Austin on ski resorts

1, When did you start snowboarding and what was it that inspired you?

I used to ski a little on dry-slope, my friend Dan was learning to snowboard and it looked cool. I had a go on his board in his garden when it snowed at Christmas 1995 and I was hooked from  then on.

2, Which ski resorts have you visited and which is the best?

I’ve been to resorts all over the place, France, Switzerland, Austria,
Sweden, Canada, America, Italy, Andorra, Bulgaria. If you’ve got good snow
then I don’t think it really matters too much where you are. You just
have to pick based on price, language, and your preference of terrain.
For me my favourite place to stay has to be Morzine only because I know it so well. But not to ride, Avoriaz and the Portes du Soleil is my favourite place to ride.

3, Which is the one ski resort you want to visit before you get too old and arthritic to snowboard any more?

Japan! Or South America maybe.

4, Where are you going to be riding next season?

I have no idea, I don’t plan that far ahead.

Austin on riding

5, What have you achieved in snowboarding so far, and what are your aims for the future?

Have a look and see - http://www.soulsports.co.uk/profile.html?mikeaustin

6, Who is currently sponsoring you and who would be your all time dream sponsor?

Currently - Endeavor Snowboards, Ignite Beanies, Thirtytwo Outerwear & Boots, Demon accessories, Airhole face masks, SP bindings, Ortovox avalanche gear, Hoven Goggles, TG Ski Chalets in Morzine.

All time dream sponsor? Um, Microsoft could be a good one. They can contact me any time after 6pm.

7, Were you competing last season, if so how did you get on?

Yes, I finished 8th in British Champs. I was also captain of the British
team who beat France in the ‘Battle of Waterloo’ (2009).

8, What are the 3 most important things to remember whilst snowboarding?

Remember that you could be at work, you could not have any legs and
its only cold for a few months of the year.

9, How do you make the transition from going off the odd jump, to hitting big kickers, rails and pipe riding?

Exactly as you would imagine, start on the small jumps and work your way up, start on the short, low rails and try a small pipe or only ride a small
part of the transition. And don’t go straight for 900 spins, try a 180,
then a 360 etc. Push too hard and you’ll miss the fun.

10, Have you ever injured yourself snowboarding?

Yes, many times but lets not think about the negatives.

11, What’s your best snowboarding memory?

Thats hard, there’s too many to pick one out.

12, What’s on your ipod while you’re riding at the moment?

I’ve been downloading and listening to a lot of rights-free music because
i’m putting together some podcasts and need something that sounds good but is rights free.

13, Who is the best person you have ridden with and why?

Thats hard to say too. I’ve always considered Mark Kent as someone who
never fails to impress me. Just the other day my friend Nate Kern did
a backside double corked 1260. I think you’ll agree thats pretty impressive.

14, What’s your favourite trick that you can do on a snowboard?

I just enjoy jumping off kickers no matter what trick i’m doing. One of my best tricks is a Frontside rodeo 900’s, I would like to turn them into
double rodeo 900’s.

15, What trick will you be trying to master next season?

I will hopefully be doing the double rodeo’s, also cab 1080 and rodeo 1080.

Austin on life

16, What do you do over the horrible, hot, hayfever ridden summer months?

Sneeze, Work, Wakeboard, Snowboard at the Tamworth Snowdome.

17, What are you going to do to find your thrills when you can no longer snowboard?

I hope that I will be so old that I don’t care. So to answer that, probably something like crosswords, chess or watching TV.

18, Who is your all time hero and why?

Again, I find that hard to answer. Someone might be really good at something or has done amazing things, but there’s always a few others who
must have done similar but don’t get as much praise. If I said Superman, Spiderman might feel inferior but he shouldn’t should he, because he’s amazing too.

19, What is the most important thing to you in the world right now?

Oxygen? The world is a huge and very complicated place, lets just go for the
easy answer and say ‘Happiness’.

