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COEN BENNIE-FAULL. HE'S "ALL WHITE"
COEN BENNIE-FAULL - INTERVIEW For years we've been witness to the super talented and creative moves thrown down by Aussie freeskier Coen Bennie-Faull. He's been chasing winters for nearly a decade and you'll find him going after big lines in the FWQ, taking out winning runs at BullerX, or hucking backflips at the prestigious showdown "Kings & Queens of Corbets". Last year he spent his time in powder-packed Wyoming and we're pumped to see the resulting edit, aptly dubbed: "ALL WHITE". Taking the high line in the Tetons. Pic @brookscurran But before we get into the clip, we had some news from Coen which made everything stop for a second as we heard of a nasty spill he'd had this January. We're pleased to say he's recovering and were glad to get a chance to have a chat with Coen, get an insight into how he is and hear about this new clip. LB: Hey Coen, we're really sorry to hear about your injury. What went down? A few weeks back skiing here in Revelstoke I had a fall (that resulted in me landing on some rocks). Unfortunately, I fractured my left scapula and some vertebrae in my neck. I got extremely lucky. Considering the fall, things should’ve been a lot worse. I was lucky to have 6 good friends skiing with me, 2 of which had EMT (emergency medical training) which made a huge difference in getting me out safely. I was long lined by helicopter to hospital where I spent the next week. I’ve since moved back home to Revelstoke and am making a pretty fast recovery considering. I’m in good spirits and this injury has only fuelled the fire for skiing more and I’m hoping to get back on snow for springtime. LB: How long do the experts say the recovery will take and what are you doing to fill the time? Bones should heal in 6-8 weeks however the biggest challenge is going to be in getting my strength back up to scratch. Following ankle surgery in October my muscle mass is fairly depleted and will take time to get back moving properly again. However, I’m pretty optimistic and have already been back in the gym with light sessions this past week so I’m moving forward already. With all this time on my hands I’ve been focussing mainly on rehab, however I’ve been working on some editing of past footage that I’ve been meaning to find time for, for a while. I’ve also been looking into potential opportunities to Australian kids training and competing in big mountain competitions overseas but it’s still early days with this project. LB: You’ve been chasing down winters for a good few years now, both as a professional and as a creative line seeker. How do you balance injury with a professional career? Well there’s not much you can really do about injury but take time to appreciate slowing down. I am finding time to work on the small things, habits and routines and plans for the future. Naturally, the main focus is to get the body back to fighting strength, building up slowly, so that when I get back on snow, I am fighting fit. However, like any profession there is also an admin side to skiing. Video editing, trip planning, project scoping and all the other fun things that keep the world revolving so injury is a good time to catch up on these kinds of tasks that get away from you when the skiing is so good. So, I guess the balance is a natural one, pushing your body to the limits is going to result in some backward steps from time to time, so it’s important to recognise that balance and embrace it. You can’t have the highs without the lows, it’s just not possible. LB: We cracked some popcorn and gave your recent edit “All White” a good watch. Damn there are some killer moves in there! Where did this all come together and where can we see more of this goodness? “All White” is a combination of shots from a few projects I’ve worked on in Jackson the past 2 winters. I was lucky enough to get to work with TGR on a small project that was instigated by Tony Harrington as a result of BullerX. I’ve been watching TGR films since I was a kid so to get the chance to work with them as a skier myself was a dream come true so to speak. You can see more of this project HERE. As well as this I got to work with my favourite film and photo combo from Australia, Hayden Griffith and Tim Clark on their passion project “The Moment” (a lot of the scenic shots come from here). On this project we travelled from Jackson, Wy to British Columbia in a sprinter van, courtesy of Van Craft, documenting the journey along the way. You can check out this and more of Hayden’s work or check out the lens magic of Tim. Finally, the drone footage comes from good friends Sawyer Thomas and Riis Weibrecht. Sawyer was the first person I got introduced to in Jackson Hole when I moved there 5 years ago and has introduced me to just about everyone I know in town, whether directly or indirectly. Going to school in Bozeman, I don’t get the opportunity to ski with these two enough but every time I do its always a fun adventure. This year I was lucky enough to ski with them both while they were working on their project “Colter”, and if you want to get inspired definitely check this one out, it will blow your mind what they put themselves through in the name of ‘fun’. You can find that HERE. All White from Taylor Bennie-Faull on Vimeo. LB: Do you have plans to get back into the mountains once you’re recovered and get the camera rolling again? Here’s hoping. I’m hoping to work with Tony Harrington in late February, early March on an assignment for Chillfactor magazine if I can get the body in order. Apart from this, I moved to Revelstoke to get up and test myself in some bigger alpine in springtime so my timeline to meet this goal isn’t thrown out to far. I don’t really have any solid plans as yet but who knows with a few weeks more of couch time. I’d definitely like to work on doing some more filming once I’m back skiing but it’s going to have to depend on how my meat’s feeling. LB: The last decade has seen a long list of people pushing the envelope in the backcountry, including your good self. What advice would you give to those who want to get out there and how they can equip themselves with the right skillset? The best advice I can give is for people to get themselves a beacon, shovel and probe and book themselves on an avalanche course, (they’re now operating in Australia as well). Your gear is useless unless you know, not only how to use it, but how to read the environment you’re in. Weather elements in the backcountry are constantly evolving; wind, sun, snow, temperature, terrain and even human traffic affect the dangers you put yourself in when you’re out in the backcountry. More important than all of this is to keep a humble and open mind, no one knows everything when it comes to the backcountry, and everything changes minute by minute so