Khai Krepela delivered undeniably one of the hottest segments of 2014. Featured in Level 1’s less, the Park City, Utah native dominated everything he touched, last season. From incredible continuous shots, to unthinkable handrails, Krepela got it done over and over again. Today, we’re stoked to present to you a re-edit of Krepela’s 2013-14 season with Level 1, as well as a Q&A with the man himself. Enjoy the show above and check out the words below, where Khai gives some insight on the 2014 season and the road ahead.
Spoiler alert: The edit dope as f#ck.
The Q&A:
You’re in Japan right now. How’s that going?
Japan is awesome. We had a hell of a time getting here because of some superstorm making it impossible for us to fly in. But after about 36 hours we have all finally made it to Rusutsu. I’m really excited to ski here for the next few days.
How’s the food?
Really good. I’m excited to try some new foods that you can’t really get back in The States. So far I’ve only eaten Ramen, but I’ve been hearing about fried fish heads, which I actually think sounds pretty tasty.
Do you speak any Japanese?
[Laughs] Right now my Japanese is limited to “konnichiwa” [hello], “sayonara” [goodbye], and “arigato” [thank you]. So, no.
Your segment in Level 1’s less was bonkers. What was your favorite trick from the film?
Thank you. I had so much fun filming last year. It’s hard to pick just one trick. But I would say it’s between the 270 wallride, 270 out and the seven kink handrail. The wallride, because it intimidated me so much. Once I actually went for it I had no problems, but it was gnarly. The seven kink because it was a marathon of trying it over and over again, so actually completing it made me feel so accomplished.
What is the most challenging aspect of filming for you?
Probably the mental game that you play with yourself. It’s really easy to feel defeated by a trick or feature but you have to try to stay positive and not let yourself get down. I can’t ski well when I’m pissed off or doubting myself, so at times it’s the battle of keeping my spirit up and remembering that it’s all for the fun of it.
What do you enjoy about skiing the most?
[Laughs] That’s the hardest question to answer. Probably my seven figure paychecks and endless amounts of women…
Tell me about the best day that you’ve ever had on the hill?
One of my favorites was back in high school. I was skiing with my buddies Cameron Snyder and Alex Rogers. The conditions were pretty bad; flat light and rain. We just messed around the entire day, learning different hand drag variations. Not exactly sure why it was the best day, but it’s one I will always remember.
Any big trips planned for 2015?
So far, Japan is the big one for the year. I’m hoping to do some more urban trips back in The States, but nothing is planned out yet.
Who or what do you look toward for inspiration in your skiing?
A lot of my inspiration comes from my Dad. He always supported me in following my dreams and doing what I was passionate about. I think about him every time I go skiing.
Final thoughts?
Thanks to everybody that has been supporting me over the years, including everybody over at FREESKIER. Also, GOODENOUGHBGK!
