Moments
LÉ BENT WELCOMES NIKOLAI SCHIRMER TO THE TEAM
Nikolai Schirmer is hot property in the ski world these days. So much so, one comment on our announcement post joked that, "rumor has it, Nikolai Schirmer will hold 60-70% of all brands total freeskiing marketing budgets before the end of the year. Totally insane, but still well deserved!" Nikolai's video projects are some of the most anticipated releases of each season, raking in over a million views each, and transporting us to some ridiculously beautiful lines in his home of Northern Norway. We caught up with Nikolai amongst such lines to welcome him to the team. LB: Hey Nikolai, welcome to the Lé Bent team! How is your season going so far? Where in the world are you and how are the conditions? Man it’s been such a good start to the season! I had a round of skiing in the Alps the last weeks of November, and then it’s just been full on winter in Northern-Norway since then. We’re skiing lines that normally don’t fill in till spring. We saw you’ve been ripping around in the Cody Townsend Pro Series Snow Socks. How have you enjoyed wearing them? The socks are amazing, and for sure the best feel for my skiing I’ve had. The little rubber pieces make them stay in place, and the fit with technical stitching really delivers next level performance. I had never been in a merino wool and bamboo rayon blend before, so I was happy to discover how warm and comfortable they are. Did you ever think a sock could make such a difference to a day, week, month or season in ski boots? I didn’t believe it till I could feel it with my own two feet. A whole new world. Compared to other socks the first thing I notice is that they stay up better. The worst feeling is to have a wrinkly sock giving you shin bang, and Lé Bent really has solved that issue well. I like to go for minimal cushioning in my sock to have maximum contact with my boot, and the power delivery in these are amazing. Aside from lapping the local hills, it looks like you’ve had your hands full with your latest film project ‘SKI’? Tell us about this film. It’s the story of when I set out to make a movie about my friend who was training for what I dubbed The Greatest Ski Tour of All Time, and tried to appropriate his 'snow warrior monk' way of life to elevate my own skiing to new heights. It’s been a crazy ride making my first feature documentary, and to have it on regular cinema distribution in Norway is wild. The Tom Hanks movie is the one next to ours on the ticket page. We’ve had a few screenings internationally already ahead of the Norwegian premiere next week, and I’m happy to hear people enjoy the film so far. You’ve released some incredible films in the past as well, such as Wavy and the Endless Winter Series, which have both gotten over one million views. How does SKI compare to these? SKI is an evolution of those I’d say. Making videos and movies is a bit like writing, where you develop a style and a rhythm over time, so I think an audience that’s familiar with my previous work will recognize the vibe. But the scale of SKI is just bigger in every way. I think the budget is something like 20x what we had for Wavy. Wow, that's epic! Aside from the film premiering in January, what projects are you working on this season? I’m really excited to get back to YouTube vids this season. Making a feature documentary is a (fuck) ton of work, for a relatively small amount of video output - while YouTube is the opposite. And it’s just nice to not have to think of a grand narrative spanning many years, and focus on the here and now on the mountain. I’ll be working mostly in Norway, but I’ve planned one trip with Lucas Wachs and Sam Favret too. Also chatting with Cody (Townsend) about finally making that YouTube collaboration happen. I'm sure we're not the only people who would love to see a collab between you guys! Any long term goals for your skiing or something you’d still like to tick off? Maybe a trip to Australia to ski some ‘real mountains’ could be on the cards?... I actually spent a full year living in Australia, in Kew, Melbourne, as a kid, and never knew you even had skiing. So yeah, that’s definitely highest up on the to do list career wise. Beyond that I just want to find a little more balance. I have a habit of getting really excited about winter and ending up pretty burned out by the end of them, which is a bummer because spring is generally the best time to ski. So I’m trying to ease into this one a little more. Well Nikolai, we look forward to following along and seeing all the incredible places you end up this season and beyond! Thanks for taking the time to chat and we’re stoked to have you on the team! Bring on the good times ahead. Yew! My feet and I thank you for having me! ABOUT NIKOLAI SCHIRMER Age: 33 ● Hometown: Tromsø, Norway ● Home Resort: Kattfjordeidet ● Nationality: Norwegian ● Sponsors: Lé Bent, Black Crows, Julbo, ATK, Scarpa, Polestar, Grivel, OpenSnow and Infinitum. ● Favourite Lé Bent gear: The Cody Townsend Pro Series Snow Sock ● Follow Nikolai here: Instagram and Youtube.
