I went home to ski and plan Results:
2009 - 2nd Dumont Cup Slopestyle 2010 - 2nd WSI Halfpipe
out the rest of the season, the summer and next season. If you had all the time you wanted, what kind of a project would you like to do next year? Everything! There are so many rad backcountry zones in Utah that I want to hit. I want to get a sled this summer, even though I probably wont have that much time to use it. There are so many rails and crazy urban features around there that haven’t been hit yet and I would love to hit them first... At least before Tom [Wallisch] does, ‘cause it would be so hard to do something better than him, he would just murder them. Haha. I also really want to get my backcountry skills up. I’m a really good tomahawker, I can make it to the landing usually and then I’m a good tomahawker at that point. I want to do lot of stuff just in Park City ‘cause there is so much to do there. In the woods behind my
2011 - 1st NZ Winter Games Big Air 2011 - 2nd Dew Tour Snowbasin Slopestyle 2012 - 3rd FIS World Cup Mammoth Slopestyle
house there are a lot of huge water towers that have perfect landings. There is still so much to be done just in my backyard. So I think it would be really cool to do a project that is all within like 20 miles of Park City, it would be nice to spend a season closer to home. However, if it ever does snow properly in Sarajevo, Bosnia, I am on the next flight there. There are an insane amount of rails there and no one cares. The guide we had there is homies with all the cops so we wouldn‘t get in trouble for anything. It’s really just the dogs you have to worry about. I’m sure that whatever you put your mind towards will turn out pretty epic and I can’t wait to see what you get up to next season. Thanks so much for the interview and good luck for next season. Oh, and good luck with that rabies thing!
2012 - 2nd Aspen Open Halfpipe 2012 - 3rd Aspen Open Halfpipe 2012 - 3rd AFP World Champs Slopestyle
2014 - 1st Grand Prix Park City Slopestyle 2014 - 1st Olympic Games Slopestyle
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Sarajevo, Bosnia & Herzegovina
Nate Abbott
“If it ever does snow properly in Sarajevo, Bosnia, I am on the next flight there. There are an insane amount of rails there and no one cares. […] It’s really just the dogs you have to worry about.”
Joss Christensen Interview
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Feature
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The White Late April in Nuuk, the capital city of Greenland, a polar schooner named La Louise awaits us. Ahead of us are nine days of ski touring adventure through majestic untouched mountains, navigating ice-filled fjords and awe inspiring landscapes on our boat; the ingredients to experience a childhood dream on the white continent. Text & Photos: StĂŠphane Godin
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Greenland Boat Trip
Continent
Feature
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downdays season 14/15 MAGAZINE
Greenland Boat Trip
There is no need to go too far away to find awesome faces to ski.
On a Friday afternoon we arrive in front of La Louise, the epoxy wood schooner of Thierry Dubois, moored at Port of Nuuk on the western coast of this glacial behemoth. Theirry is the skipper and built this hardy boat specifically for exploration of the icy seas of the far North. It is snowing hard when we first lay eyes on her. A real storm welcomes us to this icy land. While Greenlanders patiently await the spring thaw, we are stoked that winter is still here. Skiing in Greenland sounds obvious to many people. A cold land covered in snow throughout the year. It sounds like a ski mecca. But things are not that simple. There are no real ski resorts. Heliskiing is possible, but for a substantial budget and only in a couple of places. Therefore, ski touring is a great option, but you have to plan a completely self-sustained expedition to reach the real peaks. Therefore, the wisest solution is the boat, an ideal compromise between comfort and mobility.
lished and experienced, which is a real advantage because every situation in this zone needs be planned for.
Navigation through cold waters has its own rules and difficulties. Living with ten people on a 19 m boat takes a lot of organisation, and a good helping of collective rigour. The La Louise is a real floating hut, with a large wooden table in the dining area and separate sleeping area. Designed and built by Thierry Dubois, the schooner has everything we need and more. As a former shipbuilding worker, he optimised the boat perfectly to navigate the polar reaches of our planet. A prestigious skipper who raced sailboats for more than ten years, Thierry has to deal with a ragtag group of freeriders. But he’s used to that.
The mountainous areas are located on the periphery of the land. The centre of the island is dominated by Sermersuaq – the second largest ice sheet in the world, which reaches a thickness of 3000 m. The highest peaks are on the eastern side and at 3733 m Mount Gunnbjörn is the highest point of the country. However it’s on the west coast, with its milder climate, that you find most of the population as well as the wonderful fjords that are our destination. There is no need to go too far away to find awesome faces to ski. The 160 km long Nuuk’s fjord, with three big mountainous islands, is the perfect place. Seen from the sea, it looks like a succession of bays surrounded by peaks with steep faces that dive directly into the ocean with mountains that exceed 1700 m. While this may not seem very tall compared to the European Alps, imagine a whole alpine valley filled with water with only the upper parts exposed. Starting from sea level there are countless ski tours of between 1000 m and 2000 m ascents.
