“Simply the best collection of snowboarders in
any videogame, they all are truly the top of their sport”
Travis Rice Bio
Jackson, Wyoming’s favorite son has come a long way was since first strapping in on the steep mountain slopes of Jackson Hole Mountain Resort. Any rider with as many accolades, medals, and game changing video parts under their belt as Travis has could easily out themselves on top, a la Seinfeld—but that’s just not Travis’ style. He continues to fight the good fight, and progress snowboarding in its entirety.
Whether it be continually raising the bar with mind blowing “first ever” tricks; experimenting with new board technology; producing and starring in mega-budget snowboarding films; or pioneering next-level contests like the Quiksilver Natural Selection, Travis settles for nothing short of exceptional. And this year being no exception Travis has been on quite the tear, putting down a slew of mind blowing first ever tricks for his latest endeavor, That’s It That’s All. Among them, massive switch frontside double cork 10’s into powder. Travis’ rule of thumb? “If you can throw a snowball over it, you can jump it.”
Travis Rice Sweeps 2009 Transworld Snowboarding Riders’ Poll
Huntington Beach, CA – Quiksilver team-rider Travis Rice cleans up at the 2009 Transworld SNOWboarding Riders’ Poll Awards presented by GORE-TEX® taking home four honors including Men’s Rider of the Year, Reader’s Choice for Men’s Rider of the Year, Men’s Video Part of the Year and Standout of the Year. A virtual sweep at the Riders’ Poll comes in the midst of a big month for the 25-year-old.
Nicolas Müller Bio
Nico Muller was born in 1982 and grew up in Aarau, Switzerland, riding the great halfpipes of Laax Resort. Soon, Nico was gracing the pages of most major magazines with his unique style; and for the past five plus years has been considered by most the best all around rider in snowboarding. He rides every aspect of the mountain with a signature style very reminiscent of Mr. Haakonsen himself.
King of the mini-shred and one of the most down to earth dudes you will meet; Nico stands alone when it comes to busting out a proper method in the backcountry and throwing down his infamous one footers in the pipe. A global team rider for Burton, Nico travels the world with the best snowboarders on a regular basis, producing movie parts you will want to watch over and over again.
Wolle “Wolfgang” Nyvelt Bio
Where when and why did you start snowboarding: I started skating when i was 15 and the following winter i switched from skiing to snowboarding to stick to the sideways style.Mayrhofen penken was and still is my home mountain and it still is the best to ride pow there with the whole crew.
What´s your favorite terrain right now and where do you want to improve in the future: With good snow home is really fun but the real challenge is out in ak and places like that. Riding natural terrain is the most fun i think but a good session in the park is sick as well.
What´s the best/worst thing about being a pro snowboarder:
The best is to travel, ride sick new moutains and meet people. There is no bad thing really.
Gigi Rüf Bio
Hello my name is Christian. It’s funny a lot of people tell me I look like Gigi Rüf. But I think they are not in the loop for comparing me to a silly snowboarder. During the winter of 1994, my first sponsor was Volcom. I soon realized that, that is it! After that all I could think about was jumping my board around. For the past 14 years it’s all I’ve wanted to do! This year I went to NZ on a Team trip and had biggest blast ever! If I go back I’m going to stay there for a while. For the next 2 months I really look forward to becoming a dad. My phone rang at 10:00 last night and my first reaction was smelling up-dog.
Recently, a friend offered me to take a fun run! During the first few moments I already knew and carried on. Due to my childish behavior I anxiously went to feel sorry for something I didn’t know of. My family was not happy when they realized my crooked eyes on the family portrait forever! Now that I’ve grown up a little, I noticed it’s important to flick boogers and wash my hands before I eat.
My favorite thing about the season’s changing is leaves tumbling and cookies crumbling. During this time it’s traditional for me and the cows to be at home. But when it snows you’ll find me riding! So if you every see me in the lift line always ask me to take a run with you!!!!!