20, Do you have a saying, motto or philosophy that you try to live by?

Not really no. I’m not doing very well with these questions am i? Hows about don’t worry, be happy & live life for the moment. That’ll do.

Ben on ski resorts

1, Your’re a Morzine/Avoriaz faithful, what inspired you go there, which seasons have you done there and what makes it so special?

I ended up in Morzine due to close family friends living here. Ive been here 9 winters now and there are so many things that make the place amazing. Its situated in one of the biggest linked ski areas in the world so there is a massive verity of terrain. The nightlife is great and more than anything I have lots of friends who live here year round which is why its now home!

2, Which other resorts have you visited and how do they compare?

Ive been to a lot of european resorts and they all have different things to offer. Les Deux Alpes and Tignes are my favorites for summer riding, and I always have fun in Laxx, but as for doing seasons Its always been Morzine. 

3, If Morzine/Avoriaz was a woman, which famous chick would she be most comparable to and why?

Well obviously it’d be someone French, beautiful, and now quite famous. Eva Green maybe ’cause she was even good enough for James Bond! 

4, Are there any resorts that you haven’t visited yet but would like to?

Ive always wanted to check out Whistler and the resorts in Colorado. Ill get round to it at some point!

5, How has Morzine/Avoriaz and the riders changed since you did your first season?

Morzine has got so much bigger and more hectic with every season. The level of riding has got crazy, kids are getting better by the day. Makes you feel old.

6, Which season has been your favourite and why?

Id have to say my fourth season which must have been ‘04. What made it special was the people I was living with, I was riding well and injury free and there seemed to be no worries that year.

7, And the most important question about the resort, where do you après ski, and what makes it so good?

Dixie bar for the Guinness and the football! I also love Cavern for nights out, the Buddah Cafe for more chilled out evenings and Opera nightclub for when the bars shut.

Ben on riding 

8, What have you achieved in terms of riding and what are your aims for the future?

Snowboarding has taken a bit of a back seat over the past couple of years but achievement wise I’d say I get the most from coaching. Its really rewarding to see other people stoked on landing stuff that you’ve helped them with. My aims for the future are just to enjoy myself as much as possible whenever im up the hill!

9, Who is the best person you have ridden with and what makes them stand out?

I don’t really know who the ‘best’ is ability wise, but my favorite people to head up with are people who mess around and put fun in to the day. Mike Austin and Ferg Hetherington always seem pretty good at that!

10, What are your top three tips to young riders just coming on to the scene?

Enjoy every minute
Look before you leap
Get the beers in!

11, What is your all time favourite trick that you keep stashed in your arsenal?

The backside 180 is my favorite trick of all time. Everyone’s is different and they feel amazing over big kickers. Its not tech but its the only trick in the book that you can’t see your landing which seperates it from everything else.

12, Which spots in Morzine/Avoriaz are a must visit and why?

There are loads of obvious ones that everyone knows about but finding riding spots is a personal thing that a lot of people keep very scecret. Someone once said to me about kicker spots - “they’re like girlfriends…….you don’t let anyone else ride them!”

13, If you could spend a day snowboarding with anyone you want who would it be and why?

Probably Darth Vader ’cause nobody would dare mess with you in the lift que!

14, We all know that snowboarding is as much about the get up as it is the riding, what should we be wearing come next season?

Well as snowboarding is about individuality its all down to personal choice. Ive not seen next years collections yet so im not sure what ill be rocking but it’ll be something a bit different. It Always is.

Ben on life

Normally in this section we ask people about their lives, what they enjoy out side of snowboarding and things like that. To make it a bit more interesting we have listed some famous quotes and we’re interested to see what relevance they have to the life of a snowboarder. 

15, “Is it destiny or circumstance that leads us to the lord of the dance?” - Ian Brown. Discuss?

What as in Michael Flatly? I don’t get it. 