Luckily we have Nicolas Boidevezi along, the French ocean racing vice-champion and a great skier too. With three solo transatlantic crossings under his belt, he’s preparing for the Vendée Globe 2016 and is a valuable asset on the boat. Phil Meier and Richard Amacker are our Swiss freeriders onboard. Phil no longer takes part in the competition circuit, he is focused on filming and shooting, while Richard just finished 8th in the final Freeride World Tour rankings of the 13/14 season. A former racer, Thibaud Duchosal is our Frenchman hailing from Bourg St Maurice. After finishing 6th in the 2009 FWT, Thibaud now travels the world finding new locations to experience and shred, all while filming his escapades. The only girl and snowboarder of the crew, Anne Flore Marxer, the 2011 FWT Champion keeps our heads level, she is a real asset to the team. Joining our adventure is cameraman/director Laurent Jamet of Garchois Films, working on his upcoming movie Sedna, together with second cameraman, Andy Collet, a former freestyler. The crew is well estab-
Half the drinking water is desalinated seawater, we carry abundant fuel, there is a generator, an oil fired stove, a shower, toilets and a freezer; basically everything you need for complete self-sufficiency. These are all essential to penetrate the fjords of Greenland because – with the exception of Nuuk – there are only a couple of isolated villages and small towns in the whole country. With only 56,000 inhabitants on a 2,000,000 km2 area, the world’s largest island could almost be considered a continent in its own right; the city of Nuuk is home to more than 17,000 people. Most of Greenland is essentially unpopulated wilderness. So all scenarios need to be anticipated and optimised for self-sufficiency away from civilisation.
Our first stop is Itissoq Bay of Storo island with a 1770 m peak piercing through the fjord. After many hours of navigating the calm sea, we anchor in this truly spectacular place. Early the next morning, final plans are made over a big breakfast. Cereals and supplies for the whole day are packed as we won’t come back on board until late in the afternoon. Everyone double-checks their gear a final time. Touring skis, skins, crampons, ice axes, transceivers, probes, shovels, walkie-talkie and medical supplies; our packs are heavy because once ashore, we are left to our own devices. Aliette, the zodiac of the Louise, transports us to land. Only four people with gear can fit on board, so it takes two precarious trips to land the whole
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Greenland Boat Trip
Phil Meier
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team. Lifejackets are obligatory as swimming with ski boots is not a welcome prospect particularly in water temperatures close to zero degrees! Landing the whole team plus gear is an awkward operation at best, as the tide leaves the foreshore rocks very slippery. The last thing you want to do is put a foot in the water and spend the rest of the day with an ice covered foot! Once safely on land, the final preparations are done before we start our first ascent on the northeastern face of a 1105 m peak. We are met with powder, bluebird weather and majestic landscape views of the three arms of Nuuk’s fjord, Nup Kangerdlua to the North, Umanap Suvdlua to the South and Qornup Suvdlua between them. Below us we see a tiny point in the bay, La Louise lost in the heart of a landscape without another trace of human existence in sight; it is absolutely magnificent! The snow is cold and soft, throwing up smoky trails behind our skis as we charge down towards the azure fjord. After our first Greenland descent we arrive at the shore, a call with the walkie-talkie brings the zodiac to carry us back aboard to our cosy hut where a huge snack awaits. The life aboard revolved around necessary tasks; first, drying ski boots, gloves, jackets; helping out with any tasks that the boat requires, and eventually sharing pictures of the day and perhaps even taking a little rest on bunks. Thierry raises the anchor to take us towards our next destination. Dinner arrives at 9 pm, a starter, main meal, cheese and even dessert! An unexpected luxury that gives us the sustenance for the next day. We look over maps on a daily basis to find the next destination and descent. Thierry has travelled the fjord extensively and offers us some great options according to our requests. As the night arrives late during this time of year, we have time to navigate to different zones and inspect potential
tours through our binoculars. Slowly this childhood dream becomes an amazing reality for us. Days go by with constant cold snow descents and a beaming sun; so many perfect days in a row is apparently rare for this area, but we don’t complain. It’s exactly what we were hoping for. At Qorqut bay we hike Mount Qajuta which towers 1250 m above the sea with the Qorqut and Ameralik Fjords reaching into the distance around it. The beautiful views at the top of every ascent we make in Greenland never get old. In the evening we head north to calmer waters to hike the 1150 m “Horseshoe” the following day. The face is very steep and it’s a challenging climb. Unfortunately the orientation up top doesn’t allow us to reach the summit before the shadows arrive. Nevertheless we witness immense views of the Narssap Sermia glacier that slowly but surely feeds Nuuk’s fjord with ice. The next day is a rest day; the sky is partially clouded and our legs welcome the rest. We visit Kapisilik, a small fishing village overlooking a beautiful protected bay. The fish dry on stalls outside the houses and kids play in the courtyard of the school. Life here seems quiet and gentle, a stark contrast to the harsh climate. The people here live completely differently to what we are used to, but they are still happy. In the afternoon we hike by foot to the Kingiata Nunata Sermia glacier. Huge blue ice sheets are stacked on the beach where we land. After an hour and a half long walk through marshy icy plains, we reach the glacier. We carry a 6.5 rifle in case a polar bear crosses our path. Shooting polar bears is legal outside of the national park for licensed inhabitants. Females and cubs are protected, as are den areas. For us the rifle is simply a way to defend ourselves in case of an attack, because for a bear we are probably an exotic treat! With the sun forecast to break through again, we raise anchor early the next morning so we can reach the north side
day for the hardest part of the journey: the ascent of the highest point of Storo island, the Qingap that towers 1616 m high. In order to enjoy the evening light on this wonderful mountain, we start the ascent around noon and only return to the boat by 10.30pm. The big tour on northern faces rewards us with an insane sunset. The ride through twilight lights of a polar night is a treasured memory that resonates within us all as we fall tired but delighted into bed!
