AS SEEN IN THE DECEMBER 2011 ISSUE OF FREESKIER.
INTERVIEW BY LEAH FIELDING.
PHOTO BY NATE ABBOTT.
AGE: 19
AFP OVERALL WORLD RANKING: 1ST
AFP MEN’S SLOPESTYLE RANKING: 8TH
AFP MEN’S BIG AIR RANKING: 13TH
AFP MEN’S HALFPIPE RANKING: 19TH
LAST SEASON WENT PRETTY WELL FOR YOU, EH? Yeah, last season was amazing! I was hurt a lot of the season, and I missed out on a bunch of shoots and contests, which was definitely pretty frustrating. I ended the year off the way that I wanted to though, so I’d still say it was a success.
AT WHAT POINT DID YOU REALIZE YOU WERE GOING TO TAKE THE OVERALL AFP TITLE? From the start of the season I knew that I had the potential to win the AFP overall, but it wasn’t really until WSI that I realized I was going to. It was pretty cool having it come down to the last stop of the tour to be the deciding factor.
WHAT DID YOU TAKE AWAY FROM THE WIN? More than anything, winning the AFP overall title was just a major confidence boost. I’m just trying to use the win as momentum heading into the season and trying to continue to win as much as I can. I feel like I’m skiing pretty well at the moment and working hard at all the aspects of freeskiing. The sport progresses so quickly that the leaderboard is always changing, and it’s kind of anybody’s game.
HOW OFTEN DO YOU LEARN NEW TRICKS ON THE FLY? BOBBY [BROWN] SAYS YOU JUST PULL STUFF OUT OF NOWHERE ALL THE TIME. I try and learn new stuff all the time. If something pops into my head, a new grab or a new trick, then I always try and figure out a way to make it happen. I’m flattered that Bobby said that though because he is the king of pulling something crazy completely out of left field. It’s one of the reasons that I like skiing with him so much!
INTERVIEWS: KEVIN ROLLAND | ELIAS AMBÜHL | BOBBY BROWN
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