All photos: Matt Georges

“I first saw Ethan at the Garmisch Gap camp and then at the Pleasure Jam in Laax 4 years ago, and whilst his taste in clothes left a little to be desired, I knew he was someone with a big future at Forum. Ethan is one of the nicest kids ever to deal with, always polite and considerate, and I’m stoked to go shred with him. Like any young guy, he could be a little nicer to his parents, who do so much for him and support him 110%. He still wears some whack huge T-shirts, but just call him out on it. Riding-wise, he is on it in the pipe, a sick kicker rider, and even shreds rail missions. That’s where he is a step ahead as he rides everything, and rides it well. Ethan is definitely Forum and alongside Niki Korpela represents the next generation in Europe.” – Jon Weaver

Date of Birth: 5.11.91
Sponsors: Forum, Special Blend, Nike 6.0, Spy, Troyan Gloves,
Landing Headwear, Scarf inc.
Hometown: Mittenwald, Germany
Best contest results: Not really a lot of good ones but I came 6th both at the Burton European Open Juniors and the the PPRJ finals in Grindelwald, and 15th at the World Cup Big Air in London.

How and when did you start snowboarding?
I did a snowboard course in Mittenwald in 1999 because I thought that skiing was boring. Snowboarding is just extreme.

Who did you look up to when you started snowboarding?
Ross Powers! Maybe because he has such a ‘boarder’s name’, maybe because I had a Sports Illustrated sport card showing him. I was so stoked about this!

How and when did you get your first sponsor?
I was riding at the GAP 1328 camp on Zugspitze when Silvia Mittermüller discovered me and introduced me to Völkl. Thanks, Silvia!

How come you have an American name but live in Bavaria?
Actually I was born in Japan but my mum is German and my dad is American: that’s where the name comes from. We lived in Virgina for 4 years but then moved to Mittenwald as there is an American military base in Garmisch. Here we also get things like greasy pizza, burgers and Wonka candies so our half-American family can survive the German jungle.

A bavarian american in Russia: multi- cultural 50/50 in downtownMoscow

What are your strengths and weaknesses in snowboarding?
I always try to be good in every terrain and discipline as I like everything. So I can alternate and never get bored. This year I gained my first experience in the backcountry – I loved it as you get an adrenaline rush before every jump. That is what I go for!

With whom are you going riding most?
With Niki Korpella. He is my homie and we always have fun on the mountain.

Did you already shoot for some movies?
I have a part in the latest Isenseven film, Teenage Love Graffiti, which I’m very stoked about as Isenseven is well known everywhere and it was so much fun to go filming with these guys. They are always up for funny stuff.

How did you like your part?
I was filming for the first time and had to attend some contests with the German snowboard association. Therefore I hardly had time to shoot and my part could have been better if I had bagged some more backcountry shots.

Who inspires you in snowboarding?
Pat Moore because he is good in every terrain, as well as Travis Kennedy. But mostly my friends because I’m riding with them all the time.

Where do you see yourself in 10 years and what do you still want to achieve in snowboarding?
I want to become a pro, finish school and play a lot of golf.

Chris was born about 21 years ago to English parents, which would make him an Englishman. Except that he arrived in France at a very young age, landing in Thonon-les-Bains, on the French side of the Lake Geneva. As a consequence, he likes his croissant in the morning and a tea break at 5pm. Like everyone else in Thonon, Avoriaz was the place where he learned to snowboard, and you’ll still find him there today working on the craziest tricks you can imagine. What he likes most is jibbing, but he’s not really a competitive person, preferring sessions with friends, whether it’s for fun or for filming. He’s kind of a traveller too, and headed to NZ last summer to keep the vibe going and train in secret with his constant motivation. He also works in pipeline construction so he can pay for his winter season. Chris’s only bad points? A blond afro and a piercing on his left nipple. But nobody’s perfect! Oh, and make sure you don’t miss his part in this year’s ERO ONE FILMS production “What’s Poppin’”.
- Vincent Pages

Age?
21

Nationality?
Frenglish

Hometown?
Thonon-les-Bains, France

Goofy or regular?
Normal

Years riding?
I’d say around 7… maybe 8.

Sponsors?
Eleven outwear, Flow snowboards, Icetools and eesa

Did you go to snowboard school?
Do bears shit on the street? Of course I didn’t, I started snowboarding to get away from anything structured.