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of Storo island to ski the north face of Naujanguit, 950 m above the sea. The best surprise of the day is the floating ice! The two glaciers that feed the fjord with ice calved during the night and for the first time during our trip La Louise is forced to slalom through multiple bluish shaded ice cubes sparkling in the sunlight. Thierry decides to strand the schooner on an iceberg for fun, so that we can land on one of the lonely floating islands. Motivated and amazed by the atmosphere, we leave the next
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Thibaud Duchosal
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Thibaud Duchosal
Greenland Boat Trip
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Greenland Boat Trip
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The next mission is a somewhat easier one. We start from a beautiful cove in the south of Sadelo island – the smallest of the Nuuk fjord’s three islands – to ascend the 1210 m face of Sadlen. We begin with a spring atmosphere under a warming sun, then a breeze slowly starts gusting around us. Twenty minutes later strong winds sweep the snow off the mountaintops. After enjoying the view for a short while, we are caught in the upcoming depression of the weather. Visibility drops drastically and we are quickly caught in a thick fog. Facing the facts, we abandon plans to end our tour on an ice sheet. The safest option is to turn back to the warmth of our schooner.
night arrives we drop anchor and La Louise starts to dance in the gusts of the katabatic winds howling down the mountains at more than 50 knots. Eventually it starts to rain and we spend the whole day listening to the symphony of raindrops and whistling gusts as the schooner dances along. It is a peaceful and warm day inside this floating hut full of life! A perfect time to reflect on the amazing experiences we have had over the past few days. In the evening we head back to Nuuk to prepare for the second part of our Greenland adventure, unfortunately no longer aboard La Louise. It truly was like a childhood dream; full of challenges, exploration, monumental views and of course untouched powder fields.
Safely aboard, the navigation begins again; we cruise through icebergs into a grey light to reach Kobbe Fjord. As INFO GREENLAND Websites: www.greenland.com, www.greenland-guide.gl Languages: Greenlandic, Danish, English Access: Flights via Copenhagen or Iceland
with Air Greenland. Beware of overweight luggage prices! Currency: Danish Krone (DDK) 1 € = 7,5 DDK Communication: Cell phone network in towns and Wifi in some places. Outside inhabited areas require a satellite phone.
Time zone: UTC minus 4 hours Local Traffic: In Nuuk you can rent cars
for about 50 € a day, there are also many buses and taxis. Season: The best time to ski is from late March to May.
La Louise: All information on the schooner can be found on the official website www.laluise.fr.
Richard Amacker
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Nine Knights 130,000 m3 snow 1 pipe, 2 jump landings, 3 take-offs More jibs, transfers and transitions than STDs at a swinger convention
24 Riders, 12 Filmers, 6 Photographers
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Nine Knights
1 Behemoth Feature
There are no superlatives that accurately describe what went down in Livigno’s late winter last season. French pipe assassin Benoit Valentin tested the limits of the main jump early in the week and sent this gigantic bio 900 mute straight to the Gucci plateau. Apparently he is much more than just a pipe skier.
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Ethan Stone
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David Malacrida
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A jump in the middle of a halfpipe doesn’t really make a lot of sense, but soon enough the riders started figuring it out. Roy Kittler was the first to spin into the reverse hip landing, stomping the cork 270 safety first try. He claimed it was the scariest thing he had done all season.
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Everyone eyed up the enormous halfpipe gap but most thought it wasn’t possible. After slaying all week, Jesper Tjäder waited until the final day of Nine Knights to work a final bit of magic. First landing a straight air, then a 540 blunt grab, he then stomped this inhuman double backflip – travelling 55 meters from take-off to landing!
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Ethan Stone
Nine Knights
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Ethan Stone
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Only at the event for the final contest day, young Luca Schuler went straight to business on the main jump. At only 15 years old he landed the first-ever illusive triple cork 1080 a few months earlier, a trick many thought was impossible. At Nine Knights he stomped the best and biggest one yet. It’s safe to say that Nine Knights was the most ridiculous event of the 13/14 season.