Read more
LÉ BENT WELCOMES NICK RUSSELL TO THE TEAM
Nick Russell has dedicated his life to being in the moment in the mountains. With a riding style that he describes as "a blend between low stress pow riding in the forest and intentional movement into the alpine", Nick has been on our radar for many years at Lé Bent. The sock gods saw fit to intervene and after leaving his socks at home, Nick finally dipped his toes into a borrowed pair of our Signature Merino Blend... and he couldn't go back. We caught up with Nick to welcome him to the team. LB: Hey Nick, welcome to the Lé Bent pro team!!! Thank you! I’m honored and excited to be here next to some heavy hitters on the team, not to mention to be running the best socks in the game. It sounds like we have Cody Townsend to thank for getting you in our snow socks. Is it true the first pair of Lé Bent socks you wore were a ‘rental pair’ Cody had in the back of his van? Yes, this is true. I showed up to do one of the Fifty lines with him in the Eastern Sierra and realized I forgot my socks. Thankfully the guy had an extra pair. If I remember correctly, they were his pro model socks which were perfect for a long spring day. LB: A long spring day for Nick = A sufferfest of epic proportions.. Hopefully, they were a clean pair… what did you think of them? For someone that spends 8 months non-stop in their boots, socks are perhaps one of the most important elements to my overall happiness in the mountains. Everything from the merino blend that makes sure I don’t sweat, to the fluid articulation in the ankle and up to compression in the right spots, I’m honestly blown away with the performance of these socks. And, did he ask for them back? I think he knew better than to ask for them back ;) Thankfully we were able to send you your own pairs that you could actually keep… How do you find the different cushioning options and do you have a favourite pair now? I find myself bouncing between the lightweight cushion and zero cushion options for longer warmer spring days and the slightly thicker Xavier De Le Rue Pro Series Sock for colder days. Just like how you adapt your board for current conditions, it's the same with socks. It’s amazing to wear something that clearly has had so much attention to detail go into it. After a full season of heavy duty use, I think I only circulated between 3 or 4 pairs, which says a lot about their durability. You’ve been dragged along on a lot of Cody’s Fifty lines and been a fan favourite in a bunch of episodes. It looks like you always draw the short straw and get the pure sufferfests though... How has that project been for you? For the majority of those lines we did together, there was always a caveat that likely, it was going to be one of the longest days of your life and the approach would have some level of ridiculousness to it. But at the end of the day, it all lends to the elusiveness of certain lines that always makes it worth it. In addition to riding with Cody and Bjarne, what personal projects have you been working on in the past 12 months? I’ve been working on a film with Patagonia from our expedition to Papsura, India this past spring. It’s called the “Peak of Evil.” This will be likely my proudest project to date and I’m excited to release it to the world. We’re slated to start premiering it in December and the online release will be in January 25. I was also involved in a French film project called “The Octopus”, from my time in Chamonix with Pica Herry and crew. Additionally I’m a part of a short film with Austin Sweetin coming out called “Hogs on the Horizon.” I also recently signed with United Shapes snowboards which is also really exciting. Sounds like you've had plenty on the plate. What are your goals for the coming season? A magician never reveals their secrets. Haha well we look forward to the show. What about in the longer term. What are your future goals in snowboarding and how would you describe your style of riding? To continue exploring my backyard of the Sierra Nevada and beyond, stay healthy and share the love of snowboarding with others. I’d say my riding style is a blend between low stress pow riding in the forest and intentional movement into the alpine. Well Nick, we look forward to following along and seeing all the incredible places you end up this season and beyond! Thanks for taking the time to chat and we’re stoked to have you on the team! Bring on the good times ahead. Yew! Thanks guys! Can't wait. ABOUT NICK RUSSELL Age: 36 Hometown: Truckee, Ca Home Resort: Sierra Nevada backcountry Nationality: USA Sponsors: Lé Bent, Patagonia, United Shapes, Anon Optics, Backcountry Access, Deeluxe boots, Pomoca skins, Spark bindings Favourite Lé Bent gear: Any of the light cushion snow socks! Follow Nick here: @nick_russelll
Read more
LÉ BENT WELCOMES KAI JONES TO THE TEAM