to think you know exactly what is going on is one of the biggest mistakes you can make and more often than not it is the human factor that brings groups un done and places them in harm’s way. Digging deep. Pic @timclark1 LB: It’s a very, VERY good thing that we can still sit down with you for a chat considering the recent accident. It’s a real shame to see you go thought this but ultimately, we’re just grateful you’re ok! How do you think this will this change your perspective on future endeavours? I can assure you that it won’t change my drive to push myself in the mountains, however, following this accident I am much more aware of the personal factors that influence my decision making and the consequences these factors can have. Sitting there with a broken neck out of reach of immediate help definitely puts things into perspective for you. It’s a position I hope to never place myself or my friends in ever again. Whilst the circumstances that affected this crash weren’t entirely in my control there were definitely elements that I could’ve been more understanding of, such as the time of day and condition of my body coming out of ankle surgery that could have adjusted my decision making. It’s very important to be aware of all the factors that can hinder performance and adjust decision making accordingly. One of the more prominent lessons I learnt from this accident, however, is the importance of obtaining the correct first aid knowledge and surrounding yourself with partners that have an understanding of how to deal with situations that go wrong. I am definitely more motivated to up-skill myself in this area so that I can be support for my friends if things go wrong in the future. I have a much larger appreciation for the importance of choosing the right time to push your comfort zone as well as equipping yourself with the gear, knowledge and correct backcountry partners to be more self-sufficient in the mountains. Living is learning and reflecting on experience is what helps you move forward. I just want to say a huge thank-you to everyone that helped extract me from this potential horror situation, from my friends who were with me at the time and the diligence of the Revelstoke Mountain Resort ski patrol who were extremely effective in getting me to safety efficiently. LB: Well Coen, we’ve taken enough of your time and we’ll let you get back to your recovery. We wish you a speedy recovery and hope you see you back out there in the mountains again soon. Glad to hear you're "all white" (yep, pun definitely intended).
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Ultra Trail Cape Town 2019 - Race Report By Ambassador Vlad Shatrov
By Vlad Shatrov And there it was, my 2019 of racing rounded out with finishing the Ultra Trail Capetown 100km Trail Run (UTCT). South Africa, whilst it can be a difficult place to visit, has many upsides. Driving from the Airport towards the city the crowded mini vans of dancing workers, the shanty townships built from corrugated iron and at the same time a resilience, beauty with many of the simple things in life providing a freedom lost back in Australia. I arrived on Thursday for Saturday’s race, not ideal! It’s a long flight from Australia and my door to door travel was over 30 hours. Staying in Camp Bay (10 minutes from the centre of Capetown) this is a really nice area under the 12 apostles. I spent the afternoon getting all my race nutrition and kit packed and then going to registration, so I could just relax and not have to run around at all on Friday. Yep, I hate to say it but 100km Trail runs are referred to as the “Sprints of Ultra’s” I guess it’s all relative. But to be competitive in 100k Trail races you do need speed still, and this year I maintained a decent level of speed work to complement my longer strength based running sessions. I’d have to say that I was as well prepared as I could be for this race with all my lead-up events going to plan and if not better. I guess that’s why a result like this for me can hurt, but even as the emotions are raw and my body aches UTCT 2019 offered me the chance to learn something different. As hard as it was throughout the day. So, Saturday the day started with a 1:55am alarm. I had a good night’s sleep considering I had only arrived on the Thursday. I’ve got very used to sleeping in new places with all that brings, this was a one-bedroom room attached to a house. I was in bed by 7:30, asleep by 9pm and woke only once during the night. Still when the alarm went off, I was not quite wanting to get up! Breakfast – Last minute gear check and out I slipped into the night, it was 3am, Uber on time and the 10-minute drive from Camps Bay around to Capetown then up towards the base of Table Mountain to race HQ at Gardens Rugby Field. A small Rugby Oval was the HQ for race start/finish/expo etc. Being a 100km with a tight 17-hour cut-off means the field is limited, so it wasn’t that busy and easy to drop bags, meet my crew and get ready to roll. Most people do the shorter distance options of this race simply because it is brutally tough with a stiff cut-off of 17 hours in comparison to other similar trail runs. 4am was here, head lights were on, purple flare and off we went. The Men’s field was impressively strong this year, I had the lucky number 11! The first 2km is on streets through Capetown, we literally ran on roads behind a pickup until we got led onto the trails, I was actually leading at this point, but pretty quickly I was where I planned to be just running amongst the top 10 or so runners. The first 10km is pretty uneventful although we are climbing gradually and across to the left the city of Capetown can be seen, into the first checkpoint – I was still feeling pretty good, maybe a mistake I made was wearing a light jacket, but not really familiar with the environment I knew we were heading up very soon and it could be very cold at the top. By 13km things just didn’t feel right! It was actually very humid, but I was also sweating a lot and I really don’t usually sweat that much in comparison to other runners. Unless something more sinister comes out in the next few days or weeks ahead, I’m going to say I had picked up a small bug on the flight over. I wanted to jam a tissue up the guy sitting in front of me between Singapore and Capetown, that’s about an 11.5-hour flight and he kept sniffing LOUDLY the entire way. Anyway, on Friday I had that scratchy throat and runny nose and now 13km into the race my energy levels just faded in almost an instant. Between this point at 13km and the first crew checkpoint at approximately 20km I was starting to do it tough. It just felt so hard to run, like I’d run out of all my energy. Runner after runner passed me and my head wasn’t in a great place. I met up with my crew for the first time at around 20km and reloaded, there wasn’t much