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OCTOBER 3rd - 4th X INNSBRUCK MOVIES + ATHLETES + MUSIC + PARTIES STADTSÄLE, 6020 INNSBRUCK WWW.iF3.AT
Spray
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Smelly socks & Whisky Low budget travelling skiers often rely on the kindness of others. While these assists between fellow skiers are a beautiful thing, if wrongly approached they can lead to vexing situations. Perhaps you’re one of those eager dreamers yourself or you’re one of the gracious enablers. Either way, these thoughts are for you. Text: Mark von Roy
Ski Bum Etiquette
A week’s supply of ramen noodles scattered inside a roller bag that doubles as a sleeping cot, barely tied shut by scavenged rope. Smelly long-toenailed feet, rotting banana composting in a forgotten pocket and gloves hardly held together by duck tape. Token signs of a ski bum surviving on favours of sympathetic acquaintances. If you live near mountains, chances are you’ll have one of these transient snow enthusiasts crash on your couch at some point during the season. In all likelihood you were once a worldly seeker of stoke yourself, repaying the karma debt you have accumulated in seasons gone by.
While having any guests carries its own joys and stresses, ski bums are a whole other kettle of fish. Festering ski boots, oversized roller bags and a general conviction of thriftiness are just the beginning. Heck, I was a nomadic ski enthusiast myself, have crashed on countless couches, slept under dining room tables, was literally mistaken for a drifter on the streets, discovered the joys of making free condiment soup and am still very much indebted to many a kind host. I could write a manifesto on how to ski on the cheap and right after the chapter “On How to Score Free Lift Passes” would come “Ski Bum Etiquette”. This guide not only eases the hosting experience, but also ensures that the ski bum doesn’t inadvertently burn any bridges while residing at someone else’s place.
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Regardless of how long the stay, a Ski Bum should always offer a box of beers to start the temporary flatmate situation off on the right foot. Once arrived, the Bum should ensure that the array of bags are stored as economically as possible, in return the host may even offer the use of the washing machine. Cooking dinner or washing up, these chores are commonly done together while sharing classic yarns, although the Bum can score extra brownie points by doing all the dishes. If world views differ, it’s best to avoid political and religious discussions, when in doubt, the host is always correct.
Should the stay be longer than two nights, a supply run for groceries and beer should be undertaken by the guest, and if the stay is longer than five days a bottle of whisky, preferably a single malt, should easily settle any differences. Really, it’s the small thoughts and gestures that make all the differences. So next time you find a ski bum at your door, perhaps leave this page of the magazine lying open on the couch or blow up mattress. Not only are you doing them a favour, you will be doing yourself a favour as well.
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Climate Change And Freeskiing
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An Uncertain Future Predictions for global warming’s affects on the future of skiing vary immensely from unworried to panicked, some quickly jumping to conclusions. It’s time to step back from assumptions and look at some facts. Text & Photo:
Kyle Meyr
The threat is simple: warmer climate equals less snow. The reasoning lays in the greenhouse effect – the thicker the atmosphere gets, the more radiant heat is trapped within it. Simply put, greenhouse gases (water vapour, carbon dioxide, methane, etc.) are emitted into the atmosphere, collect and then allow radiant heat in but not out. The thicker and denser the atmosphere, the more heat builds up. Globally, these emissions have been estimated to have grown by 11,000 million tons between 1990 and 2012. This growth has been shown to be accelerating and proportionally affecting global temperatures, some regions more than others – most notably and concernedly the Alps. With European temperatures predicted to increase by 0.3 – 2.5 degrees Celsius from the late 20th century to 2050, low-altitude ski resorts are first in the crosshairs of climate change. This increase may not seem significant, but it indicates more unstable seasons for small local ski resorts that are already seeing fluctuating opening dates. The worries include glacial resorts. For the Stubai glacial area, it has meant a decrease in area of about 32% from 1969 to 2003 with 22% of that occurring in the latter six years only. That decrease is accelerating.
The dependability of the winter ski season and its length is where the problem lies for most resorts. Snowmaking becomes a must to keep a skiable base of snow and unreliable temperatures push back opening dates to threaten the profitability of the season. As a testament to this fragility, seasons with low snowfall are already proven to drastically affect resorts in the United States. When comparing low-snowfall years to high-snowfall years between 1990 and 2010, resorts saw a loss of about 15 million skier visits. This is not yet assuredly a byproduct of climate change, but it shows a grim future for the ski industry if snowfall steadily diminishes. Fewer skier visits means less revenue. In turn, more resorts could fail financially. In contrast to global climate predictions, Europe has seen a steady decline in greenhouse gas emissions by 1,000 Million Tonnes from 5600 Tg in 1990. Unfortunately, this pales in comparison to global emission growth but bodes well for the future of Europe and its ability to maintain a sustainable model for the rest of the world. Whether or not we can preserve and proliferate this model is up to you!