Annie Boulanger Bio
“The mountains, the view, the snow, the silence, my friends, the good energy. We’re so lucky to live in such a beautiful world, and to be able to take advantage of the mountains is such an amazing feeling. Every moment out there is like gold. You’ve got to be on it, but at the same time, you look around and appreciate where you are and what life is giving you the chance to do.”
Congratulations on another sick movie part in “Ready.” Tell us how you first hooked up with Absinthe.
It all began when I started riding with Jonaven Moore (who was filming for Absinthe) a few years ago, because of a photographer that wanted to shoot us both. I really liked riding with Jonaven, he’s such an amazing person. We got along really well and wanted to ride the same kind of terrain. So the following year I called Absinthe and begged them to let me film with them… It had been a dream of mine for so long.
Was filming with Absinthe a move to be recognized as a rider in your own right, and not to be seen just as “good for a girl”?
It has nothing to do with being good for a girl in my head… Since I moved to Whistler 10 years ago and got more into snowboarding and the scene all I wanted was to film in guy’s videos and be in the magazines, not many girls were in them, if any. That’s what all my friends where doing, but I was never included in the shoots. I would go do contests and compete against the girls, but would come back home and ride with all my guy friends. My dream was to do the same as them. To me, movies were memorable, beautiful and without so many rules… They were way cooler then contests for me.
Tadashi Fuse Bio
Tadashi Fuse is a backcountry badass straight up. He charges the hills with violent ferocity masked in big, silent, and silky style. And aside from locking down an impressive part in It’s Always Snowing Somewhere, Tadashi’s striving to revitalize and bring new light to the snowboard scene in Japan. His vehicle for spreading this—Heart Films. He started this film company a few years back and has since built a mass of webisodes and three films, Heart Films Volume One, Volume Two and this year’s Volume Three to document it all. He’s been busy splitting up time between B.C., Japan, movie tours, and becoming a father while still taking a minute to speak his mind.
Romain De Marchi Bio
Do you keep up on the snowboard magazines and movies?
Honestly, no. If you asked me if I knew any new young kids coming up, I’d be like, “No, I don’t.” I would love to have the time to do that but I just want to ride my snowboard instead.
So who do you ride with?
This season I rode a lot with Travis Rice and I really enjoyed it. That kid is so talented and he has the right spirit. He’s always smiling. When I go with other riders I feel I give more to them than they give to me. With Travis, it is equal sh-t, man. He gives me so much inspiration and power to do stuff. It is like, “Yeah, just do it!” Sometimes with other riders they are like, “Oh, you have to guinea pig it.” Travis is like f–k, just charging it.
Are there any other riders in the world who you think could also be like that?
There are other riders who inspire me as well but not as strong as Travis. Travis and I have the same state of mind: go big or explode. When I ride with Gigi [Rüf] or JP [Solberg], I am inspired by their style and creativity. A lot of people are like artists, like Nicolas Müller. With nothing he does something fun.
You haven’t really filmed much with anyone besides Justin Hostynek, have you?
The first year was only with Justin. After, I worked with [David] Vladyka and I shot with Brusti [Patrick Armbruster] a little bit. Mostly, I like to go with Justin and vice versa. Absinthe gave me my first opportunity to have a video part and since then it has been Absinthe forever, man.
Bjorn Leines Bio
Bjorn Leines grew up in the great Midwest; Big Lake, MN to be exact with his partner in crime and pro snowboarding brother Erik Leines. Learning to shred in such a notoriously flat region of the country, Bjorn honed his skills in pipe and park initially, joining the Oakley family in 1995. Bjorn burst onto the scene with numerous top five finishes at several major contests and multiple standout video parts.
Bjorn is responsible for pushing all the different disciplines of snowboarding. At the beginning of 2000 rail riding was just coming into it’s own, and Bjorn was at the forefront of that progression. A great example of that progressive style was showcased in winning the Red Bull Heavy Metal contest in Portland, OR. Just as his rail sessions were being documented in videos, so was his backcountry exploits. Charging first descents and gaps, Bjorn was documenting what was and is truly possible in open terrain.