said that I can remember as I was processing my options. I was only stopped here for a couple of minutes, and off I went. Straight out of this checkpoint is a climb of maybe 200 metres, the first taste of the energetic crowds clapping you on as you start the ascent, then it’s a traverse along the base of the mountain for a while before you really go up! Before I started this first climb though I had to stop, I called my Wife back home saying I wasn’t feeling great, the lead females were now also running past me. I needed a voice of reason, someone removed from the hype of the event I could speak too about how I was feeling! Throughout this race I was having 3 conversations, when I could handle it (for long periods I simply put my phone into flight mode and focussed on only one thing – moving forward), the conversations were with myself, my CREW including Benn and my Wife who was tracking along back in Australia. After a few minutes I went on, first up the small steep section before the traverse and then the real climb, this one taking you to the top of Table Mountain , by now I was being passed regularly by runners passing me from behind, I was literally crawling on all fours in sections and 2-3 times on this ascent I stopped and sat down, feeling faint and light headed. At this point, I had made up in my own mind that I was going to just get through to the next checkpoint and have to stop, I felt so unwell that I did not possibly think I could make it. So now the real battle began! Body and mind were saying stop, but heart keeping me in, just. This actual climb is mainly stairs of stone. They are wide and often big steps. When it happened and I got to look back behind me, the view was incredible. For the runners back in Australia having done UTA, this climb would have had to be like doing the Furber stairs 5 times continuously and whilst I was not enjoying how I felt, it was impossible to not be carried away with the beauty of the course and the sounds of the race, the runners and the spectator support. Bag pipes rang out over the valley as we continued on and up, it was a magical place. At the top of this climb and on the top of table Mountain I was engulfed by the clouds, it was eerie, uncomfortable and almost claustrophobic at this point, I was in this section for too long, just because I wasn’t moving quickly at all, and it was really getting to me. There was no reception here, just me and the trails. When you climb up – This is looking back over your shoulder. So the next checkpoint was food only, as in no crew and being on Table Mountain it was isolated, so that decision was made for me I'd have to keep going, if I pulled out here I could be waiting a long time for a lift back to the race precinct. The next 8km or so went pretty quickly and I soon arrived at the next checkpoint. At the time it didn’t help at all, I was telling myself, fuck how bad do I need to feel before I give myself the “Its ok to pull out card”? I was sitting at this next checkpoint and I was wondering can I, should I continue? I sat down trying to process the situation realistically. I was alone, the sights and sounds of other runners coming in and going on, a constant reminder I was in a race and time was ticking. Not thinking clearly, I had also expected to see my crew at this point, but we had agreed earlier that they wouldn’t come here, rather go to the next checkpoint (as its possible due to traffic that you could possibly not make it to the next stop in time after being at this one). So again I just had to keep going. It was a swinging battle, I’d come good in places, and literally start overtaking runners with ease, before just as quickly feeling flat and unwell, my mind was ticking away constantly. I recalled on that first major climb up, as I was struggling, three runners within earshot talking about how the “Elites pull out” I guess they are right it happens a lot. And right now, this section heading towards the coastal town of Llandudno I found myself in conversation with one of the runners. The talk was of mutual respect for how it was a battle today, he wasn’t doing it easy, but he was a local and this was the second year he had taken it on. We discussed our challenges at that point, offering support. Somehow it came out that I was one of the expected top finishers, he told me how his respect for me instantly grew. “You are here doing it, it’s a beautiful course – just enjoy it today” and a beautiful course it was, magically brutal. So, I was almost at halfway and it was now really warm and humid, watch glances in sections showed it was well over thirty degrees. This was one of those I’m feeling ok sections, running into the Aid station just positive and with no thought that I wasn’t going to run on and finish. But this next section is referred to as the make or break part of this race – but yeah I'd already suffered and completed the biggest hill, it couldn’t be that hard. But for me today this was the death zone! Pretty quickly off the beach and rocks out of Llandudno you take a steep climb and are shortly at a water only checkpoint, where I grabbed some Coke luckily that was being poured sparingly from 2L bottles, it was warm but still tasted so good, from here is then the most treacherous section of the course, I was climbing pretty well though initially and catching runners ahead constantly. But in this section as we were now getting exposed to the rising temperature, I suffered the most. There were extremely steep sections where you were climbing large step and sections of rock face, often behind you a drop off and a fault here would lead to a fall with potentially fatal consequences. That severe cramping that was plaguing me today really was accelerated and intensified from this section onwards. I knew I couldn’t afford to cramp when scaling a section that I needed to get up, so Id brace, climb quickly as I felt the cramps taking hold, and then drop and recover usually on the ground, section by section. I was going faint again here at times but continued to the top finally and there I sat and waited in the shade legs elevated for maybe 10 minutes recovering enough to continue. Time was lost here and on a totally runnable section the next 6km into HOUT BAY, all I could do was walk, it was a downhill trail and I couldn’t run at that point, I just physically was too unwell and crippled by cramps. But on I went convinced that I’d need to take a lot of time at Hout Bay and likely just have to stop. The only photo I took that day out on course is here. I just had to share this with others I though, this is amazing. But as it turned out, my crew was having none of it. I didn’t get a chance to tell them anything about how I was feeling really, I cannot remember either though lol. As I walked in they grabbed me, ice towel was on, I was reloading, they were explaining