- nickname: Seili
- strengths: Determined
- weakness: Can`t say no
- fashion accessory: WTF? Hahaha ☺
- color: White, blue, green
- food: Italian
- drink: Water
- piercings or tatoos: Nope
- book: Freedoom, Gauck Joachim
- music: Recnetly I listen quite a bit of songs of fadedpaperfigures
- best holiday location: Too many to mention just one
- best way to relax: Hang out at the river or lake with a decent barbecue in the evening.
- magazines: Snowboarder MBM, Whiteout
- websites: www.go.out.and.dont.hang.in.front.of.your.computer.com
If I cash 1.000.000€ in the lottery then...
I would start organizing a two month Alaska helicopter trip with a bunch of buddys and start travelling all around the globe for as long as all the money would have been spent. Then I would continue living as I did before, since it is actually already quite cool event without 1 Million Euro lottery win.
Your house is burning...
I`d try to extinguish the fire and get my external harddrives. There are so many good memories on them, which are definitely worth to save.
An Affair to Remember...
my girl, friends and family.
What means snowboarding to you?
Snowboarding is definitely an important part of my life. Snowboarding offers pure freedom. In every other sport you have to follow certain rules. In snowboarding you can do basically everything you want. Being out there in nature, surrounded by an epic mountain environment in waist deep pow slashing turns or hitting a jump till the legs burn and the sun goes down is just priceless.
Has your life changed being a snowboard pro?
I get payed for snowboarding, get my gear for free, travel maybe a bit more than I would without being a snowboard pro ouw and there are some stickers on the topsheet of my boards now. But beside that actually not much changed. I`m still that little, curious kid who wants to discover the world and is stoked on snowboarding as I was before I became a pro.
What kind of rider are you?
I`m more of a backcountry freestyle oriented rider I guess. I don`t jib rails and except for the summer here and there you won`t see me to much in snowparks. As I try to shred as much powder as I can during a season, I shralp mainly rocker boards which have a twin tip shape because I like to to some freestyle stuff in the powder aswell.
What do you like most about Völkl Snowboards?
Völkl Snowboards is a truly rider influenced company. They really want to develop the products with us and want to hear our opinion on designs and so on. This is awesome and I think it really shows in their high quality boards, which are constantly improved.
The place to be?
Snowboardingwise for sure Lauchernalp in the Wallis area. I grew up riding at this resort and now every corner of it. It seems like this place has just been invented for powder riding. The terrain is steep, of a high altitude and there are tons of windlips, cliffs and a really good terrain for kickers.
Your signature trick?
I think it is really hard to pick just one trick. I guess it is the way you are riding and executing tricks (bones, tweaks and so on), that makes your riding unique, not single tricks in itself. I like doing onefoot stuff though, cause it always reminds me that you shouldn`t take snowboarding too serious, there are a lot of guys out there, that stress out on competitions results and stuff and therefore totally forget about the fun. In general I like more simple tricks where you are really aware of everything you`re doing and can enjoy your airtime.
What kind of style is up to date? What trick is done?
You shouldn`t care too much about stuff like that. Everything is allowed in snowboarding and it should stay like this. As soon as you start stating what kind of style is in and what kind of tricks should not be done you set up rules and this destroys a lot of the creativity which is present in snowboarding.
Which trick do you want to learn next?
Not a trick in particular, but I would like to try different grab variations on tricks I already know to do.
How do you motivate yourself and learn new tricks?
Usually it all starts with pure imagination. I try to think of every movement and the feeling in the air before I even try the trick for the first time. Then I wait for the good conditions and just try it on a backcountry jump. Like that I kind a minimize the possibilities of getting hurt. Powder is my airbag! For Training I go to a snowpark and shred the jumps. Beside that I think it is getting more and more important to stay in a good physical shape. The jumps are big and the consequences of a slam can be horrible, therefore and since I would like to continuing shredding and doing other sports when I`m older I try to stay in a good physical condition.
You had any dangerous situations on the mountain so far?
Once a few years ago a friend of mine triggerd an avalanche while riding a face. I was just about to drop and waited on top. It was so scary to see the snow breaking and flushing my buddy down the rocks, I couldn`t do anything against it. Fortunately he didn`t get buried too much and got escape by himself. It is in moments like this where you get a wake up call and realize how small you are compared to nature. So never go without avalance equipment in the backcountry and better back off something if you aren`t a 100% sure if it is save. It`s not worth it to risk your life.
Highlights of last season?
Definitely the trip to China and Japan. It was the first time for me in China and it is super interesting to see it. This Country is definitely on the move and a lot of things are changing really fast. Japan was nice aswell. Eventhough we didn`t get the killer snow conditions this year it was still cool to shred some pillows, tons of tree runs and enjoy Japanese onsen after shralping. Thanks Baneo for having us!
Blue bird & perfect conditions – who should be in your riding crew?
Everyone who likes powder as much as I do and has a positive attitude is welcome in my riding crew.
The best Snowboard trip ever was...
Everything is interesting and I love to travel with my snowboard. It depends on what you want to ride, but for pillows and treeruns it`s definitely Japan cause normally it`s constantly snowing there and they have tons of pow. So sick!
What stuff is in your backpack when you head up to ride or travel?
For riding: probe, shovel, tranceiver, bad weather goggle, something to drink/to eat
For travel: Mac book, I phone, Pass or ID, EC-card
What is your favourite contest & why?
In general snowboarding for me is not about competing and being better than anyone else. But if I`d hat to pick one contest I would say rice that a hell of a work setting up the natural selection. It brings competition in the backcountry and that`s definitely a new creative approach to contests.
What do you do when you are not riding?
I really enjoy being out in the mountains even if I`m not snowboarding. If I find the time I like mountaineering a lot. Beside that I love doing all kinds of outdoor activities and other sports, barbecues and I like to travel a lot.
In five years I want...
to be still as content as I am now.
LAST WORDS
Don`t forget about your dreams!