When Kai was 11 years old his segment for TGR went viral and racked up 6 million views. That year he also won the North American Junior Freeride Series. He was nominated for Rider of the Year at IF3 Film Festival at 14 years old, and again a year later. Now at age 17, Kai has been a mainstay in TGR’s last five films, and earned the right to be called a legitimate “prodigy”. Kai is leading the charge for the next generation of groms that jump off things, while also managing to be a favorite amongst the older guard. We caught up with Kai in between cork 7’s and massive cliff drops, to welcome him to the team and find out what makes him tick. LB: Hey Kai, welcome to the Lé Bent pro team!!! How has your season been going so far? My season has been good. Little slower than normal because of my injury. Super stoked to be back on snow and progressing. So, you’re 17 years old — and probably sick of people mentioning how young you are — what are your goals for the next few years and where do you want to take your skiing? I am super hyped to keep pushing my limits and bringing more freestyle into the big mountains. You’ve been described as a “skiing prodigy”, “Mayor of Stomptown” and “grom pied piper” how’s that feel and what’s it like inspiring the next generation of groms your age and younger? One of my biggest goals in skiing is to inspire people and it makes me so stoked to see the next generation taking inspo from me. For those who don’t know, you sustained a season-ending injury, breaking both your tibia tubercle’s in March last year. We followed your rehab and were super impressed by how much work you were putting in to getting your body right. How was that recovery experience and how was your return to snow this season? My recovery has been going super good. I spent the last 9 months training hard to get back to my sport. As I am writing this I still have work to go but every day I am getting closer and closer to being 100 percent. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Kai Jones (@kaijonesski) You’ve been in 5 Teton Gravity Research Films already. Who are some of the skiers you grew up watching and looking up to? Some skier's that I grew up watching are Tim D, Sammy C, Nick McNutt, Shane M, Eric Roner, Thall, Sage C, Ian Mac, Candied Thovex, Henrrik, and way more ahah! Have you got a favourite movie part of theirs or a favourite TGR film that you always go back to? My favorite movie part is Tim Durtschi's My Way of Life segment or Nick McNutts' Almost Ablaze segment. A lot of young skiers and snowboarders start off in freestyle and transition into the backcountry after years of competition and events. What motivated you to make backcountry skiing your main focus from the get-go? We dont have alot of parks back home so I grew up learning tricks and skiing in the backcountry. It was natural for me to move into freeride because of the mountain I grew up skiing on (JHMR). Any interest in taking your skills to the Freeride World Tour — you’d probably have to forgo some powder days though! Only time will tell... We have both Cody Townsend and Sammy Carlson on the team holding it down in the BC, how would you compare your style of riding to these guys and have you followed their careers at all? Cody and Sammy are some of my favorite skiers. My style is more similar to sammy but I love to get out in the big mountains like Cody and ski mountaineer. So, are you reaching for the Cody Pro Series or the Sammy Pro Series in your sock drawer? I personally like Sammy's socks with their light padding which suits my riding. SAMMY CARLSON PRO SERIES SNOW SOCK SHOP SAMMY SOCK What features would you include in your own Pro Series Snow Sock? Just in case we’re cooking something up over here ;) I want to include padding to protect from shin bang - something I experience in my style of riding with big landings. Lé Bent already does such a good job innovating new technology in socks to help prevent issues like this, so i’m looking forward to providing my own feedback. GET EARLY ACCESS TO THE KAI SOCK! What other Lé Bent gear have you been enjoying this season? I have been loving the Pramecou Wool Insulated Hooded Jacket! What’s the plan for the rest of the season? I hope to keep skiing good snow in Jackson, go to AK, and ski mountaineer back home. Well Kai, we look forward to following along and seeing all the incredible content you put out! Thanks for taking the time to chat and we’re stoked to have you on the team! Bring on the good times ahead. Yew! Cheers guys, can’t wait! ABOUT KAI JONES Age: 17 Hometown: Victor ID Home Resort: Jackson Hole Nationality: USA Sponsors: Red Bull, Dakine, Atomic, Teton Gravity Research, Lé Bent Favourite Lé Bent gear: Sammy Carlson Pro Series Snow Sock Follow Kai here: @kaijonesski
Read more
LÉ BENT WELCOMES MICHELE GRAGLIA TO THE TEAM
Michele Graglia competes in the gnarliest running races on the planet. When he’s not competing against others, he’s setting records and racing himself. To that end, he’s set Guinness World Records for running across the Atacama Desert in Chile (600 miles in 8 days) and after that, the Gobi Desert in Mongolia (1100 miles in 23 days). Mickey won the Yukon Arctic Ultra in temperatures below -40°C (-40°F), and he won the Badwater 135 in Death Valley, with temperatures above 54°C (130°F), making him the first person in history to win both the hottest and coldest foot races on the planet. It would be an incredible feat for someone who had cut their teeth — or rather, their feet — on trails from a young age. So it’s even more impressive given the fact Mickey was more familiar with runways than running as a former top fashion model and only took up trail running at 27 years old. INTRODUCING THE MICKEY GRAGLIA PRO SERIESZERO