Manmade global greenhouse gas sources:
Energy supply 26%, Industry 19%, Forestry 17%, Agriculture 14%, Transport 8%, Residential and Commercial Buildings 8%, Waste and Wastewater 3% Revenue difference between high- and low-snow years of US ski areas:
€ 800 million
Fluctuation in precipitation per decade since 1950:
Northern Europe: increase up to 70 mm Southern Europe: decrease up to -70 mm Sources:
epa.gov, nrdc.org, eea.europa.eu
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Welcome to nature
Insider
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The Man Behind Field There are few success stories in the freeski industry more impressive than that of Filip Christensen: founder, producer and director of the powerhouse Norwegian production company Field Productions.
Text & Photo:
Kyle Meyr
“It all started with me and a high-def camera.” Filip – then 14-years old – looked up to his brother, an amateur snowboard filmmaker. Being a skier himself, Christensen tried his hand at the trade with his friends in the fields of local farmers, building desperate features on whatever slope they could hike while making the occasional trip to the small local resort.
and most impressive filming and editing technology. The editing suites are top–of–the–line and three RED cameras lie scattered on desks. Shelves behind us display Filip’s first camera and multiple other disused relics from a history worthy of admiration.
Filip Christensen
In 2004, Filip released his first film, Suspense, under the name Field Productions, which he pieced together in his parents’ basement. From there, his passion for the art only grew. Filip was making one film a year and meeting more and more big names in the ski industry, adding them to his roster of stars. Filip and his talents grew up with the sport. He may not have been around as long as some of the other greats of freeski filmmaking, but he played an integral part in introducing the sport to the European scene – Scandinavia in particular. Displaying a balanced mix of urban, park and freeride, Filip reflects the latest breed of freeskiers in his films with the same class and sense of adventure as the older guys.
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And now, here we sit in Filip’s brand new office in downtown Oslo, miles and a decade from his roots in his parents’ basement. The office is spacious and filled with the latest
It was here that Field Production’s latest film, Supervention, was painstakingly pieced together. The film was a resounding success with a cinema release that sold 38,000 tickets in six weeks and continues to sell on Blu-ray, iTunes and Netflix. Supervention was an introduction for many to the core freeski scene. It showed legendary heroes like Aksel Lund Svindal and Terje Håkonsen alongside some of our cult heroes, Jesper Tjäder, Even Sigstad and Tom Wallisch. A truly remarkable experiment, the film won over both the critics and the crowds to show that mainstream audiences can appreciate our greatest passion, and Filip was the bridge that brought them together. With all of this resounding success and growth, Filip’s motivations have never changed. “We want to give back to the community; inspire, motivate and activate,” he says. All it takes is to stand atop the nearest resort in Norway to see for yourself that his efforts were not in vain and with plans to expand, you may see Filip’s next film in a cinema near you.
FLY SMASHER
www.movementskis.com
KEVIN GURI
Spot: Val Thorens (FR) / Photographer: SCALP
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Hoodoo
Members: Pierre Antoine Chedal, Flo Bastien, Leo Taillefer, Julien Lange, Laurent de Martin, Jules Bonaire, Yann Barthelemy, Thibault Pomarat, Jerem Feburier, Lao Chazelas, Thomas Theberge
Inception: 2007 Location: Savoie, Tarentaise and Val d’Isère in France Productions: “Sa Rec” 2009, “Feelings” 2010, “Gonzo” 2011,
“T.A.Z” 2012, “Moon Shine” 2013, “Hoodoo” 2014
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GPSY
A loathing for normal was the spark. It lit a philosophy that proclaimed “Good People Stay Young” and gave rise to GPSY, a collection of free-minded French freeskiers and snowboarders who explore all possible realities of snow.
Text: David Malacrida
Photos: Fabrice Wittner
It all began in late 2006 in a cramped season worker’s apartment nestled in the “humid and dark jail of the vagina which is the Val d’Isère valley,” as co-founder Yann Barthelemy so eloquently describes it. There, Yann together with his brother thinks about life and their passion to capture it creatively with moving imagery. They feel, as so many free minds do, the need to just create. “While brainstorming at home we came up with our first T-shirt and stickers series: ‘Your mum sucks cock for crack’.” This somewhat brash statement lays the foundation for their utter disregard for any rules that society or law puts in their path. Meanwhile, somewhere else in the valley Leo Taillefer starts filming his own antics, mainly on skis, and as fate would have it their paths cross.
of the crew. “Freeskiing is a form of expression like artistic ice dance, so the skier is by definition a creator or a poet”, says Yann. The movie is an interpretation of this action, inspired by the surroundings in which the creation occurs. As a freeski movie, it stands alone among a plethora of movies that all use the same old formula. Moon Shine is most definitely a masterpiece.
