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Nationality: American |
Where were you living this season (when you weren't travelling) and who do you usually ride with? I bought a condo in Mammoth this summer, so when I’m not travelling(which is not to often). I'm there riding with my roomates and any of the grenerds who are in town. After your US Open win last year, do you feel under more pressure to keep your podium placing high or are you able to relax a little, knowing that you’ve proved yourself? I don't really feel the pressure from other people, but if it’s a contest that I want to do well in I think I put a lot of pressure on myself to do well. This year I've tried to focus more on filming than contests so I haven't been too concerned with placing, but I am still trying to place well. Did you get to spend your winning loot on anything nice? Well, all my money went to buying my place this summer so that was pretty cool. I'm really happy to have my own place to call home. Besides that I’ve done the usual and gone shopping and al that good stuff. How much preplanning do you put into a slopestyle run? Do you know in your head beforehand pretty much what you’re going to try to do? Normally I go through the course and take a look at everything first. Then I kinda get an idea of what I can do on each of the features and try to figure out all the options and what would flow the best for me. Then, I go through the line and get use to the jumps and rails, maybe doing some easier tricks to warm up with. After I get comfortable with everything I might do some of the harder tricks to see how I'm feeling. I don't really do my full run till right before the contest or even just in finals. I guess it takes me some time to get comfortable and confident. How did you start snowboarding? My parents made me try it when I was six. I don't think I put up to much of a fight and the rest was just how it went. When did you first realise that you could make a career out of snowboarding? When I saw all the people in snowboard magazines, I kinda decided that that was what I wanted to do. I didn't imagine it would work out this good. What are the best and worst parts of being a pro rider? Pro: traveling, snowboarding, partying, getting to do what you love, being your own boss, making friends - geez there's a lot! Con: Airports, packing, having to please a lot of people, doing some things you really don't wanna do. Were you surprised to win Transworld Rookie of the Year? Yeah, that was really cool. Top five best nights ever. Have you got any goals that you still want to achieve in the next couple of seasons? I want to get good a backcountry jumps. I've been struggling with them this season a bit and if I could just get that I would be sooo happy. I would love to go somewhere south of the equator this summer and ride. That would be sick too. Have you done much filming? Is that something that’s important to you? Yeah, I'm trying to lean more towards filming this season. iIve been filming with Absinthe Films as well as Grenade and hopefully I'll get enough for a decent part in both, but it’s gonna be hard. What board/boards are you riding at the moment and what do you like about them? I'm riding the Vans Women's Hi-Standard and I like these boots cause they are pretty soft but enough support for my ankles. I like a soft boot for park and stuff so these are perfect. The board I'm riding is the Rossignol Premier 156 and the new Travis Rice Pro model 155. The Premier is a great all around board and I love to ride park and rails on it. Trav's board is stiffer, more pop and is good for jumps. Do you think female riders are getting the recognition and rewards they deserve? Yeah I think we got it pretty sweet. What’s the best piece of snowboarding advice you’ve been given? Snowboarding is 80% mental and 20% physical. Who do you think the best up and coming riders are? Well, there are so many out there right now it's hard to say. aAy of those riders out there just pushing themselves and doing it with style. What’s the scariest thing you’ve done on a snowboard? Overshoot any huge jump, that always gets my heart pumpin’ Do you ever get the fear? If you do, what do you do to try to overcome it? I just tell myself I can do it and try not to think to much. As long as you have confidence in yourself - thinking too much just causes trouble. Is there anywhere you want to snowboard that you haven’t been to yet? Yup, I think everywhere I haven't been yet. Haha! Where’s your favourite place to ride? Park...Mammoth Freeriding / back country...Jackson Hole |
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Hana Beaman
published on 2004-09-14
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