the next section. See, I think they had become so motivated and excited themselves that, against the odds I had kept going, and had got through the toughest part and was still in front of the cut-off. 10 minutes was all they would afford me, shoe change, clothes change, fuel and refuel (now on the bliss salted potatoes) some motivation, high fives and shouts and I was off – Running! I was going strong again now, the next section contained another climb, but these climbs were not that bad, the next 75 minutes or so I ran the entire leg and regained time on the gap to the cut-off. This was further motivation for my crew now pretty pumped as I left the next aid station with a real determination that I could now finish. I was giving myself every chance too. The issue really was however the cramps, mostly all hill sections had to be walked so I wouldn’t totally burn out. The rocky terrain and tree roots, stairs and more on the single-track sections were causing me grief, any extension of legs beyond a certain range was keeping cramps right there and then occasionally bang, it would come, and I’d have to simply fall or drop. A fall or drop cramp happened to me on no less than 10 occasions in the last 35km. I would have to quickly lay out straight on my back and grab the muscle belly of my hamstring and with every single piece of strength, drive my fingers into the muscle to release the cramp – from here it was still at least another 3-4 minutes before I was able to stand and resume, time was ticking. A lasting memory, me on my back holding my leg with all my strength as a fellow runner placed a salt tablet onto my tongue I had stuck out for him, all he said was here buddy do you want this, before he moved on suffering himself. The last sections whilst tough at times – especially the really short steep hill as you head out of the last checkpoint (University of Capetown), were enjoyable. As the sunset and the head-torches came out, the views across to your right of below were ever changeable. If you asked me what kept me going today, why did you do it. I would have to say this. Today was about learning, it wasn’t about my result, it wasn’t about me being an Athlete. It wasn’t about me being selfish, but it was about a respect for the running community, the effort of so many that goes into these events, the respect for my fellow runners this day and especially those that were doing it tough out there. Sure, it was tough and for almost the entire way, I had this fear that I could possibly not make the cut-offs. I had never been in that situation. Changing the mindset from “I’m here to race and win, to I’m just going to my best today” was an excruciating reasoning between body and mind somewhere made between the 30-50km mark – I cannot remember exactly where, but I do remember the freedom afterwards of having decided to get it done. The hours of preparation, the sacrifices by me and many others the hard work, the real people within the brands that sponsor me all deserved that I simply not be a brat and show them some respect. When I did cross the line, there was no fancy fist pump this night, it was just done, something I had to do for me and you. In the days the followed, I’ve been cool with it, totally. I have taken more from this race than any race before it, it’s made me richer. Get this as an example, I was I guess slightly embarrassed to speak with Nicholas from Salomon/Suunto. This was an a race and yes whilst there is an expectation of performance, that’s not the only thing that’s important to them. “Vlad it's also about the community – there is even more respect for you now, and we know you will have your good races ahead – This is a good thing for all the runners” Immediately post race... I have to say thank-you to my amazing Wife Chez firstly, together with Benn and my crew Dalene, Jam Ham, Willemien, Rentia, Jeanette (sorry if I missed you), you all helped me to overcome demons today. Thank you to the race organizers, Elite Manager Matt Lennon and my major sponsors Salomon/Suunto Tailwind Nutrition South Africa, Lebent, Dusty, Pace Athletic, Air Relax Australia, Aviano, Achieve Podiatry and all my other sponsors, friends, runners Jeanette and Terry and family and spectators. Honestly Thank – You. And for many reasons whilst for worst race it was my best and I’ll be coming again at the right time to run your Mountains again. To follow Vlad's training and races checkout his STRAVA – A direct link to this particular run can be found here: https://www.strava.com/activities/2908977968 You can also follow Vlad's trail endeavours on Facebook and Instagram.
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BOOM! WELCOME TO THE LINE UP SAMMY CARLSON
SAMMY CARLSON – WELCOME INTERVIEW Boom! Sammy Carlson or Sammy C to many has been doing crazy things on two planks for a while now. Wikipedia even has him listed as the “the first skier to execute a switch triple rodeo 1260 in July 2010 at Mt Hood.” Getting a Wikipedia page as a skier isn’t easy folks. But neither is anything Sammy C does for that matter. Now 30 years of age, the 8-time 'X Games' medallist has taken his cat like freestyle abilities into the BC for the last few years and is unquestionably one of the best riders building booters out there today. We flicked Sammy a few socks last season and couldn’t be more pumped to officially announce his addition to the team. We had a brief chat with Sammy to welcome him aboard and see what the future holds. LB: Hey Sammy, thanks for chatting with us, how’ve you been man? Hey guys, things have been good. Getting ready for another winter up here in BC, after an awesome summer. I have been spending lots of time training this fall, getting the body strong and ready to go for the season. Skiing again now, it feels good to be back on the skis! You just released your latest project OVER TIME. How was that received? We gave it a little nudge on the socials but had to keep quiet you were a new team rider, so we’re stoked to finally celebrate that epic film! Thank you, we are stoked to receive such a positive response, we put a lot of effort into the film. It was really good working with CK9 studios, the boys put so much work into it, Clay Mitchell and Simon Shave did a great job, it was our first time working together. We wanted to create something special and powerful, and inspire people in all walks of life, to live to the fullest. We really appreciate everyone’s positive response. We’re already deep in planning a new video for this upcoming season, we’re excited to get back out there and back it up. As always there were some crazy screengrabs to take from that video. What fuels your fire in skiing these days? Is it getting shots like this? For sure, I love getting those shots when we’re out filming. I love when it all lines up. Those dreamy lines and perfect airs keep me