They start riding and filming together that winter around the Val d’Isère area and a crew assembles, but any sort of final product falls flat on its face. Learning from their mistakes, they create a production crew the following season and publish their first movie Sa Rec under the moniker Gpsy Feelin, a movie that documents the growing group of friends going large in the French backcountry and sessioning gnarly urban features. The following season, their first full HD movie Feelings sees the group explore the philosophical side of their passion; the beginnings of a manifesto of sorts upon which the GPSYs build in years to come. Inspired by the infamous author Hunter S. Thompson, their 2011 Gonzo is a revelation, projecting the crew throughout the international scene. “It was our first real movie with a structure that worked”, reflects Yann. In Gonzo they find their own individual methodology that is different to anything the freeski world had scene before. Their essential values of “adrenalin, love, friendship and freedom” projected in a manner that make others yearn to be a part of the movement. Their next movie T.A.Z. (Temporarily Autonomous Zone) builds upon this revelation and official recognition in the form of two iF3 Awards comes their way. Searching for “diversity and adventure”, they dream up a world “vaccinated against the hardships of reality.” Their escape from the real world, naturally, is throwing bangers on skis, whether in gnarly powder zones or on creatively shaped urban spots. What follows is a masterpiece called Moon Shine. Ultra crisp video quality and a dope soundtrack mixed by DJ Simsima were coupled with the ridiculous skills of, by now, some of the best backcountry and urban skiers in Europe. Moon Shine is a new approach that serves the poetry and sensibility
Re-watching all their movies, one notices a certain refinement of the GPSY message. While their production quality and riding skills improve in massive leaps from season to season, their philosophy has developed as well. They have gathered many more followers and are possibly the biggest freeski movie production crew in France. They live in a different universe to everyone else and their youthful approach to skiing itself hasn’t changed ‘cause “Good People Stay Young”. However, after all their recent success, they can never settle, as Yann claims, “We are clearly not radical enough!” We will just have to wait for the newest manifestation of their philosophy, Hoodoo, to know what exactly the GPSY crew will create next.
DIscovering Solitude Ischgl resonates within the ski world, perhaps not for solitude. However the wide reaching ski area offers enormous potential for freeride excursions. Last winter the freeride areas were even expanded to include the massive Piz Val Gronda. Text:
Klaus Polzer
The most famous spot in the Tyrolean Paznauz Valley has two faces. The village hidden in the tight valley avoids humility to tread a path of celebration and love of life. Yet once one has ascended the three gondolas that lead into the ski area past the tight gully directly above Ischgl one is greeted by a very contrasting scene. An expansive mountainscape with seemingly endless faces and slopes that despite the many lifts – or perhaps because of – offers freeriders endless possibilities.
fectly fine with us during our visit. Even a few days after the last snowfall we found untracked faces that satisfied our powder needs to the T. And if prepared to invest into an hour-long hike, one will be rewarded with a 1000 vertical meter descent of complete solitude away from the ski area, the likes of which can hardly be found anywhere else in the eastern part of the Tyrolean Alps. Great caution is required however: due to the huge, open snow fields, avalanche danger should always be considered. The area’s conditions are perfect prerequisites for both freeriders and perilous driftsnow. If the conditions don’t allow for face shot hunting, there are still lots of entertainment options for freeskiers. A fantastic terrain park on the Idalpe can keep you busy and if that’s not your cup of tea, the world-famous 24 hour party scene is an experience not to be missed. Be warned, the celebrations are known to create casualties and if this causes you to miss out on discovering the amazing solitude of Ischgl, well, that’s your own fault.
That the Piz Val Gronda has yet to make waves in freeride circles is probably due to the unremarkable winter in the Northern Alps last season, or because Ischgl is heavily viewed as a party scene above all else. Yet that presumption was perSILVRETTA-ARENA ISCHGL-SAMNAUN SEASON: 27.11.2014-03.05.2015
ALTITUDE: 1400-2872 m LIFTS: 45
SNOWPARKS: 2, including 40+ Jibs, 20+ Jumps (6-20m) and 1 Bagjump
DAY PASS: 49.50 € (28.50 under 17) WWW.ISCHGL.COM
Klaus Polzer
Superlatives have long described the area well and last season another powder dimension was added to the mix. The lift connection to the Piz Val Gronda was at first a source of conflict but now counts as a great precedent. There is no man made snow, the lift towers are camouflaged and only a single groomed slope snakes its way into the valley. The rest is the so-called free skiing area: 360° powder fields, fantastic gradients, small couloirs and many natural features to take to the air off of. This is how ski areas should always be planned!
Basti Hannemann
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VIBE PARADISE Even before hosting the legendary B&E Inventational and Linecatcher, Les Arcs was already considered a pioneer among ski areas. Sometimes there’s a place that just gets it. This is one of them. Text:
Mark Von Roy
I went to Les Arcs to film Red Bull Linecatcher, the most exciting contest of the previous season. This year, unfortunately, it had to be cancelled due to bad weather. Luckily, I found Tim Durtschi and Sage Cattabriga-Alosa just as a weather window appeared and we hiked into the event venue. After the 30 minute ascent from the top of L’Arpette Chairlift, the sun popped and the vibes shifted to ecstatic stoke. Greeting us were 30cm of untracked pow and terrain of limitless potential. We had entered a backcountry paradise.
ing the zone and shredding a couloir directly to the next lift we went exploring. The lift-accessible terrain is absurd and there is plenty of excitement to be found in the “slackcountry”. With all sorts of jump building spots and cliffs, there is little doubt why Level 1 and Inspired Media chose Les Arcs as a backcountry filming destination. The park also has a bunch of different jibs and three different jump lines. While I am not a fan of corduroy, the groomed pistes are actually super fun as well; lots of rollers, steep sections and motorways speckled with side hits.