Hobbies?
Life, and blue Smarties.

Stance?
Huge.

Weapon of choice?
Flow Era 153, but I’ve also got a thing for knives.

Contest results?
3rd place at the rock/paper/scissor comp last night in the bar.

Career high?
Getting first place tonight…. Nah, filming around the world with all the guys from EroOne this season was definitely the high point.

Career low?
Same old story. Every time I break body parts.

Top 3 resorts?
Avoriaz is my home resort, Snow-Park NZ is my Disneyland and the streets are where I do my thing.

Top 3 trips you’ve been on?
New Zealand two years ago was my first trip, the other two would be staying in Les Diablerets at the beginning of this season and going to Quebec in February. Happy days.

Will we be seeing you in any videos this year?
What’s Poppin’ from EroOne Films, a new production by Vince Pages and Florent Marot. Watch out for it this season.

What’s the best thing about filming?
Being out in the dark, freezing your nuts off and still having a huge smile across your face.

Which rider has had the most influence on your style?
Everybody I ride with influences me to do or not do certain things, that’s why I love riding with as many people as possible.

Do you have a favorite movie part?
Nah, not really. There are so many incredible parts.

How and when did you first get sponsored?
Well, big up to Vince and Florent for helping me get the right contacts 2 years ago. I can never thank them enough for everything.

What would you be doing if you weren’t riding?
I’d be a Pokemon master, for sure.

Any plans for next season?
EroOne, bitch.

The first time I ever shot with Basa, it was super dreary, foggy, snowy, windy… ouch! She was riding the park in Chopok Jasna with the three hardiest guys left on the slope. What a girl! She was 14, maybe 15 years old. After shooting, she gave me a small interview, and one of the best things in it was: “Yes, I want have a baby in the future – my mum will take care of her, and I will ride.” Wow! Five years later and she’s completed the long, hard teenage growing-up process. She’s finally finished high school and is stepping up to the university in Prague. In snowboarding, she’s like a boy: she’s tough, fearless and has what’s worth most – the STYLE. Don’t expect the chicken lady sweet “don’t hurt your butt” style, Basa is a killer! When she’s in good mood, she’s the sweetest honey angel, like blue bird sky on a powder day. But Basa is sometimes like the weather in the mountains: very unstable, very unpredictable, and potentially dangerous. Basa’s traded the stupid small parks for real backcountry and big kicker riding, and moved from a small Slovakian scene to the Roxy European team. What a big success story for this young lady. Basa “kill ’em all!”
– Matus Rendek.

Basa Stevulova

Date of birth: 19.11.1987
Sponsors: ROXY
Hometown: Banska Bystrica
Home resort: Chopok
Favourite resort: Chopok, Dachstein, Stuhleck
Goofy or regular: Goofy
Board of choice: Roxy Ally and Ollie Pop
Hobbies: surfing

How long have you been snowboarding?
Since I was 13.

How did you start?
I just asked my mum if she can buy me a snowboard because when I was 13 it was really popular in Slovakia. One season later, the closest resort to my town built a snowpark and I was there every weekend during the winter.

What’s snowboarding in Slovakia like?
We have really nice mountains and it’s perfect for powder. I’m always driving back home when it’s snowing a lot. I know that there are also many cool resorts in Austria or wherever but I’m not a local there and I enjoy this much more at home. But on the other side, I haven’t ridden a snowpark in Slovakia for, hmm, quite long. I’m just afraid of those kickers. I don’t even know if it will ever get better. Hopefully.

Who was your first sponsor and how did it come about?
Actually it was Roxy because they were my first real sponsor. Three years ago I got call from the Czech distributors. We met, signed a li’l contract and later on somehow I made it further. I was definitely stoked about it.

Contest results?
Rail Rocker award 2006 Roxy Chicken Jam, 3rd O’Neill BBQ Jam 2008, 3rd Roxy Snow Jam 2008

Best riding moment?
I don’t have a special one that I would remember. Good moments are when I learned something and best moments are when I’m back here in Slovakia riding with my best friend Dada. This is definitely the best moment.

Worst moment?
I think worst moments are when you’re riding hungover, no?