inspired. Skiing pow gets me fired up. My focus is to try and ride as much as possible and keep pushing myself. It just keeps getting better, the more confident I am on my skis, the more fun I’m having. After an epic day of filming I always find myself thinking “how can I shred more lines, or get more laps?” That’s the most challenging part. Park skiing is so fun because you can just do laps all day and session the jumps or whatever. When we’re filming or out skiing in the backcountry a majority of the day is spent either sledding or touring, to get on top of the line, or hopefully lines. That’s what I’m always trying to figure out is how to ride more pow. The last few seasons I have been really psyched to spend less time building jumps and focus more on riding lines and hitting more natural features. Surfing has been a major inspiration the last few summers and definitely influencing my skiing. I’m looking for fun lines and hits that line up and make sense. I’m not trying to get overexposed out there, I like lines that flow and make sense, so you can ride with confidence and play with it. In his element.. seeking out natural terrain. Pic cred: @bacha.photo You’ve always been involved with some big names like production company TGR and sponsors like Quiksilver who you signed with last season. How’d you hear about Le Bent and what was it about a little apparel brand from Australia you liked so much? I hadn’t heard of Le Bent until I met one of the owners at a Cat skiing lodge last season. It was completely random, we met at the top of a run called Cloud 9. The sunset was going off that night, we were filming for OVERTIME in the middle of a sick session. Stoke levels were high. We were getting ready for another lap, then one of the guest Cats rolled up and Simon (Le Bent Co-founder), had a Quiksilver jacket on so naturally I said what’s up! We talked briefly before the run, then that night at the lodge over a beer, he convinced me he makes the best socks in the industry and I was fired up to get a pair of the new Cody Townsend socks to try for myself. As soon as I tried them, I knew the guys at Le Bent weren’t messing around. Socks are often over looked, when your spending long days in the mountains, having good socks can make or ruin your day when you’re out. What Le Bent products have you particularly enjoyed? I really like Cody’s Sock, they’re next level! So much thought went into those socks. As soon as you put them on your feet, you feel it. They have all the padding in the right spots, they grip your feet like a glove. Those socks kept my feet feeling good all day! Obviously, you’re spending most of your time in the backcountry these days, perhaps not quite to the extent that fellow team member Cody Townsend is, but are you also touring a lot too or is it more sled and heli accessed skiing? Definitely. I’m not on the same mission Cody is on, I’m spending lots of time touring though. Pretty much everyday, even if we’re using the sleds, often we have to park the sleds near the zone and tour for the final approach. I ride a tech set up nearly 100% of the time so I have the option to tour if I need. I also like the lightweight feel and really enjoy walking around in the mountains, especially if we’re filming. Being on slope and walking up next to the line gives you different or extra vantage points, which can really help you dissect and understand the line and it means more once you’re up top. You get less shots so I really want to make every run count! 'Blisssss'. Pic cred: @bacha.photo In that case, do you like a little more padding in a sock or what do you tend to look for? I like a medium thick sock with padding in the right spots. If it’s too thick and bulky I often find like I’m swimming in the sock by midday. I like a medium fit with a little extra padding on the toes and around the ankle bones. We had Cody down here in Aus testing his pro model sock, is that something we could talk you into doing... We know you’ve been surfing a lot in the off-season, ever surfed or skied in Oz? 100% I have never been to Australia. I’m pretty sus on all the sharks that way, but the wildlife and waves look incredible! I’m ready to come down this next summer and check it out, let’s go! Ok, so talking Oz is one thing, but if we were to find you in your happy place, that epic spot that feeds the mind-shredding, where would we need to go? Find me on top of some Dinosaur Back Spine lines… those long dreamy, rippable, surfy spine lines! So what’s next on the agenda for the season ahead? Will we find you on some more spine lines? I hope so, I’m planning to go back up to Alaska this spring and Maybe a Japanuary. I will be working on a new film with CK9 studios most the winter and see where the snows at. I’m feeling healthy and ready to go. I’m hoping we have a good snow year and a Sunny stable spring up here in BC! Some upside-down action over Mt Hood, OR. Pic cred: @bacha.photo Well Sammy, we appreciate you taking the time to chat and sure are stoked to have you joining le team. Bring on the good times ahead. Yew! Thank you. Likewise! I’m Stoked to be part of the team and looking forward to all the good times! YEEOW! ABOUT SAMMY CARLSON Age: 30 Hometown: Revelstoke, BC Home Resort: Nationality: USA Sponsors: Quiksilver, Monster Energy Drink, Armada Skis, Oakley, Dakine, FullTilt Favourite Le Bent gear: Cody T.'s Sock - LE SEND Follow Sammy here: https://www.instagram.com/sammycarlson1/
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SAFE AS Avalanche Clinics Championed by One of Le Bent’s Best – Elyse Saugstad
Avalanche safety championed by one of our best
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LE BENT WELCOMES ELYSE SAUGSTAD TO THE FAMILY
ELYSE SAUGSTAD – WELCOME INTERVIEW It was obvious to us Elyse Saugstad belonged on Le Bent's team. Not because her husband Cody Townsend’s a bona fide le family member, but because of the way she skis… she bloody rips! And that’s putting it lightly. A third-generation Alaskan, it’s unsurprising most of Elyse’s award-winning ski segments feature a spine line that’ll blow your mind. Freeskier Magazine’s “2018 Female Skier of the Year” came down under this season with Cody to sample some of our antipodean offerings and while we didn’t ski much in the way of spines, we skied plenty of pow and struggled to keep up with Elyse and dozens of Thredbo groms as they darted amongst the snow gums. We also had the pleasure of getting Elyse in some more of our gear, knowing she’d been in Cody’s Le Send sock since its inception. We thought we’d officially invite her to join the team. We caught up with Elyse to discuss her skiing, her time in Australia and to welcome her as the newest member of the Le Bent family. LB: Hey Elyse, thanks for taking the time and welcome (officially) to the team! Thanks, I’m thrilled I’m joining forces with