CUSHION 3/4 CREW TRAIL SOCK SHOP NOW We caught up with Mickey to officially welcome him to the Lé Bent team and figure out how he keeps putting one foot in front of the other. LB: Hey Michele, what’s up! We’re stoked to finally be able to share with the world that you’ve joined the Lé Bent trail team. Welcome!! MG: I really appreciate and super excited to join the Team! I'm looking forward to see what we can achieve together! We almost didn’t know where to stop when it came to listing your achievements above. We reckon you’d be hard pressed to find a more impressive ultramarathon resume than yours. There are so many to choose from but can you tell us which race or races in particular have left a lasting impression on you? I always found the most extreme races to be the most memorable. It's never really about the results for me and I love the challenge of course though the one thing that truly keeps me going back for more is the opportunity to connect with the most pristine, untouched and raw side of Nature. The senses are heightened and when I feel the most alive. Following these thoughts, and to answer your question, Tor des Geants, this September!! It is the hardest ultra trail race in the world: 330km through the most rugged trails in the Italian Alps. In addition to the many races you’ve competed in, you’ve also achieved a number of solo world records and FKT’s. How do these projects come about and how do they differ from racing for you? I love both racing and explorations as they all allow to stretch our boundaries and grow, although I found personal expeditions to offer a much deeper and personal experience. When the competition is removed they become unique opportunities to truly connect with oneself, to feel completely submerged in the experienced and fully present in the moment. Now, help us settle an office bet. Was it harder to run across the Atacama Desert or the Gobi Desert? Not just by distance but the Gobi was a way greater challenge than the Atacama.The Mongolian desert is ruthless and only gave hard blows. Facing strong, gutsy, incessant winds for days on end through a seemingly endless vast steppe.We went from desert dunes to high mountain passes and temperatures that could range daily between -10C to +40C. It was by far the hardest challenge I have faced up until then. We’ve got a fair few deserts here in Australia. Maybe we’ll have to get you down under to see how they stack up! It is a life dream of mine to cross Australia! I have always been fascinated and cannot quite honestly wait to start planning the crossing! Now running across deserts is a far cry from strolling down a runway. What drew you to trail running and made you leave what we can only imagine was a pretty cushy lifestyle as a top fashion model? Modelling began as my American Dream though the perks of that fast lifestyle soon showed their ugly side. While being at the top I had fallen to the bottom. I felt disconnected, lost and alone. During the most critical time in my life, I discovered trail and ultra running. Running through Nature showed me a new way of life. A new perspective. As cliche as it may sound, running did save my life and became an opportunity to reconnect with myself at the deepest level. You’ve developed a reputation as someone who can handle any environment, terrain and temperature. Did this happen naturally or did you seek out events with completely opposite temperatures like the Yukon Arctic Ultra and Badwater? I was drawn to them in a very primal and simple way. I wanted to feel for myself the power of the most extreme sides of Nature. There are some similarities with Lé Bent there as far as, cold and hot, snow and sand. What attracted you to Le Bent? The outstanding quality of the products! How have you enjoyed running in our Signature Merino Blend socks? I certainly love how comfy and soft they are! Also, I felt like the "wrap around" perfectly fits and supports the arch and the ankle too. I love them and keep them on all day, running or chilling. The breathability is an outstanding asset too as I can go for hours on end with perfectly dry feet! How valuable is something like a fresh pair of socks when you’re running for over three weeks straight as you did in Mongolia? Keeping the feet happy in long traverses is fundamental and a fresh pair always rewards you with a sense of renewed energy and light feel! Most valuable! Which characteristics of your new sock do you like the most? This sock is exceptionally breathable and ideal for long distance endeavours where you need to keep your feet dry. The merino blend fabric offers amazing comfort and the arch wrap around gives optimal support and stability. So, what else can we look forward to from you this year? I am going to run the Lavaredo Ultra Trail at the end of June, part of the UTMB circuit. In September I am going to face the Tor des Geants, in Valle D'Aosta, in the heart of the Italian Alps. I am then running the Gran Sasso, OneHundred World Series Final in October. I also have a couple of expedition options for the end of the year, but that's still a secret. ;) ABOUT MICHELE Age: 38 Hometown: Sanremo, Italy Nationality: Italian / American Sponsors: Le Bent, TransPerfect, LaSportiva, Garmin, SaltStick, ShPlus, Vespa, NW Curve Favourite Le Bent gear: the Terra Ultra Light 3/4 Crew Trail Socks or the shorter Ultra Light Mini Trail Socks. Follow Michele here: Instagram SHOP THE NEW MICHELE GRAGLIA PRO SERIES SOCK HERE