Favourite trick?
Frontside 360 Indy

Favourite music?
mstrkrft, Chromeo, Zoot Woman, Audiobullys

Favourite snowboard film?
Honestly, I don’t watch snowboard movies.

Favourite riders?
Margot Rozies

Who’s influenced your snowboarding most?
People around me.

What are your plans for this winter?
I finally finished school so I thought I’m gonna be able to ride all day long, but I go to uni now… pity. But it’s just once in month so I think I can make this sacrifice. I don’t have any special plans. Riding as much as I can.

Name: Mats Hofgaard
Age: 20
Nationality: Norway
Hometown: Elverum
Years riding: 9
Sponsors: DC, Oakley, Session, Skullcandy and Neff
Did you go to snowboard school? Yes, at Geilo.

Hobbies: Others than snowboarding, golf, fishing, water sports, cooking and being with friends and my babe.

Stance: front +6, back –3
Weapon of choice: DC snowboards

Mats ripping in Mayrhofen’s Penken Park by Scalp

Contest results:
1st Tack invitational
1st True love
1st Best style, Helley Hansen crowd pleaser
1st Norwegian championship
1st Peanut Butter Rail Jam
1st Jib Battle
2pace King of Spring
3place Nordic Open
13plce The Arctic Challenge
Career high: When I decided to take a year off and cruise in Trysil with my friends for a whole season. That’s my best season ever!
Career low: This season: a lot of injuries.

Top 3 resorts: Trysil, Mayrhofen, Breckenridge

Top 3 trips you’ve been on: There’s a lot of them, but there is one I really remember. Henning Marthinsen, Daniel Josefsen and I were travelling in Europe and there was a train we did not make in time from Geneva. It was raining heavily so we were all wet and we ended up having to sleep in a cold stairway in the ghetto.

Will we be seeing you in any videos this year? I’ve tried to finish my film part this season with Factor Films, but having a lot of injuries has held me back. But I’m going to Stryn soon for a DC shoot and hopefully that trip will complete my part. But I got a whole bail section though, haha.

What’s the best/worst thing about filming? The best part is to land and you know you just got a shot. The worst thing is to bail in powder and have to go back up to try again.

Which rider has had the most influence on your style? Travis Rice and Josh Dirksen.

Do you have a favourite movie part? For the moment it’s not any special, but I think it’s going to be a part in That’s it That’s All.

How and when did you first get sponsored? That’s a long time ago, but the first sponsor I got was Burton and how I got it, that’s a funny story:
My mother called Burton in the spring and complained that the boards were bad ‘cause’ I broke so many of them through a season. And luckily for me I won the Norwegian championship that year, so they told my mother that that rather than just give me boards back they wanted to have me as their team rider as well. So my mother hooked me up with many new boards and a meeting.

What would you be doing if you weren’t riding? Backpacking.

Any plans for next season? Ride as much as possible, don’t get injured, travel in the US, and keep on having fun on my board.

Friend and riding bro Julien Rochette. “I got to know Antoine about two years ago when we went for a handrail session in Bayonne. Since then, we always go boarding together. He’s a pretty hyperactive character and always super motivated, which makes for an entertaining mix! As well as being an amazing snowboarder, nicknamed ‘the cat’ as he always lands on his feet, he’s currently in his third year of his geography degree at Pau University where he’ll graduate this year. He’s always looking to hit up any handrails or wall rides in town with the help of his POP film crew and swanky four-wheel drive. He’s only been riding 5 years and the little brat already has everyone talking about him!” Bataleon team manager Marc De Vylder “Behind his dark shades hides a true snowboard fiend who’s only content when he’s top of the class. Antoine makes up those few riders who know exactly how to get things done. Welcome to the Bataleon team.”