Le Bent! So, how’ve you been since visiting us down under? Still tucking into the vegemite and VB’s? Ha, vegemite is just too much for my taste buds. I gave it another shot on this last trip to Aus and quickly reminded myself that I am not a fan. In all seriousness though, what did you think of Aus? You’d been before but how did you find the skiing down under? Australia is an F-ing amazing country and visiting again rekindled the love I had previously developed for it. Cody Townsend and I totally scored with the storm of the winter, which made for a fabulous experience. The mountains may not be as big and steep as they are in Alaska, but the terrain is playful and ultimately really fun. There are so many ways to be entertained on skis that it was impossible not to have a good time! Of course, you visited with Cody to help put the finishing touches on his Le Send sock. What did you think when Cody first started to work on that? I thought it was a great idea. As an athlete sometimes the brands we work with are so large that they are not interested in our feedback and ideas, and for us athletes that can be a bit of a bummer as we put so much time into what we do and really know what works and doesn’t in regards to our gear. So when Cody was approached by Le Bent and they gave him carte blanche to design the best backcountry sock possible it became the perfect pairing, so to speak, between the two. I got to test the socks all last winter, and as good as they are I found they could use a few tweaks specific for the ladies. Whereas Cody lives on the skin track these days, you’re the one jumping out of helis and putting together the adrenaline pumping, show stopping segments. Congrats on taking out IF3’s “Best Female Freeride Performance” for your part in Winterland! We went to the premiere in Sydney and your part was definitely a crowd favourite. How does that segment compare to some of your others like All Us? Thanks for the props! My segment for Winterland was essentially building upon what I’ve accomplished previously in my career. Not in the sense of the actual skiing as my segment in Winterland is not above and beyond my past few years of ski segments with TGR and MSP, but I’ve finally got a bit of traction going from my filming over the last few years and received the offer to join TGR on their highly coveted, marquee, big-budget Alaska trip. I was viewed as someone that could perform in big terrain and be worthy to film. There’s so much money, production and logistics going into a trip like that you understandably have to prove beforehand that you deserve to be there. Getting this opportunity was something I’ve worked towards my entire career so it was quite special. It’s not always serious shredding with you and Cody though is it? For example, ‘It’s called backcountry skiing’ and the recent Mica Heliskiing vid… How important is not taking yourself too seriously and having a bit of fun with the video parts too? Yes, even though the skiing portion of those edits were still full on, intense days filled with pressure to get the shots (it’s work!) Cody and I feel that we ski because it’s fun, and in the grand scheme of things it shouldn’t be taken too seriously. We are really lucky to call skiing our jobs. Plus, audiences don’t need to be reminded of work as skiing is an escape for them. It’s all about perception - so why bother getting your panties in a wad when you can choose to just enjoy the moment. When you visited, we skied with a bunch of groms from the Thredbo Mountain Academy and we know a lot of the girls loved getting a chance to ski with you and ask questions. What words of wisdom do you normally tell young girls and boys about being a professional skier? There’s lots I’ve learned over the years of being a professional skier so really it’s almost too broad of a question. That being said, I think that the underlying need to becoming a professional skier is having a ridiculous amount of passion for the sport. If you have the passion it will carry you through the lows you’ll surely experience as well as it will inspire you to continually work hard during the highs so you don’t become stagnant. Speaking of words of wisdom, what would you like to see from us at Le Bent? Complete and utter domination of the outdoor world’s sock industry! Other than the Le Send sock what other gear of ours would we find you in? The neck gaiters are all time. They’re soft, breathable and warm. My face is the most sensitive spot on my body so the products that I use for it need to be the best quality possible. While you obviously managed some riding in the Southern Hemisphere with us, your northern hemi season is about to kick off. Can you tell us much about your plans for this season? Chase powder and scare myself a little. Film trips usually don’t emerge until the snow starts flying and locations start taking shape, but there has been talk of filming in BC. I imagine it’ll be in the cards as the terrain and snowfall are consistently some of the best in the world. Awesome, best of luck with those projects and we’re looking forward to seeing you in Le Bent. Yewwww. Thanks! Stoked to be a new addition to the family. ABOUT ELYSE SAUGSTAD Age: Young enough to send’er and old enough to know I need to be discretionary about it Hometown: Tahoe City, California, USA Home Resort: Alyeska Resort, Alaska, USA Nationality: USA Sponsors: Blizzard/Tecnica, Orage, Scott, Alyeska Resort, Hestra, Arcade, Ortovox Favourite Le Bent gear: Le Send Backcountry Sock Follow Elyse here: Instagram
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"BEST START TO THE SEASON I’VE EVER SEEN"
1st of June, 2019 is looking more like the 1st of August! Photo essay within... If you follow skiing and snowboarding in Australia you’ve probably come across @australian_backcountry. Not necessarily experienced it for yourself – the backcountry that is – but seen its embodiment through the images produced by the man behind the social handle – Jake Sims. Jake comes on board this season as a Le Bent ambassador and the only thing more exciting is the fact this season is shaping up to be one for the books. Indeed the official snow depth measured by the folks from the Snowy Hydro Scheme up at Spencers Creek on Tuesday, June 4th measured 71.3cm... the most snow this early in the season since 73.8cm on June 1st, 2000. But we don’t need to take The Snowy Hydro’s word for it! A bona fide expert on BC conditions as his Instagram handle suggests, according to Jake, it’s the “best start to the season I’ve ever seen.” THE WESTERN FACES AND A FRESH WINTER COAT. Just a few days ago, on the first day of June 2019 – Jake and a crew of keen backcountry sliders headed out to the western faces of Kosciuszko National Park. They gave the crowds at Perisher and Mt Buller a miss – despite the resorts opening to the public a week before