The Linecatcher venue is a playground scattered with epic lines, spines, slash spots, cliffs and jumps – after session-
After a surprisingly successful day, we bumped into Ahmet Dadali and Phil Casabon filming an urban spot on the ski school building, the manager literally cheering them on. Locals here offer the best skiing experience for everyone. The four resort villages on the mountain have about 35,000 beds and the infrastructure is constantly being improved. Les Arcs was stoked on the B&E Inventational and were totally cool hosting the rowdiest skiers I know. They are developing the whole base area by Arc 1800, called Mille 8, specifically for hosting events and entertaining visitors. I’ve just scratched the surface of what this vibe paradise has to offer. Chatting with Tim and Sage at one the many cosy restaurants, they echoed the sentiment. We will be back next year.
SEASON: 14.12.2014-26.04.2015 ALTITUDE: 1200-3250 m
varying difficulty
25.00 € (Secret Saturday Pass)
DAY PASS: 49.50 € (Adult), 39.00 € (Child),
WwW.LESARCS.PARADISKI.COM
LIFTS: 132 SNOWPARKS: 1, with three different lines of
David Malacrida
With high alpine lines above 3000m, tree skiing wonderlands, countless chutes and nooks scattered with jib and jump potential, Les Arcs is truly a dream freeskiing area. And the place is huge! Under the name Paradiski, Les Arcs is joined with La Plagne and Peisey-Vallandry, one of the oldest ski areas in Europe. A healthy mix of pioneering spirit, nutcase ideas and accepting management culminated in filming the bizarrely awesome Apocalypse Snow in the early 80’s. An action movie filled with ridiculous stunts in which villainous mono skiers chase a snowboarder around; you have to watch it to understand!
Chris Logan
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Les Arcs
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Portrait
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Long Road to Victory
For those whom don’t know the name Collomb-Patton, in France it’s been associated with freeskiing since the creation of the sport. His cousin Baptiste, and uncle Matthias were avid freeskiers since the very beginning and they skied together a lot. Loic eventually joined the famous La Clusaz Ski Club. “I learned the basics at the Club with two coaches to whom I owe much: Fabien Cattaneo and Antoine Rachel,” a thankful Loic remembers. “With them, we learned skiing basics before freestyle tricks, because you have to be a good skier to get out of every situation in freestyle skiing”. Loic quickly gathered his first competitive results in the French and European scene. However, his first ACL injury in 2003, when he was only 17, halted a complete ascent to the top. Back on skis the year after, Loic stood on his first major podium at the Rip Curl Freeski in Les Diablerets, opening doors to the international scene. However, according to him things didn’t run quite to plan, “I completely messed up my first season in the US”. Nevertheless, he still finished 2nd at the 2005 FIS Half Pipe
By 2011 Loic started feeling confident again, he was no longer injured, felt strong on his feet and decided to make his first appearance at a Freeride World Tour Qualifier event. However, ill fortune struck him down yet again and his knee was injured for the third time. Many would have given up after that and he could have stopped everything. However, in 2013 after a whole season off, Loic was hungry and stronger that ever. Following the example of his buddy Mathieu Bijasson who just qualified for the FWT, he felt he could finally win his spot on the tour. After a small taste in the early season, he won the four-star Hochfugen stop with one of his best runs ever. His fast and powerful riding wasn’t slowed when he sent
David Carlier
World Championships confirming his great potential. The following year he really began making waves internationally with his gigantic pipe runs: 2nd at US Open and 4th at the Aspen X Games with a run that would still score well nowadays; a massive 540 mute, 900 tail, alley-oop flat 540, air to fakie japan to switch alley-oop 900. The big guys, like Candide and Tanner Hall, who only narrowly beat him that year, started taking note. Unfortunately, after two years without injuries, his second ACL tear in 2007 was a heartbreaker. This time it was far harder for Loic to recover to his former level and his motivation was lost. After a few test runs, he decided to leave freestyle competitions behind completely to just go skiing in La Clusaz. He wanted to become a better overall skier and knew it would take time. In some part of his mind an idea started forming, the terrain outside of the park was what really interested him. That’s where he wanted to push himself and his skiing.
Freeride World Tour Verbier
On skis from the tender age of two, raised on a diet of Reblochon [delicious French cheese] and sauce ‘de Edgar Grospiron et Candide Thovex’, Loic turned away from alpine racing to focus on moguls and freeskiing at a young age, after watching Candide and others freeskiing around La Clusaz. “They looked like they were having tonnes of fun!” reflects Loic, “a lot more than us through our red and blue gates. I only wanted to have fun too, and as I was pretty good at it, it quickly turned into a real passion”.