Read more
Parkin Costain’s Not So ‘Off-Season’ - Building A Bike Park
No matter the season, team rider Parkin Costain is a hard man to catch up with. We don’t mean to say he’s too busy for us, we just mean it’s physically, very, very difficult to catch up with the bloke because he’s so damn fast. Whether he’s on skis or a bike, if you don’t have a sizeable head start, you’re not keeping up. So, when we finally did catch up with him, we picked his brains to see whether we should start calling him a bike ambassador instead of a snow ambassador. Like for much of our team (and product designers) the allure of a narrow trail and a few well-placed berms still beckons, regardless of whether it’s coloured white or brown. Something to mind ride. A little hero dirt and some well placed berms at Legacy Bike Park. Pic cred: @mitch_montana95 LB: Hey Parkin, good to catch up with you! What have you been up to this summer? We'd say 'off-season' but it doesn't seem like you've dialled down the adrenaline at all and you've been busy building the trails too? Hey team! Yeah, you could say summers are still my off-season but I’m definitely not taking a break or backing off the adrenaline, just a few months not strapped into skis! This summer was super busy! Straight out of AK last April I made my way back to Montana where I started up with my summer gig, building MTB trails for my pops company Terraflow Trail Systems. A lifelong passion of his which over the last 12 years has blossomed into a healthy career. This summer was something special though. He and a few buddies who are also avid MTN bikers partnered up and focused all their energy on creating a badass public bike park. Parkin boosting in said badass bike park. He'd call it necessary product testing. Pic cred: @mitch_montana95 Sounds epic. How does biking compare to skiing for you these days? Have you always done both? I absolutely love biking. It’s pretty close to just as fun as skiing for me, especially with the kind of riding I do. I’ve always been drawn to the bigger mountains. Recently I went on a trip to Virgin, Utah and put together my first MTB edit with Benshi Creative. That terrain felt so similar to what I ski in the winter that I kept having flashbacks. HODGEPODGE ft. Parkin Costain from Benshi Creative. I’ve always done both, I learned to ski at two and took the training wheels off the bike around the same time. My parents were both ski bums and my pops was the MTN Biker so growing up it’s all my brother and I knew. Do you think it helps your riding when you have such a hand in building the trails and jumps? I imagine you have a much better understanding for the flow required. Definitely! Anytime I head to a new park or somewhere I haven’t built it takes a few laps to start feeling comfortable. But at Legacy it’s a totally different experience, especially after building most of the line yourself. You stare at transitions and walk the trail for months on end. Parkin's definitely not afraid to get his hands (and socks dirty) and take some of the heavier machinery for a spin in the process. Pic cred: @mitch_montana95 You just keep replaying the features you’ve built over and over in head until you’re done... I’ve never had a more satisfying experience than lacing Forty (our biggest jump trail) first lap ever. View this post on Instagram A post shared by LÉ BENT (@lebent_) Epic, so how did Legacy Bike Park start? How long did the build take you guys? Legacy Bike Park is Terraflow Trails latest creation. The idea was first sparked last August. A family friend had just visited a few well known bike parks up in Canada. He was high on life as he drove back to the states and ended up giving my dad a call. They talked for a bit and basically said, “if they can do it why can’t we?” They became business partners and it was full speed ahead from that point on. They found the right piece of property, bought the land and started two trails all before the snow arrived last fall. Then, this Spring the entire crew was all hands-on deck laying down service roads, campsites, pit toilets, a base area and a bunch of new trails before our public opening day July 15th. It was an absolute mission to get it done but it was worth it in the end. The last week of construction was intense, a couple of our guys worked until 2AM operating with lights on the machine to get it all done in time. I was focused on our double black jump trail called ‘Forty’ and a pump track in the base area. I’ve been digging for Terraflow since I was 10. What little boys aren’t obsessed with excavators? It all started with a pump track in my families backyard and has slowly escalated to getting time on some of our biggest machines building whatever my mind can dream up. I’ve had the most fun with Ninja Marmot in Big Sky and Forty at Legacy. Sounds unreal! How many trails are there in total then and how have they been received by the public up there? We’ve got 13 trails that were finished for this season. Everything from green flow to double black and tech trails there’s something for everyone. Also, since passes are capped at 80 per day we’re never too busy - just