usual. There was a different kind of skiing now open to the public, but it required more work than purchasing a lift ticket and offered a whole heap more vertical relief. Alongside Jake was his friends Erryn Reeder (blue jacket) and Trent Shaddock (black jacket). The trio started their tour at 4am and returned to their homes in Canberra at 9:30pm. NOT YOUR TYPICAL APPROACH TO BURLY BACKCOUNTRY LINES. In total, they covered over 40km's, with about 32km's of that on splitboards. We asked Jake how much vert he thought they’d covered? He laughed. “Not sure on vert, don’t want to think about it haha.” “We rode from Perisher, so 8km up and 8km back. Followed the snow plough the whole way up. The road was closed so had to take bikes. There were contractors stuck at Charlotte Pass so they were clearing the road to get them out.” ERRYN REEDER PASSING THROUGH A SNOWED-IN SPENCER’S ON HIS WAY TO THE TOP OF AUSTRALIA. “The ride was pretty sketchy, fun times trying to navigate black ice with a head torch in pitch black at 630pm.” Jake and the crew got some of the first turns of the season back in May but says the difference in cover was “night and day”. “May was more just the novelty of getting out there after the first fall, lots of rocks, lots of ice and we had to keep that in mind when riding. The latest tour was almost like mid-winter, the cover was great, snow was great and you could ride hard for some fun turns.” Kosciusko received upwards of 90cm of snowfall in a little over a week and it shows. “Usually [you expect] cover like this after the second or third snowfall, maybe late June early July depending on the year." Said Jake. "Conditions were great, some of the best snow I’ve ridden in our backcountry. The snow in the "elevator" chute at Club Lake was the best I’ve ever ridden there, lots of stoke after that run.” The crew also had the pick of the litter out there in terms of busyness. A far cry from the 2000+ people that converged on Mt Buller for the resort’s early opening. “There were a few people out there getting amongst it but they were coming from Guthega. So glad we didn't have to do the bracken bash from Guth, it's horrendous this time of year. When we arrived at Carruthers we had the whole area to ourselves.” Said Jake. IF YOU LOOK CLOSELY YOU CAN MAKE OUT THE FIRST TRACKS OF 2019 DOWN THE FAMED ‘SENTINEL’ ... BUT THEY’RE NOT JAKES! When asked who the culprit was? Jake said the man responsible was, “a solo warrior called John.” “What a line it was, he smashed it! When we came over the rise and we saw it we were like, ‘whoever dropped that had the run of the day!’” Follow Jake Sims on Instagram for more photos like these and mountain wisdom like the line he left us with at the end of our interview… “Any day in the backcountry is better than a day at work.” Photos: Jake Sims Words: Matt Wiseman
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LE BENT WELCOMES LAURA ADAMS TO THE FAMILY
One of "the world's most sought after (ski) guides" joins le family! Le Bent’s ever-expanding team of athletes and ambassadors are certainly no strangers to adventure. Professional skiers, snowboarders and ultra runners rely on our gear in some of the harshest environments around. But few, if any, adventure like our latest recruit. Laura Adams is perhaps the most badass adventurer we’ve had the pleasure of bringing on board and we couldn’t have been more excited when, after tossing a few pairs of socks her way last season, she told us: “I’m finding it hard to put any other socks on since I’ve worn yours!” Safe to say Laura won’t be in any other socks now she’s officially a part of le family, but where she takes those socks is anyone’s guess. Laura has spent her life guiding and adventuring in the most remote corners of the globe. These include climbing, skiing, paddling and ocean expeditions throughout North America, Asia, Europe, New Zealand, Greenland, and the Canadian Arctic. Laura was the fifth woman in Canada to become a fully certified ACMG Ski Guide, was New Zealand’s national women’s kite-surfing champion, and even has a master’s degree in Leadership. We first met Laura when she guided Le Bent co-founder Simon Blondel during a week with Mustang Powder cat skiing in British Columbia. Laura 'working' with Mustang Powder... We caught up with Laura amongst the mountains of western Canada to ask a few questions on a storied career that sees her named one of the ‘worlds most adventurous women of 2019’. LB: Laura, thanks for speaking with us, and welcome to the team! Thanks! I’m stoked to be part of le family - the ethos and people involved in Le Bent really resonates with me. So it’s now summer in the northern hemisphere, but you just got back from the mountains… where have you been? I’ve just returned from leading a ski-touring expedition into the remote fiords of central Baffin Island, Nunavut Canada. Baffin Island has the highest concentration of big walls in the world surrounded by spectacular ski terrain, a unique polar ecosystem and fascinating Inuit culture. Epic! You’ve done so many amazing things to date in the adventure world, is there one thing in particular you’re most proud of? Looking back today it is not the trips or objectives that I have accomplished that make me most proud. It is the contributions I have made to enhance peoples lives, to support science, and to inspire others to develop deeper connections with themselves and the natural world. When did you realise you wanted a career in adventure? At an early age I recognized my greatest passion was exploring wild places. My father was an accomplished mountaineer and my first memories were waking up in a tent at a climbing camp high up in the mountains of British Columbia, Canada. Our parents would swap days doing first ascents with taking care of the kids and introducing us to climbing, paddling and bush craft. I was curious by nature and just couldn’t get enough of it! So I started the mountain guiding program as soon as I was old enough and then became a certified teacher so I could share my love of the outdoors with others. You seem to have a finger in lots of adventure pies – guiding, avalanche forecasting, education and even painting! Was ski guiding always the dream and these other aspects just naturally evolved? I am an explorer at heart and I love sharing these experiences with others through teaching, guiding and speaking. In my 20’s I did an equal amount of rock and alpine guiding over the seasons, however that shifted naturally over time as I started working in both hemispheres and following the snow. After my Masters research in high-risk decision making, I lived in New Zealand for 10 years ski guiding in the beautiful Southern Alps and forecasting for the public avalanche program. Over the years I’ve experienced more ski seasons than birthdays ;-). More recently I am spending an