Name: Antoine Baduel
Age: 20
Stance: Goofy
Home: Pau
Hobbies: Sauna, swimming, après-ski, chilling, sex and hangovers…
Favourite resort: Anywhere in the Western Pyrenees, and maybe Cauterets and St-Lary.
Years riding: The best 6 years of my life.
Sponsors: Bataleon, Celsius boots, Nomis, Coal, IS design, Defcon, Lastage, Ho5 & POP productions
Board: Evil twin 55, FunKink 53, Goliath 53… Yeah For It!
Started out: In Gabon, Africa on a wakeboard with my dad driving the boat. Then back in France down the slopes of La Mongie, still with my dad.
Best moment: The times we ran into trouble shooting a handrail session with the POP crew. Going to pick up ice from the stinky fishmongers for a run-in where there weren’t any lights apart from a mobile phone to light up the kicker in the middle of the summer.
Pow or park? Both! Backcountry is what I love most but a well-groomed park with load of hits is pretty fun too.
Favourite trick: Backside 180! So fun.
Best trick: Double cork 10 to head over heels slam.
Worst injury: Broken collarbone in two places! And I’m just waiting to for an IRM for my knee.
Influences: Travis Parker, Simon Chamberlain, JP Solberg and MFM.
Favourite video part: Just one would be too hard! So, I’d say Travis Parker in Afterbang, Joe Sexton and Simon Chamberlain in ChildSupport, and Austin Smith in We Are People Too!
Favourite video part of yourself: When I stop injuring myself, I might be a bit more productive! But otherwise, there are some POP teasers on POP’s Myspace page and their soon–to-go-online website. I’m also going to have a few sequences in the film Freesteal 3!
Contest results: Jokers!
Other talents: Phenomenal ability for moaning and pissing people off. I am also starting to get pretty good at skateboarding on the Xbox360!
Projects for this season: To move to Grenoble to ride as much as possible where the snow is better, and to continue my geography studies. I’m going to try to go to the States and Canada to shoot if the opportunity arises.

Friedrich May is a chiller… even when it’s all about getting to the mountains in time to enjoy a beautiful day of snowboarding, which makes me livid sometimes. He has actually become an example in friends’ conversations – they explain how stressful university is by saying “even Friedl started studying now!”
He’s a styler: everything he does, he does with style. He’s a friend: I’ve never had more fun being a shithead than with this guy! He’s a hypochondriac: he always has a cold, a sore throat or the flu. Some people might even call him squeamish. He’s a visionary: there is no idea too crazy and no journey to thrilling for Friedl. He’s just Friedl!

How old are you?
23

Where is your home town?
Munich

Sponsors?
Elan, Electric, Ziener, Deeluxe, 5ive

Goofy or regular?
Regular

What is the width of your stance and what angles do you have on front and back bindings?
64cm width, –15° on the back foot and 18° on front

When did you first get sponsored and how?
A friend of mine, Hansi, told me that Elan was searching for riders. So I knocked on their door, and they were really happy to put me in their team.

Which resort do you call home?
Hahnenkamm in Reutte

Are you more of a film and photo rider or a contest dude?
If there is a good setup, I would prefer the photo session. But there is nothing better than a great powder kicker session with my friends.

What is the coolest contest you have ridden in and why?
The RedBull Stairway to Heaven was definitely my favourite competition ever. I took everything so easy, tried a jump I hadn’t done for years and at the end I made first place with that trick: awesome! On top of that I won a trip to Capetown, which was one of my best holidays ever.

Do you have any impressive contest results?
German Champion in Slopestyle 07 and as I told you, winner of the RedBull Stairway to Heaven

Do you have a favourite terrain to ride or is it all good?
I like good parks, tree runs, cliff drops and I love powder jumps

Which riders have influenced your riding the most and why?
Elias Elhardt, because he is the sickest rider ever. He’s coming back, you’ll see!

Which crew you usually ride with?
LaFamiglia: we are coming!

Style or size? And why?
Style and size. If you’ve got the wrong size, it’s hard to show a good style.

What is your most stylish trick?
And which is your most killer trick? That’s a hard question, but I think it’s the frontside 5 nosegrab. I’m waiting for the right moment to land my first nice switch backside 10.

What qualities in your opinion make a top pro stand out from the rest?
He needs to be different. If you wanna be really successful, you’ve got to do your own thing, work on your own dreams to let them come true. Have a look at Travis Rice. He never tried to copy the other riders, he has his own style and he works hard on his tricks to step them up. He does the best trick right now: the backside rodeo 1080.