16, “There were no precedents, they set precedents everyday when they went out and rode.” - Glen E. Friedman (Dogtown & Z Boys). Can Snowboarders still go out there and push the limits like this or has it all been done before?

Nothing has all been done before. If it had what would be the point of keeping on doing it?

17, “Death smiles at us all, all a man can do is smile back” – Maximus (Gladiator). Is this the stance you have to take when approaching a massive kicker at speed with the sole purpose of propelling yourself high into the air?

No if i’m honest I’m usually shitting it!

18, “There is no normal life, Wyatt, there’s just life, ya live it.” Doc Holliday (Tombstone). Do you think more of us should take this fatalistic out look on life?

Ive not seen Tombstone is it any good? Urmmm………yeah?

19, What in your mind is the purpose of snowboarding, what’s it all about?

Its about having fun and meeting good people.  

20, Do you have a motto, quote or philosophy that you try and live by?

Another pint of Guinness please Major (bar man at Dixie bar)!

More information:

• Read other Seasonaire spotlights.
• View piste maps from the top ski resorts.
• Register with our site to use our trip planner tool.

Chris on ski resorts

1, Which ski resort are you doing your season at and what made you choose to go there?

I am working at Coronet Peak and the Remarkables in Queenstown. I wanted to go there because Queenstown is a great place to stay for the winter and Coronet is rated as one of the best ski resorts in the southern hemisphere.

2, What was it that made you pick New Zealand over a European ski resort?

Because I wanted to get as far away from England as possible and New Zealand is an amazing place to visit any time of year. 

3, How do the New Zealand ski resorts compare to the European ski resorts?

I have only been to Andorra in Europe which was not bad but in Queenstown I have Coronet which is a 25 minute drive and the Remarkables at 45 minutes. An awesome town which I am based in and everything is geared to getting up on the slopes.

4, How do you keep bread on the table, how are you affording to do a season?

I work for the Guest Services team which is great. We are the only department who work at both Coronet and Remarkables and we get plenty of chances to go riding.

5, Where is the place to be when it’s time for Apres ski?

Either down the pub or back at home with the mrs with our feet up.

6, What’s the damage for a pint of beer out there?

You’re looking at about $7 or $8 for a proper pint. But if you time it right you can jump from bar to bar during happy hour and a lot of places give you a free drink voucher.

7, How much did your season lift pass set you back?

Nothing. Staff get to ride for free at Coronet, Remarkables and Mt Hutt.

8, How did you find your job?

Online at the NZ Ski website. I applied on the net and then had a phone interview.

9, How much has your accommodation cost you for the season?

We pay $200 a week for the two of us. Perfect location 5 minutes walk from town with the Remarkables ranges as our skyline.

Chris on riding

10, When do you have to work and how often do you find time to go up the mountain?

I do 35-40 hours a week on a rota. We get plenty of time to ride including an hour lunch so you can get a couple of runs in then as long as you eat your sandwich on the lift.

11, What’s the best thing about snowboarding in New Zealand?

The snow. Last time I boarded it was really icy and I went backwards in my learning because I did not want to fall. I finally get to experience powder.

12, What are your aims for the season in terms of riding, what do you want to achieve?

Nothing special, just to be nice and solid. Hopefully land a few jumps in the park too when it opens.

13, What’s the best thing you’ve learnt to do on a board so far?

I am still learning but it felt really good when I started to make nice sweeping turns and getting my heal/toe transition sorted.

14, Your most terrifying moment on a snowboard?

A few years ago in the States when I had just started, I lost control and smacked into a kid right in front of his parents, I felt so bad it completely put me off riding.

15, Have you explored the board park yet, and if not, why not?

I will do, I have an old board I can mash up. They have a Burton designed board park at the Remarks which opens in a couple of weeks.

16, Some resorts can be quite pretentious in Europe, what’s the attitude like in your resort?

Its great, really supportive and friendly. They know we are there to ride as much as we can and they encourage us to get lessons and get out there.