enough to make a few new friends. Everyone gets a ride to the top on one of our two 25 capacity shuttles with Huckwagon bike trailers and then it's all downhill from there. The public has spread the word so quickly! We couldn’t be more stoked for our first season of operation. Really looking forward to watching this place continue to grow. No doubt. Are you even thinking about skiing if you’re having so much fun in the dirt? When do you think you'll switch gears and turn your attention to snow? My mind is definitely shifting towards the winter months. I’ve had a few brisk early mornings already and I couldn’t be more stoked. Excited to ride the bike this fall and then will be itching to find some pow turns! Obviously you started wearing our threads during the winter months and we know you’re a big fan of the Sammy Sock and 200gm crew baselayer, but what’s your go-to for Summer? For sure. All summer I’ve been loving the Bike Ultra Light Mini Sock. It’s a great fit and comfortable from daily life to the long MTB ride. I normally pair it with the 200 Logo Tee, never knew how much I needed a breathable merino T-Shirt. I kept a couple of both stashed in my truck this spring for the multi day stints building at Legacy. Awesome. Yeah, the merino blend in the tees means you can get away without washing them for a heck of a long time. No doubt you’ve pushed the odour suppression to the limits shovelling away all day at Legacy! All photos courtesy of @mitch_montana95
Read more
LE BENT WELCOMES MICHAELA DAVIS-MEEHAN TO THE FAMILY
MICHAELA DAVIS-MEEHAN – WELCOME INTERVIEW Michaela Davis Meehan is officially the number two women’s snowboard freerider in the world right now. If you know her, and if you’ve seen her ride, this shouldn’t come as a surprise. The surprising part is, she’s also Australian. Like much of the skiing and boarding that went down in the northern hemisphere in the early months of 2020, the Freeride World Tour ended rather unceremoniously. When the dust settled after the announcement that the final event in Verbier had to be cancelled in light of the soon to be Covid-19 pandemic, the standings at the time solidified into the finishing places, so Michaela took the no. 2 spot. Michaela was sitting pretty with consistent results all season and dare we say was set to peak at the final event. A fifth in Kicking horse was followed by a second-place finish in Hakuba, a second-place finish in Fieberbrunn Austria and most recently a first-place finish in Ordino Arcalís Andorra. In fact, this first place made history as Michaela was the first Australian to take the gold at a FWT event!! Out of all disciplines, snowboard, ski, men and women! A competition season like no other, was naturally followed by an off-season like no other and Michaela barely got on snow, despite living down under throughout winter. Instead, she shut up shop and was subjected to one of the harshest lockdowns in the world at the time in Melbourne, Victoria. Despite spending more time in our trail socks this year than our snow socks, we’re stoked to welcome Michaela to the team. We’d been watching her performance on tour like many Aussies and knew it was a partnership waiting to happen. Below, we pick her brains about another wild and unprecedented competition season and find out how she’s been staying ready for the steeps. Michaela probably eyeing off her next line. Pic cred: Oliver Godbold Michaela letting it run somewhere in Europe. Pic cred: Andrew Mazzocato LB: Hey Michaela! It’s been a hectic few months and we’ve done plenty of back and forths’ regarding getting you in the threads and especially whether it’s to be summer or winter threads on the menu! How have you been? Hey hey! I've been doing really good thanks! Now that lockdown has lifted, I'm just about to head off on another camping trip! Good to hear! Before we backtrack and ask how you spent the Aussie winter season, we have to ask what’s the latest regarding the Freeride World Tour this season? We’ve heard plenty of murmurings that it’ll run in some capacity? At this point in time, it is going ahead! With the Japan and Canada stops cancelled, it will just be a Euro tour this season. The FWT are working hard to make it happen. Of course, with things changing so frequently it's a tough one to plan for and no one will 100% know until we are hiking up ready to drop in for the first event! No kidding, so are you trying to get over to Europe for it? You’d have to be one of the only Aussies travelling for a snow season if so! That must be pretty surreal?! Yeah, it's all pretty crazy! I've only just booked my flights and am out of here this week to Switzerland!! I'll ride there until the first stop of the FWT on the 22nd Feb in Andorra. That is wild! We'll definitely be vicariously riding through you then this season! How ready are you physically to get back on the steeps? We’re guessing you haven’t had much time off when it comes to training right? I kept at it over lockdown, working out at the park and lots of bike riding! If anything, lockdown was great for my training, as there wasn't much else to do! haha And as far as on-snow prep goes, did you get any Aussie riding in at all this season? The terrible season we had made me feel a lot better about not getting up there! I did manage to