Discovered in Val d’Isere 5 years ago by ex-pro rider Valérie Bourdier, who’s now looking after the Nitro French team as a lioness takes care of her cubs, Yann Barthélémy is the archetypal park rider and hardcore jibber. His aggressive style on any kind of obstacle and his perfect Nitro ‘Rocker’ look, not to mention his fishing talents, convinced Valérie to take him on the team last year. “The only advice I can give him now is to get in the pipe a bit more. There’s some upcoming kids who are pushing behind, you know!” Well, Valerie certainly knows how to put a bit of pressure on the riders…
– Youri

Name:
Yann Barthélémy

Age:
20

Home:
Val d’Isère

Favourite resort:
Espace Killy (Val and Tignes)

Sponsors:
Nitro, Electric, Advita, Labo shop (Bourg-Saint-Maurice)

Goofy or regular?
Regular

Angles:
front +21°, back –11°

Favourite board:
T1 157

Hobbies:
carp fishing, skateboarding, video editing, music, happy slapping…

How long have you been riding?
It was the year that France beat Brazil in the final of the World Cup, and I was listening to ‘Only Crime Pays’ on my discman.

What made you want to turn pro?
The pro-hoes, fame, and glamour… you know, real life man!

How did you start?
I used to ski with the sports club in Tignes and one day my friend Chichi lent me his snowboard and I haven’t stopped ever since.

Who was your first sponsor?
Nitro snowboards, thanks to Valérie Bourdier.

Best moment:
March 2006. It dumped every day, had some amazing sessions with the bros, and in the evening I hooked up with my Swedish girlfriend for some long nights by the fire. But at the beginning of April we broke up, and it rained.

Worst moment:
That has to be when I was in Québec and I stacked a hire car right in the middle of town and I didn’t even have my licence. I probably need to apologise to the cops in Québec for running away from the crime scene.

Favourite trick:
I don’t have a favourite trick. Snowboarding is like sex, you’ve got to go with the flow… sometimes you wake up you want to do it in the missionary position and sometimes you want to do it doggy style. My main goal is to just have fun and make the most my partner, whether that is my board or my woman.

Is it the first time you’ve been published in a snowboard mag?
I have other magazine pieces planned for this year but I’m proud to say that my first will be with Onboard!

Which do you prefer in snowboarding, park, pipe, handrails or backcountry?
Backcountry for sure, even if changing climate conditions have meant that there’s less and less snow, something that’s driving me crazy.

Do you do a lot of contests?
I placed third in a carp fishing contest back in 97. I’m also capable of travelling hundreds of kilometres as soon as I hear something about a wet t-shirt contest. But as far as snowboard contests go, I’d have to say that I’m not really into humiliating other people!

Music?
I was massively into dream music (Robert Miles) but the movement is dead now, so I’m into rap now, and I’ll listen to a bit of rock too.

Favourite film?
Fight Club

Favourite rider?
My friend Jey from Eider Shop. He’s got a killer backside carve. Otherwise Erik Christensen.

Influences?
All the boys from Val and Tignes, the guys at Voyage Production, Eric Labbé, Romain Carlier, Nico Daniel, Nico le Drôle, Jony Boy, la Fissure, Romain and Léo Taillefer, and Pompom.

Name:
Knut Christoffersen

Age:
20

Hometown:
Hønefoss, Norway

Hobbies:
skateboarding

Favourite resort:
Kongsberg, Norway

Years riding:
10

Sponsors:
Session boardshop and I am looking for more sponsors now after M4 stopped doing boards.

Stance:
+17 in front, -15 in the back and 63 cm wide.

Best trick:
switch method

Which is the rider who has had the most influence on your style?
Marius Sommer, my favourite snowboarder since the day I started snowboard. And he has the best style ever.

Do you have a favourite movie part:
Scotty Wittlake’s part in The Revival.

What would you be doing if you weren’t riding?
Maybe skateboarding or just working as a plumber, which is what I’m doing every day right now.

Tell us a bit about the rail park you have in the summer?
My brother and I came up with an idea to snowboard on these factory rolls, and it worked pretty good. I have had many good snowboard rail sessions with the use of those during the summer.

What will you be doing in the 07/08 season?
Taking photos, filming and ride as much as possible.

Christian “Hitsch” Haller comes from a corner in Switzerland where you can still find bears – the Engadin. Unfortunately I don’t know if this explains his hunger for snowboarding. But the Engadin is famous for its snowboarders Reto Lamm, Michi Albin and now also Hitsch.