Chris on life

17, Have you seen a Maori, do you intend to learn the haka and do you finish every sentence with ‘bro’?

Seen a couple of Maori’s but up in Auckland, pretty scary looking but nice people. Not using ‘bro’ yet but I have started to use ‘sweet’ in every other sentence.

18, Resorts in Europe are often a sausage fest. What’s the boy to girl ratio like in your resort?

Not sure, not really noticed.

19, What are a seasonaire’s three most important possessions?

My ipod, my board just in case I have to go up to the other mountain. Don’t want to be at one and my board at the other. And my staff ID, that baby gets me everywhere.

20, Have you got a motto, saying or philosophy that you live by?

Well NZ Ski’s is ‘life as it ought to be’ which is pretty good. The other which really hit home in training was not that we have got to go to work but that we get to go to work. I think that’s spot on considering the lack of work out there and what I have the chance to do every day.

More information:

• Get piste maps from the top ski resorts.
• Register with our site to use our interactive trip planner.
• Read other Seasonaire spotlight interviews.

Websites recommended by Chris:

• Use the NZ Ski website to find work in a Ski resort.

Okay Drewy here’s the score. 20 quick questions about ski resorts, snowboarding and life man!

Drewy on ski resorts

1, When did you first get into Snowboarding and what was your inspiration?

1999-2000 I think. My mates called me when they were short of numbers for a trip to Pas de la Casa (Andorra), I’d never been to the mountains before so I thought why not. That was it really, first lifts, first day and I was hooked no question.

2, Which ski resort are you riding at the moment and what made you chose to go there?

I spend my seasons in Morzine, France. We went there on a holiday in 2002 and that was it, the first of our lads did a season there the year after and I followed suit in 2005.

3, Which resorts have you visited, which was the best and why?

I’ve pretty much covered most of France but I reckon Chamonix was top drawer. The scope of the place was pretty sic and to be honest I’ve got to give a massive shout for Morzine/Avoriaz. The place is awesome and just gets better every year. We’ve also got the first European Burton Stash there as well, which means we are getting lots of top riders from Europe ripping through the hills now.

4, What’s the day job, how do you afford to keep doing seasons?

Credit Eddie!!  I’m one of the millions of people responsible for the credit crunch, but I try to pay most of it back in the off season. The exchange rate last winter was a killer though.

5, Where is you all time favourite Apres Ski haunt?

Oh without question Cavern Bar, Morzine for Joel Erith’s acoustic schmoostic.  The dude is awesome on a guitar and knows more songs than my ipod holds.

6, Is global warming going to ruin everything?

2006-2007 was a dark dark season, it was about 20 deg all day everyday for most of the season and hardly snowed. But then 2007-2008 and 2008-2009 were incredible with fresh dumps regularly.  I’m pretty positive about that stuff. There are French farmers in Morzine who reckon it’s all a big cycle and to be fair they called it that 5 years of good stuff will follow after the bad season. They are right so far!!

7, Is there anywhere that you haven’t ridden that you would really like to visit?

New Zealand and Tahoe. The films by Lockdown Projects really highlight how good those places are for developing…….One day maybe.

Drewy on riding

8, What’s your most terrifying moment on a board?

A road gap kicker ‘designed’ by Ben Crawshaw. I came into the run-in way too  hot on the tail and practically buttered off the lip. My ass missed the road by about 6 inches.  I was a hand’s length from seriously hurting myself.  You can hear Duncan (Ben’s brother) gasping on the video footage as I head towards the landing.  It was a massive wake up call with ‘walk before you can run’ sitting at the front of my mind from then on.

9, What’s your best memory of Snowboarding?

Oh loads of great times with my riding partner Gilly Seagrave, we spend all season smiling. Probably learning front boards on a box in Les Gets with her, that was a rad session and maybe riding with Tim and Gend and the Vans Crew a couple of years a go. Riding with those guys and the likes of Jonny Barr and Ryan Davis, who I’d watched in all the films, it was awesome and definitely gave me the energy to keep riding. I’d pretty much leveled out at that point and just seeing the way they approach the day just recharged the batteries for me big time. Thanks guys!

