How many years have you been snowboarding?
17
What’s your first memory of being on a board?
The first time I made it all the way down the mountain without catching an edge and falling flat on my face, closely followed by riding over a massive fun box and feeling cool as fuck - both moments just so happened in the first weekend I ever went snowboarding, ever. I thought snowboarding was the coolest thing in the whole entire world and [probably due to my neurodivergent brain] for the next decade or so snowboarding didn’t just become a way of life it was my life.
Where did you learn to snowboard?
First time I tried snowboarding was at Mt Hutt in Christchurch down in the South Island of NZ but I lived in the North Island far away from mountains and snow. Luckily for me a small indoor place opened up not long after and although the couple of boxes and rails they had set up were sketchy as and always had bomb holes up to your waist, we didn't know any better and had the best time and came out relatively unscathed.
What was the first trick you ever learned?
boardslide because 50/50 was way too much commitment.
What was the first snowboarding video you ever saw?
Not sure but the first two I brought was That | Forum Snowboards (2006) and Child Support | Defective Films (2007) from a local snowboard shop. Didn't know anything about the industry or any pro riders, I simply choose them because the covers looked cool. Definitely wasn't disappointed.
Who had the biggest influence on your riding when you were starting out?
^ the crew in those vids as that was my only connection to the world of snowboarding at the time.
When was the last time you scared yourself snowboarding?
I have a healthy respect every time I strap in as even with a moments lapse in judgement resulting in an edge catch hurts like hell but the last time I was properly scared was the last time I hit the JWI 100fter up Cardrona a little while back. Ewk, I never loved hitting big jumps but I also can't deny the enticing way of how stepping into your six gear feels that often accompanies you when you do the things that scare you. That merging of action and awareness, where your focus is laser-sharp and time seems to melt away. That a state of deep immersion and effortless performance often described as being "in the zone" or feeling invincible. Not to mention the absolute euphoria that comes with the 'after', when everything goes to plan that is, otherwise you're just left in a world of pain questioning your life decisions.
What was the last trick you filmed?
Does a slash count as a trick? If so, I've been stacking.
You find the perfect down bar. How many stairs is it? What’s your go-to trick—and your dream trick?
Preferably not too many. Go-to: nose press + bk1 out if I'm lucky. Dream trick: switch back lip 270 out but never done it on anything bigger than a knee high rail so may just have to keep that one in the dreams.
It’s going to dump two feet overnight at your local resort. Who are you calling to ride with in the morning?
My fiancé, Si. He comes from a surfing back ground and hadn't done a lot of snowboarding before we met 7yrs ago. I feed off his excitement for snowboarding I guess the same way he feeds off my excitement for surfing. That contagious energy that comes with the thrill and intrigue of learning new things that lite you up.
Describe a perfect day on the board. It snowed 40cm (that's a LOT for NZ), you check the cam and it's white out but the forecast says its supposed to clear and so you take the gamble and head up banking on the later. Vis is still patchy once you arrive but after a couple of laps it clears completely and while everyone else wrote it off as not worth pulling a sicky for, you and your mates end up scoring untracked pow laps all day with no lift lines and have the best time ever hoot'n and holler'n. ...A special day that stands out in my mind from last winter, and one of the best NZ pow days I've ever had that I would happily relive over and over again. Don't get me wrong, I like nature and exercise but give me an uncrowded pow day at a resort you like where you can ride straight onto a chairlift once you reach the bottom over hiking your ass off - because I'm lazy like that. It is what it is, I like to call it efficient.
What’s your go-to L1 kit for street and park laps? What about for powder days?
Pow: AXIAL Park: VENTURA
Where can people find you on social media?
Instagram @christyprior