It doesn’t matter what is in his way – kicker, pipe, rails or powder – Hitsch will cope with every terrain with his motivation of a bear. I’m looking forward to the next session with him as it will for sure, like always last from sun up to sun down.
- Gian Simmen

Name: Christian ‘Hitsch’ Haller.

Age: 17.

Home: Zernez (SUI).

Hobbies: trampoline, skateboarding.

Favourite resort: Davos.

Sponsors: Burton, Anon, Swatch, RED, Arcus, Clast, Shema.

Stance/favourite board: 15-12, Burton Custom 154.

Best contest results: WSF Rookie Champion Slopestyle 06, Rookie Air&Style 3rd 07.

Powder or park?
Both!

Favourite Trick?
BS 7 Melon.

Worst injury?
I had a cruciate ligament and collateral ligament rupture when I was 14.

When and with whom did you start snowboarding?
I started when I was eight and my family moved to Engadin. After that, I was really stoked and went to Scoul or Davos every weekend.

How did you get your first sponsor?
With help from my old coach in the Hochalpinen Institut Ftan (a snowboard boarding school – ed) where I still go to school. He had a connection to Burton. I was eleven at that point.

Have you already had ‘check outs’ in other magazines?
Yes, in Pleasure, MBM and Methodmag.

What would you do if you didn’t snowboard?
That is hard to say! Maybe I just would go to a normal school.

What are your plans for the coming winter?
I will take part in some contests and hopefully film for MMP again. I will also try to spend more time in powder and get a lot of good shots.

Favourite music?
Rock and metal.

Favourite movie part?
The parts from Freddi and Nicolas are sick every year. But this year Eero’s was the sickest!

Which rider mostly influenced your style?
I think that was the work of all of my friends but especially ‘Mu’. I spent a lot of time with him during the last years.

Will we see you in a film next year?
Yes, I have been filming for the new MMP movie Green.

What are your plans for the next five years?
I try to join contests and concentrate on filming. I think after I have finished school it will be much easier because I will have more time. It would be cool to win some contests and to join the Olympics 2010. But first and most importantly is that I do what I love and have fun doing it!

Photo: Vermeulen

Severin De Courten

Séverin is a young, quiet Swiss talent who grew up in Sion, a city close to his local resort of Crans Montana. A talent that local photographer Philippe Berclaz spotted before everyone else, and one that’s starting to shine, slowly but surely, on the European continent.

Name: Séverin De Courten

Age: 20

Hometown: Crans-Montana, Sion

Hobbies: football, music, surfing…

Favourite resort: Crans-Montana, Saas-Fee, les Crosets, Laax

Years riding: 12

Sponsors: BURTON, ANON, ARCUS, GRAVIS

Stance: goofy, 18 / – 12, stance 59!?

Weapon of choice: the ultimate killer boards: Burton Seven 58 and Dominant 54!

Contest results: superfinal BEO 06 slopestyle / superfinal BEO 05 halfpipe

Career High: every day I’m on my board.

Career Low: seeing the glaciers getting smaller and smaller every day.

Best trick: second try frontside cork 7 out of a windlip!

Worst Injury: broken shoulder. One week after the accident we got 2 meters of fresh in my home resort! And I had to stay home… it was such a hard time for me!

How and when did you first get sponsored? It all happened very fast. Dave from the Avalanche shop took me on his shop team because he saw me shredding the pipe in Montana, and two weeks later I had the opportunity to ride for Burton Switzerland… I was too young to realize how this would influence my life!

Have you had any magazine coverage? A cover shot and a couple of shots in the Whiteout mag, a check out in Snowsurf, two double pages in MBM, and a couple of shots in other European mags. Plus a couple of other shots should come out soon…

What would you be doing if you weren’t riding? Try to travel as much as possible to discover the world and then, when I’m getting sick of it, start to study (don’t ask me which subject because I have no idea!)

Music? Everything, from electro rock to hip hop… life would be so boring without music!

Film? Thermos! Everyone should see this movie! It gives a different approach to snowboarding. And my favourite ‘non-snowboard-film’ is Night Watch!

Favourite rider? Fredi Kalbermatten, because he’s just too strong!

Influences? Everyone who I’ve ever met for a session, especially Fredi Kalbermatten, Jules Reymond (we started riding freestyle together) and Alex Evequoz!