increasing amount of time in the Arctic where my skis propel me only part of the time. On one day I may be driving a zodiac trolling for marine plastics, and on another carrying a shotgun and guarding guests from polar bears. Can you tell us a little bit about how you tie snow science in with social science and decision making in the mountains? The outdoors are full of uncertainty and are places of constant change; for example the terrain, the snowpack and the weather conditions that influence it. However many of the incidents that occur happen because of human factors. I observed this in both recreationists and professionals early in my career, and that inspired me to pursue my Masters to better understand why, and to use this understanding to develop better decision support tools. Understanding the things that influence our judgement and the processes we use to make decisions in the outdoors enables us to be better decision makers. Recognizing when we are being influenced by human factors such as uncertainty, fatigue, personal issues, or group ‘think’ provides a powerful tool to choose better actions, or adjust an existing plan accordingly. Being mindful and present is a big part of the picture. Men’s Journal has called you “one of the most sought-after guides in the world”, what companies have you guided for and where are some of the places they’ve taken you? I started my guiding career with Canadian Mountain Holidays where I was fortunate to learn ‘the ropes’ within a big team of experienced guides from all around the world. I guided at many of the ski-touring lodges in BC, and then spent a decade working with Alpine Guides in New Zealand. Since returning to Canada I do some guiding for Mustang Powder and work on environmental voyages for Adventure Canada in the Arctic. However, I have always led my own private expeditions, and this forms the bulk of my guiding work these days – with a focus on remote, culturally interesting parts of the globe. I do take on interesting exploratory projects for other companies, and last year I lead the first Arctic heliskiing for Weber Arctic in central Baffin Island. Laura leading groups in the Arctic. Has there been one trip or place in particular that has had a bigger impact on you than anywhere else? I’ve really fascinated with remote mountain cultures and the peoples that have lived for centuries in these wild places. In January I explored the ancient Tuvan mountain culture of northern China where skiing originated over 10,000 years ago. And over the past few years I’ve been involved in seven expeditions to the Arctic to guide, explore and support science. The Inuit people have lived there for over 4.5 thousand years in some of the most diverse and pristine ecosystems on our planet. I have seen the impacts of climate change both to the environment and to the peoples, and worked alongside scientists who are studying its implications. These experiences have fuelled my concern about climate change, as these are not only local issues – these are critical global problems with alarming consequences. I’ve painted an Arctic series that is currently on exhibit, and have been speaking and sharing images of the rapidly changing Arctic environment with the hopes of inspiring people to make changes in their lives and for governments to develop policy and tangible actions to respond. Laura and her guided group touring the Altai Mountains of China in early 2019 - one of the first ski expeditions there. Now you don’t have any social media presence, is that a conscious decision? Because your life is pretty ‘instagrammable!’ I am often on lengthy expeditions in remote regions far from internet and Wi-Fi. I reach my followers through my guests, my speaking and writing, and my art. I share my experiences and perspectives through meaningful interactions and conversations with people – it is the ethos that underpins how I work and approach life. What have you learned about ski or hike socks in all your years wearing them? Comfortable feet are the most important thing for us self-propelled adventurers! What is next to our skin is fundamental to both comfort and skin health; particularly when you are doing back-to-back days and lengthy expeditions. I had a colleague develop trench foot (really!) during a ski-traverse in the Bugaboos – now that is something you never want to get! What is it about Le Bent you find most appealing? Le Bent is far more than just exceptionally high-performing socks. The bamboo/merino blend base layers are the most comfortable garments I’ve worn – and super stylish too! I’m looking forward to watching the women’s line grow and evolve into the future! Laura took our Le Snow Sock mountain biking in Waterton National Park, Alberta, Canada last week and told us "Le Snow Sock is now my favourite mountain biking sock in the summer months." Where’s the next adventure? I’m home in Nelson, BC for a few weeks now before I head to the West Coast of Greenland, Devon Island and the Canadian Arctic. ABOUT LAURA ADAMS Age: Timeless ; -) Hometown: Nelson BC Canada Home Resort: Whitewater Nationality: Canadian Sponsors: Le Bent, G3, Arc’Teryx Favourite Le Bent gear: Le Snow Sock – also my favourite for mountain biking; and Le Base layers. Extended Bio: Laura’s love of exploration and learning has taken her all over the world; from solo climbing in the Himalayas in her early 20’s to ski guiding amongst the big walls of Canada’s remote Baffin Island. She has kite-surfed New Zealand’s rugged coastlines, explored the Arctic archipelago by ski and water, and ski -toured amongst the ancient Tuvan mountain peoples of far northern China. Laura is a passionate advocate of the natural world and for the peoples that live within these wild places. Alongside her guiding career, Laura has held senior leadership roles in the international outdoor community: as chief executive representing New Zealand’s outdoor recreation and adventure tourism sector; editor of a national outdoor magazine, adviser to government, and lead for a wide-range of innovation and transformation projects. Her Masters research into human factors and decision-making in mountain environments shed new light into the design of decision support tools, and was recognized by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada. Laura was recently chosen as one of the world’s most adventurous women in the Men’s Journal article ‘The New Adventure Icons’ (January 2019); and by Explore as a women they admire for International Women’s Day in March 2019. She sits on the advisory board for Canada’s Centre for Tourism Policy and Research, is a published author, professional speaker and workshop facilitator, landscape oil painter, and a member of the Association of Canadian Mountain Guides. Laura lives in Nelson, British Columbia Canada.
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