Dom Daher | Right:
Rafael Regazzoni
Freeride World Tour Verbier
Text:
Left:
downdays season 14/15 MAGAZINE
Loic Collomb-patton
The French resort La Clusaz is full of talent. A breeding ground for world-class freeskiers like Candide Thovex, Lolo Favre, Xavier Bertoni and Edgar Grospiron. With his resounding win of the Freeride World Tour, the most recent ripper to turn heads is Loic CollombPatton; a somewhat media shy guy who took the FWT by storm during his first season on the tour, leaving veteran competitors stunned in his wake.
a solid cork 720 followed by a huge 360 in the middle of his run – the Frenchman had finally found his groove. “I felt good, we had filmed the whole week with PVS in the area, the snow was good and I was surrounded by my best friends”. After also winning the Nendaz FWQ, Loic secured his spot on the FWT. What followed secured his spot as one of the best freeriders on the planet. Surprising many freeride veterans, but probably not himself, Loic won the first two stops of the 13/14 FWT, in Courmayeur and Chamonix, by charging as hard as ever and yet again bringing his freestyle knowledge into big mountain. It was his fast and fluid skiing style – never slowing before features and always throwing a 360 or more where possible – that put him above the rest. At the final stop of the tour he skied aggressively down the notorious Bec de Rosses in Verbier, even managed to squeeze in a huge 360 in his run – a feat only few have even attempted – and claimed third place. Good enough to win the FWT by over 1000 points during his rookie year; the dream of becoming World Champion finally realised. It was a story somewhat reminiscent of another Frenchman with a freestyle background, who also won the tour on his rookie year; of course, none other than Candide Thovex, who also hails from La Clusaz. After all the anger and frustration from injuries, the loss of sponsors and motivation, Loic finally satiated the hunger to prove himself. But he doesn’t want to stop there. He wants to win the FWT title a second year in a row – a feat never done before – while filming with his friends from PVS and bringing his big mountain skiing to another level. “I want to ski strong and fast on steep faces,” he says to me, as I think to myself, “That’s pretty much what you did all year man!” After our conversation, one thought still lingered: How did he turn from talented freestyler into a World Champion freerider? “In La Clusaz, we learn to ski before even thinking of jumping,” he suggests. Though La Clusaz doesn’t have much demanding and challenging terrain compared to other resorts, how come so many riders like Candide Thovex and Laurent Favre are bred there? “It’s actually quite easy to understand,” he says with a laugh “We all learn to ski on La Balme”. La Balme is an area of La Clusaz that has become legendary through Candide Thovex, however it is there that every La Clusaz young gun starts. “There are no shaped kick-
ers, no clean landings,” he explains. “Only mogul fields as inruns. It makes your legs stronger!” However, one can’t attribute all of Loic’s skills to La Balme. It’s his overall attitude and personality that helped him become one of the best. He doesn’t get worked up; he is humble, discreet and loyal to his own values regarding skiing as well as everyday life. This summer, he didn’t want to rest on his laurels, he kept working as a construction worker, as he has done every summer to finance his winter. In essence, Loic is just a quiet, simple, happy, Frenchman who is phenomenally talented on two planks of wood and occasionally goes a little crazy when standing on them.
Dom Daher | Top: Arlberg Born: September 6th 1986 in La Clusaz,
Sponsors: Blizzard, Scott, La Clusaz,
France
Tecnica
Home Mountain: La Clusaz Hobbies: Hunting, Fishing, Outdoor Activities
Results:
1st FWT Final Ranking, 2014
1st FWT Courmayeur, 2014 1st FWT Chamonix, 2014 3rd FWT Verbier, 2014 1st FWQ Nendaz, 2013
1st FWQ Hochfugen, 2013 4th X Games Aspen Halfpipe, 2006 2nd US Open Halfpipe, 2006
Bottom:
downdays season 14/15 MAGAZINE
Meribel
Louis Garnier
Loic Collomb-patton
Portrait
94
DUNCAN ADAMS | PHOTO JEFF CRICCO OFF PISTE LEATHER • • • • •
SUPER WARM GREAT COMFORT FULL LEATHER GLOVE WATER PROOF SWISS WOOL INSIDE
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downdays season 14/15 MAGAZINE
October
Vibes
96
Last winter in the Alps was diabolical. Phenomenal south of the main divide, a catastrophe in the North. After waiting months for the snow, Simon Abt, Lena Stoffel and Thade Joas embarked on a two-week long road trip in the Southern Alps. At Monte Rosa they encountered almost too much snow, but other than that it went perfectly. The definite highlight was a day of Heliskiing in Engadin. When the conditions are right the Alps are possibly the best place to go skiing. More on their dream road trip can be found on downdays.eu, lets hope that this winter the snow is distributed a little more fairly!
Klaus Polzer
downdays season 14/15 MAGAZINE
Samedan, Upper Engadin
October
Vibes
97
October
Après
Nine Knights, Livigno
Tero Repo
Downdays December Issue dropping soon!
Photographers are an interesting breed. Fluctuating moods, but always delivering. Schlepping gear and capturing moments. Thank you, photographers!
downdays season 14/15 MAGAZINE 98
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