Q&A: His name is Jonah Williams and he's the 2015 Superunknown champion

Jonah Williams with Level 1’s Josh Berman at Mt. Snow, Vermont

Level 1 Productions’ Superunknown competition has been catapulting “amateur” freeskiers to the mainstream of our sport for years upon years. Previous winners of the coveted competition include household names such as Tom Wallisch, Lucas Stål-Madison, Michael Clarke, Magnus Gráner, Corey Vanular and many more. This year, the competition provided a rider list and a private park setup at Mt. Snow, Vermont for the ages—however, there could only be one winner.

Today, we introduce you to the newest member of the Superunknown legends: Jonah Williams. We recently got the chance to sit down with the twenty-year-old out of Utah, now known for his buttery-smooth style and infectious personality. Check out the Q&A below and be sure to keep your eyes peeled for much more out of this rising ski stud.

The Q&A…

Name? Age? Home Mountain? Favorite ski movie?

Jonah Williams. Age 20. Powder Mountain, Utah. Long Story Short, Turbo or Refresh.

Congrats on the victory, Jonah. How are you feeling right about now?

Thanks, Thach. I feel awesome. Life is good! I couldn’t be happier with how I get to spend my time, and the people I get to shred with. Not to mention the slight confidence boost that comes along with winning Superunknown, but, it’s important to me to stay humble.

Now that Superunknown has wrapped up, where are you?

The day after I got back from Vermont, I went up to Brighton, Utah to film a park shoot with Level 1. After that finished up, I drove out here to Mt. Hood for The West Coast Sessions. So I’m currently in my favorite tree-filled state [Oregon]. I’ll be living here for most of the summer.

Can you tell us three random facts that our readers may not know about you?

First off, I love Mangoes. Fresh mangoes, smoothies with mango, tea, dried, you name it. Secondly, I didn’t actually get swallowed by a whale—that was a different Jonah. And finally, I write down my dreams almost every morning.

What’s your weapon (ski) of choice?

Well I currently ride for Salomon. I love the Rocker 100s. They are smooth and buttery, but tear through chunder, crud and slush.

What or who inspired you to enter this year’s Superunknown competition?

Sandy Boville and Mitchell Brower. I’ve always been inspired by Level 1 and the Superunknown contest, but Sandy sent me an encouraging photo on Facebook two days before the video deadline, so I made one the next day. Mitchell also kept the motivation high, as always.

Jonah Williams’ Superunknown entry

The event went down at Mt. Snow in West Dover, Vermont. How was the setup?

All of the features were so fun. All of the riders had a say in what got built. Basically, the cat drivers had their ideas and we had ours, so we all worked together to create different features that fit everyone’s style one way or another. Then we [the riders] did most of the hand work, setting rails and shaping everything up. We hit big jumps, creative rail plazas, gap rails, step ups, whale tail tap features, etc. It was such a great time and everyone went about each feature in their own way.

What was your favorite part of the weeklong session?

Other than the fact that we skied everyday, the social aspect was so dang fun. There were ten skiers from all over the world and an experienced film crew. Everybody became such good friends throughout the week, skiing, partying, eating lots and telling jokes. We even found like ten or more pairs of swim goggles, so we spent hours in the pool that day, which was awesome. It was sad knowing that the same crew might not ever be together in one place again. Love all of those dudes.

The level of riding at Superunknown is always off the charts. What’s it like to be a part of the comp, in the limelight, shredding a private park setup?

It was one of the most fun weeks I’ve ever had on my skis. The vibes couldn’t have been better. We were making lifelong friends, shredding a private park, learning new tricks, and staying in a nice lodge. It was an awesome week for everyone. Being Superunknown finalists, we all felt like winners anyway, so there was no pressure at all. It was truly an epic week.

As far as the riding, who (aside from yourself) was killing it?

You said it right before, the level of riding was insane. I’d say the killers were Alec Nelson and Ben Smith. But, Ethan Swadburg was the style master all week long, while Gabe Taube was the creative genius. That’s only because the other five dudes had injuries.

Geoff [Lovelace] zero spun everything despite his knee hurting him, and Veg [Vegard Hokstad] broke his back doing the illest bio 1080 stale. Martin’s [Solhaugen] knee was bugging him even though he was thuggin’ around all over the place, and Bendik [Øye] would randomly launch stylish switch 10’s on mini jumps after hurting his calf and ankle. Not to mention the legend Dylan Siggers. [pause] That kid broke records, sending backflips on everything one-footed, and landing a cork 540 on the step up. That was unreal.

Level 1’s Superunknown Part 1

You’ve got some silky smooth style. Who or what do you look toward for inspiration in your skiing?

Thanks, boss. I’m inspired by anyone that has buttery smooth style and does things a little differently than the rest of us. Nicky Keefer is always intellectually vibing around with unique style. Or Candide Thovex, who always skis harder and with more passion than most people can comprehend. So, really anybody that skis for the love of the sport is inspirational to me.

Now that you’ve won, you’ll be filming with Level 1. What do you think is in store for you guys?

They are currently headed up to Whistler for a park shoot, which I am unable to attend. But I’m planning to go on as many trips as I can next season. I don’t know what they have planned yet, but I’m excited for what’s in store.

How many hot dates have you gotten since claiming your victory?

[Laughs] I’ve had two or three new “Insta-stalkers” lurking around the social media airways, so that’s exciting.

What are you summer plans?

I’ll be coaching at Windells in Mt. Hood most of the summer. Once that’s over, I’ll cruise down to northern California and visit my Dad and other family in the area. I’ll try to stay moving from place to place, seeing the sights and living the life. Shoutout to my car “Jewelz” for keepin’ on.

That sounds awesome. Team FREESKIER will be in Hood during Session Five at Windells (July 27 – August 3). See you there, bud.

Sounds awesome. I’ll see you guys on the hill.

Moving on. Where do you see yourself in five years?

That’s a tough question. Ideally, I want to have a pretty good name built for myself in the ski industry through movie parts and online videos. Other than that, I want to keep progressing as a person; being aware and remembering who you are is pretty important to me. It’s easy to forget your roots and get lost in things that don’t represent you. I also want to be a killer guitar player, music is a nutritious part of a balanced breakfast.

Across the industry, which skier is doing things the best in your eyes?

Honestly, any skier that is doing it purely for the love is killing it. Skiing is fun, so I love seeing dudes and ladies that do it because it’s fun. Keep the good vibes rolling.

Level 1’s Superunknown Part 2

Any words of wisdom for future Superunknown contestants?

Yes. Be yourself and enjoy the good times while they last. Also, ski your heart out, it’s worth it.

Final thoughts?

Shouts out to all my friends and family for the love and support throughout the years. Also, shout out to my sponsors for being down to help a kid out: Saga, Salomon, Stash Ski Poles, Dragon Alliance, Snogression and Mark Kogelmann with Soulryders.

Want more from Jonah? Follow him on Instagram.