Hey my pal! What's up today? (I
ask this question because I know what motivates
Douds today is to pass his exams to become
a guide, rather than to land 720's...)
I went to shool, I did crevasse rescue.
How's school going!?
I'm currently trying to pass my training in
Aspirant guide, mountain skiing, cascades,
and leading groups.
How far is your training gone, and
what have you got left before you are qualified?
I was training this summer and last winter.
You have to be a trainee guide for two and
a half years. In three years, I'll be a guide,
if all goes to plan.
Douds under stress! It seems your
career is coming along smoothly then, but
your professional snowboard career is far
from over, in fact you're still young, how
old are you in fact?
I'm 22. I was born on 10th June 1984.
In body or mind? You seem pretty mature
for your age!
Well yeah, that depends on the situation.
When there's dangers surrounding you on the
mountain, you have to be more mature in the
way you face them. Physically, I'm on top.
When it's time to go out and have fun, I'm
always there.
And you've taken some knocks lately?
Yeah but each bad experience just helps me
get better. I take a bad slam, analyze my
error, then go on with that knowledge. I take
this attitude in all parts of life. I think
it's nessecary to take knocks in order to
evolve..
Can you tell me your worst moment
or biggest fright in snowboarding?
It was last year when I had to ride out of
an avalanche. I was traversing a slope and
suddenly a huge slab broke off in front of
me, about 2 metres deep. I was taken with
the slide and was in about 1 metre of snow
before I managed to get away from the slide.
As I was putting a turn in I saw the extent
on the avalanche just to the left of me. I
was too lucky to get out of it. It was a big
fright, not just for me but because my friend
was following me and it was my fault the avalanche
started.
Have you calmed down since then with
your riding?
Yes, for sure.
Douds in the snow |
Photo: Arthur Ghillini
Ok so how about your best snowboarding
memory?
I enjoy every day snowboarding, whether it
be in the park, powder, wherever, I always
go home happy. But my best trip would have
to be when I climbed le Verte (High summit
in Chamonix, 4121m). I look at it since, and
it looks almost inaccessible.
...And in life?
A lot of things, the parties, the good moments,
trips with my parents...When I went to the
Sahara, to Hawaii with my brother, to Hossegor
with Tristan.
Are you pissed that you don't see
the snow arrive this winter? Do you see the
conditions changing?
Yes, changing for the worse, but you never
know. The weather could suddenly arrive and
there could be five metres of snowfall in
one night. But yeah, the seasons are definitely
changing.
Do you agree with people who say that
global warming is to blame?
There's just too many people on the planet.
More and more people means more destruction
of the planet. Individually, there's not much
we can do, you just have to respect nature,
not throw rubbish, that's the worst, and not
be wasteful.
How do you see the future of the environment?
I fear that as it changes, the conditions
are getting more dangerous. The ice is melting,
and the north faces have less snow cover.
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