10, Who’s the best person you have ridden with and why?

Ah good question. The best person to ride with is Gilly…. she pushes me every day and I am so grateful for it (my knees may disagree). She is a machine and if you want to get good, get Gilly. Simple.  The best rider well…Ryan Davis, he makes it look so easy. You have to really watch him, as half the stuff he does is in switch and you don’t even know.  Jedi.

11, What are the 3 most important things to take up the mountain?

Mobile Phone, in case of emergencies. Ipod (charged) to keep the chin up after a good slam.  But definitely the most important though has to be a positive attitude. Go up there in a sulk and the day will suck. Go up there smiling and really appreciative of your life and it can only start off with a buzz and get better.

12, What do you want to achieve within snowboarding, your snowboarding Nirvana?

Personally I just want to progress as far as my body will let me.  But if I get to the level where a guy is stood on the hill and sees my line and he thinks ‘hey that was tidy’, then that will do just fine.  Other than that, I’ve done a bit of coaching for our camp, a girls only snowboard coaching company run by Gilly. I really get a buzz out of that and as I get older I’m sure I’ll do more of it.

13, What’s your favourite trick to do any why?

Well it’s got to be the front flip, it’s taken me 2 seasons (and 4 boards) to tame that bad boy.  As for the why…. try one and see the applause you get just for giving it a go. Land it and you’ll hear the whoops and cheers as you ride off with the biggest smile ever.

14, What’s on your ipod at the moment when you’re ridding?

I’m all about the 80s rock and pop these days. My play list is designed to make sure I am smiling no matter what comes on.  The uber track to get me off a kicker or a lip when I’m cacking it??….  John Parr - St Elmo’s Fire. Ultimate amp track.

Drewy on life

15, What turns you on outside of Snowboarding?

Well I’m trying to get into skating again. The girls from our camp gave me a vans board last season so I’ve been giving that a run every now and again.  It may take some time though.  Concrete hurts a lot.

16, You spend a lot of time behind the camera when up the mountain, what is it that you enjoy about filming?

I fell into filming by accident really.  I did my shoulder in at the start of 2006-2007 season and I thought that was it. But I hooked up with Gilly, Emma Rogers and Sonia Shaw from our camp and those guys pulled me out of my depression. They stuck a camera in my hand, I filmed the camp and then edited for them. The riders on the camp liked it and I really took some pleasure from doing it. That one moment changed it all for me. Being a filmer, I’ve met tons of people, had my shots used in Terminal Ferocity (Lockdown Projects 2007 movie) and had a load of support in the industry from the guys at vans. ( Thanks to them as well)

17, Ever find time to get in front of the cameras?

I’ve got little snippets on the web here and there but my skill level isn’t at that level yet….. but to be honest the kids these days, are at level we can only dream of as old boys.  I know what I can and can’t do, so that’s all that matters really.  Just riding is big enough of a buzz for me.

18, Was Bohdi talking sense when he said: “If you want the ultimate ride, you’ve gotta be willing to pay the ultimate price”?

Haha … never a truer word.  The adrenalin rush I’ve felt that comes from nearly paying the ultimate price confirms that.  All I would say though, is that given the choice of a life time of rad runs verses one ultimate ride? I think I know which one I’d choose.

19, Do you have a motto or saying that you live by?

Look forwards, don’t look back.

20, Why are we all here Drewy?

In the words of Bill and Ted……”To be excellent to each other”.

More information:

• Get piste maps for the top ski resorts.
• Register with our site and use our interactive trip planner tool.

Websites recommended by Drewy:

• ourcamp.co.uk
• ekawear.com
• vanssnow.com
• chuckbuddies.com
• dalikfodda.com