squeeze in 2 days of hiking at Hotham in between lockdowns though! For an Aussie, Michaela sure is comfortable in the steeper and deeper stuff. Pic cred: Andrew Mazzocato Aside from training how else have you stayed busy this season? Our other Victorian legend Lucy Bartholomew dove into the deep end of a cookbook. Is cooking your jam or have you another hobby you’ve been able to hone? Sounds yumm! I didn't dive into the cook books but I did pick up a whole bunch of new hobbies. It started off super lazy when I first came back to Aus from Switzerland in quarantine. It involved A lot of Netflix and learning to play the Ukulele! After that I started volunteering at the local community centre with their fresh food program, I started and now just completed a diploma in film and television, got myself a slackline (which is super fun) and did a bunch of bike riding to explore the 5km radius we were allowed to go to as I just moved to a new state when I arrived back in Aus. I definitely made the best of the situation, all of that kept me pretty sane and busy! Glad to hear it! Thanks a bunch for taking the time to catch up with us and we can’t wait to see you competing, whenever that is! Cheers guys!!! Fingers crossed it's 2021! :) Here's to more turns like this in 2021. Pic cred: Andrew Mazzocato ABOUT MICHAELA Age: Old enough...to party! Hometown: Newcastle Home Resort: Perisher Nationality: Australian Sponsors: Le Bent, The North Face, NFPD Brand, Twelve Board Store, SunGod, SunButter Ambassador Favourite Le Bent gear: It's all good!! But absolutely loving the Women's Boy Shorts! A girls gotta have comfy undies! Follow Michaela here: Instagram
Read more
WHAT'S COOKING WITH LUCY BARTHOLOMEW? - Q&A
What does an ultrarunner do when only allowed outside for 1 hour of exercise per day? That’s barely enough time to get a light warm-up in, let alone delete a few dozen kilometres of trail! But Lucy Bartholomew put this not-so hypothetical to the test these last few months under a Victorian Covid lockdown. What did she discover? Well, when life gives Lucy lemons, she makes lemonade! …and a bunch of other tasty treats, all of which can be found in her brand-new cookbook! Wait what?! Lucy in the kitchen of the athlete house before the Western States 100mile run, 2019. Photo: Max Romey/Salomon Running Hey Luc! It’s been a wild few months since we last caught up for a chat. How have you been managing life in Victoria with all the restrictions due to Covid? Hello! Time seems to be going slowly yet also speedy this year! Lockdown life feels like déjà vu but it’s not all that bad with my dad and puppy as company, small projects to keep me entertained and training it feels like rise, run, rinse, refuel, repeat is my days and i have enjoyed the simplicity of that. Have you found that you’ve been able to adapt your routine considering the amount of time you normally spend on the trail? I have, and at first I tried to fight it and didn’t like being ‘stuck’ somewhere and told what I can and can’t do but once I embraced it, it has added a new flavour to training and another surge of motivation which is really cool. The change in pace seems to have paid off with you being able to focus energy on your awesome new cookbook. Congratulations on the release! Did the extra time at home help you add the title ‘author’ to your already impressive CV? Thank you! Yes! This cookbook has been 4-5 years in the making as I have always had a bank of recipes and been asked so many times to put them all together but with the less training and lots of time in one place and with a kitchen I made it my focus. I was very lucky to have it keeping me busy (and full!) There are too many delicious plates to pick from in here and it’s hard not to drool on my notepad as I write this question… I’m sure you find it just as hard to pick, but do you have any favourites or regular go-to recipes? I feel quite the same but for me the simple recipes of smoothie bowls and granola have always been in my life and made me smile. What I like most about the recipes in the book is that one recipe can turn into 3-4 others with leftovers. That was something I really wanted was to give life to recipes time and time again. Our crew is always inspired by the efforts you put into healthy living and eating. What would you say your motivations are to maintain a healthy diet? I know that I feel best when i eat well and for sure it affects my training and lifestyle I try to lead as an athlete. It doesn’t really feel like effort to me and I think when people see the recipes, they start to understand that it really can be quite simple! A cross-section of the healthy delicacies you can expect to find in Lucy's book. Did this help inspire you to share your delicious creations with the world? Certainly. I feel very lucky to have spare time in my day to slice my apples finely and fan them around the edge of my smoothie bowl but I wanted to share that that’s not the important thing and you can share the same meals simple, sustainably and also quite cheaply! We’re loving the new cookbook and it’s stepped up the game from our ‘dummies guide to cooking’. Where can one pick up the new book? At the moment is available as an ebook on my website HERE The plan is to try and have some hard copies for Christmas but there is no guarantees! As the life’s become more localised and events have been cancelled or postponed, have you any new goals you’re working towards? Any more new titles you’ll be adding to your resume? (Don’t feel you need to answer this if you don’t want to) This time has definitely opened my eyes to learning more and expanding more on the things that make me passionate. I want to work more on the environment and spreading understanding and awareness of this! I also have some fun projects that will capture my home land of Australia rather than just pinning to get on metal bird so quickly. Thanks a bunch for taking the time to catch up and share your journey over the past few months. Can’t wait to catch you out on the trails once the boarders open back up! Thanks team. It’s been quite the ride but I know that it’s just getting started and controlling the things you can control is what I chose to focus on- like what you eat! Lucy getting out of the kitchen for her allotted exercise. With meals and trails like hers you'll also be feeling excellent. Photo: Lucy Bartholomew Download Lucy's E-Book HERE Check out the collaborative designed Le Lucy sock HERE
Read more
BEHIND THE SCENES OF #LESENDDOWNUNDER WITH CODY TOWNSEND
This time last year we were getting ready to welcome Cody Townsend and Elyse Saugstad on the tarmac at Sydney Airport. Since we're a far cry away from that happening this year, we thought we'd look back on what ended up being one of the best weeks of snow Oz has seen in years. Particularly our day riding with the resident groms of Thredbo resort. Why rider's of such esteem as Cody Townsend (2019 Powder Poll male skier of the year) and Elyse Saugstad (2019 Powder Poll female skier of the year (second place)) would grace the Australian alps was a question on a lot of peoples minds. Well, we invited - or rather goaded - Cody and Elyse to come down under and sample some 'real skiing'. The 'best mountains in the world' we said, and they took the bait. Cody Townsend finding a home among the gum trees out the back of Thredbo Resort. While best mountains in the world may have been a stretch, they sure got the best powder of anywhere in the world during their week here. Photo: Matt Wiseman Cody dipping his toe into his signature Le Send sock, the catalyst for his trip down under. Photo: Jake McBride From skinning over sheet ice up to the top of Kozi on the first day of #lesenddownunder to 120cm falling in the next three days, the duo sampled all Australia had to offer, and then some, while putting the world's first backcountry sock - the Le Send - through its final round of product testing. "I figured it would be a bit like the East Coast, US." said Cody. "Small mountains, a little bit of snow here and there. But we don't see many photos of Australian skiing in the US , so I didn't really know. We showed up, and were like 'yeah, smaller mountains, not that much snow...' And then, when we got so much snow, I was blown away by how fun the mountain was. There's little terrain hits everywhere. We ended up skiing with the Thredbo Mountain Academy kids, and blasting off every little thing in sight. I was like, "this is honestly more fun than some of the places I've skied back East because of the terrain and playful features. It was a blast." Thredbo Mountain Academy meeting Cody and Elyse. Photo: Matt Wiseman Scoping out some hits. Safe to say froth levels were through the roof and one of the biggest culprits was Cody himself. Photo: Matt Wiseman Post pole whack, pre team send. Photo: Jake McBride Cody and Elyse gave a Q&A and talked about the perks and perils of pro skiing after the Mountain Academy kids showed them the ins and outs of Thredbo. A hot topic was avalanche safety in Oz and upskilling in the mountains. Photo: Matt Wiseman After shredding with the groms all day, Cody then sat down with longtime Thredbo local and editor of Chillfactor Magazine Reggae Elliss to talk all things skiing, socks and what he thought of the terrain down under. When asked by Reggae how he had come to join the Le Bent bandwagon, he said, "It was funny, I got an email out of the blue from Simon (Le Bent co-founder) and I've gotten tonnes of emails from small companies... It's hard for them to ask and it's hard for me because product doesn't pay my bills. But I liked something about what they were doing. So I said hey, I will join the team if you make this particular sock. "I've got this idea for the sock. I've had it in my head for a number of years and no one will make it." I had been telling people, telling other companies, please make this ski touring specific sock. So Le Bent did. I was in." Since then, Le Bent's been working on a second generation Le Send sock with Cody. Elyse has also officially joined the program and has a women's specific Le Send sock set to hit stores and the skin track later this year... so keep your eyes peeled. You can catch the full interview between Cody and Reggae below! To read it in print head to https://www.chillfactor.com Chillfactor Podcast · Cody Townsend Podcast
Read more
LE BENT WELCOMES DARCY KELLER TO THE FAMILY
Darcy’s our first snowboard addition to the Le Bent CA Team, and about as core as they come, so we sat down with Darcy from Donald to pick his brains and see what he has cooking.
Read more
