The Mountain Echo

Jason is the local Welsh lad in town. He’s known by some as BWB (Beardy Welsh B***tard) and is out on the town of many an evening. He’s out working as maintenance for Snowline and if you’ve not met him you’ve probably heard his dulcet Welsh tones. Oh, and did we mention he’s pretty good at boarding too?

Boarding
I started boarding when I was 18 when I went away with a friend. Then I went to college and didn’t really board at all for a couple of years. Then I went to uni and got back into it, doing trips and holidays and stuff. After uni I got a job in the Subvert boardstore and helped build the parks at the indoor snow slope in Manchester and it went from there really. Before this season I’d only done about 5 weeks in the mountains.

Board
I ride a 157 K2 Believer. I chose it because you can use it pretty much everywhere and it’s pretty amazing.

Bindings
I’ve got Burton Cartel bindings. They’re everything you need in a binding really and they look pretty. Mine are purple and orange because I swapped one half with a guy who bought the other colour in the shop. Usually they are only one colour on each foot.

Boots
K2 Darko boots which are nice and soft so your ankles don’t get wrecked on landings.

Volcom
My jacket is a Volcom Variable jacket and my pants are Volcom Bjorns. I’ve got loads of Volcom stuff because I know someone who works for them who gets me a pretty sweet deal on their gear, so why not wear it!

Goggles
I’ve got Electric EG2s that have got a really massive field of vision so you can see everything.

Gloves
Pipe gloves over mittens all the time. No question.

Helmet
I never used to wear a helmet that much but I’ve knocked myself out 3 times this season so I wear it more often than not these days.

Park
I wear a lot of Park stuff just because I’m sponsored by them but I also think they’re a really good brand with the right attitude. They aren’t in it for the money but for the love of the sport. You can’t get better than that in a company that supports your riding.

Maintenance
I try to do maintenance for Snowline VIP. My essential work item would probably be my underwear as it’s the only thing I always have with me when I’m working. I got tipped 4 English pounds the other day so I’m saving it for Bristol airport. It’ll probably get spent on KFC.

Riding Crew
I ride a fair bit on my own but I also go out with Doc Alex (good for injuries), Joe C (good for photos) and Freddie (to make it look like he has friends).

Injuries
This season I separated my sternum from my clavicle and ripped all the muscles in my shoulder. I managed to do it by doing a backflip on the kicker and using my head on the lip of the jump to stop the rotation. That was knockout number one.

Board
Salomon Lily 148 but I ride anything between a 148 to a 153. I chop and change between sizes, I think 151 is my best size but when I’m freeriding I go to a 154 or 156

Bindings
Salomon Relay bindings with a soft heel cup and wire system so there is a little bit more of a gentle ride on the ankles. They have a little more give when you crash.

Boots
Salomon optimas which are a little hard to get hold of because they are stiffest women’s boot in the range. I prefer them because they last a little bit longer once you’ve broken them in and I like the lace up system in them.

Jacket and Pants
Billabong, I prefer longer jackets that cover my bum when I’m riding. Like a slightly baggier jacket just cause it’s more comfortable it’s the same with my pants really, just nice and baggy so I can fit impact shorts underneath.

Helmet and protections
Giro Shiv helmet. I wear the helmet in contests cause it’s compulsory and put my hat and goggles underneath but I don’t wear it when I’m doing free ride stuff. I also have Forcefield impact shorts and I don’t use all of the padding just certain bits, it’s quite thin padding which is good because it doesn’t make your bum look huge!

Goggles
Purple Oakley A Frames but there are some new ones coming out that hopefully I’ll get a hold of. Other Sponsors Nixon watches, Relentless, Les Ettes perfume and Dalikfodda hats.

How did you start?
I did a weeks holiday in Cormayeur, Italy with my college and then did a season when I was 18 in Tignes Les Brevieres, so it was awesome to be back in Tignes to win. On my season I spent a lot of time riding with my boss who was a lot better and then started going off little powder jumps and doing some freeriding and then to the park. I worked my way up from total beginner to where I am now really.

What’s it like on the pro circuit?
Great fun and for the last few years there has been a really good bunch of girls around. It’s cool travelling round and enjoying parties and meeting people, of course there are hard times when you get injured or the weather is bad for your run, but it’s a great experience and something I didn’t ever expect to be doing when I was 18!

3 gold medals, what’s it like to know you’ve won?
With the third I couldn’t believe I’d done it again, especially in Europe where there were so many British people watching and to be able to show everyone what I could do live in action and not on TV was a really great moment. I’m always proud to achieve a gold medal and I think it’s unexpected to get three medals one after the other at the X Games.

What’s next?
I’m Currently in London and I’m off to the USA tomorrow for the Chicken Jam which is a 6 star TTR contest in Mammoth, California and then there will be one or two other things like the Miss Super Park photo shoot and then I’ll ride in the States for a bit and then come back and have a ride in Morzine with some friends at the end of the season.

What with it being St. Patrick’s Day this Wednesday there was only one name on our list for this Kit Review. If you’re one of the few to know his real name then congratulations on knowing before we published it as to most people in resort he is simply known as Irish! His career advisor told him to either go to uni or end up robbing post offices, tarmacing driveways or selling gates so he came to France to pick up empty glasses in Saloon instead.

Skier or Boarder?
Well I started out as a bobsleigher on the Irish bobsleigh team in a bob that was carved out of a giant potato. I didn’t get very far with that so I’ve now switched to being a boarder. Sadly I’m not on the Irish boarding team.

Board
I bought my first board in Aldi before I came out here and I had it for about two months and then one day after a good session at Folie I kicked it away from me and lost it in the trees in La Daille. I got a rental from Precision and then two days later while I was skiing through the trees I found a board buried in the snow. It wasn’t mine but a Ride Society 157. I’ve still got it and it’s an awesome board.

Bindings
I’ve got the bindings that I found on the board which are Burton custom bru bindings. They’ve got a bottle opener on the heel plate so I can open beers while doing backflips.

Boots
I’ve got Salomon David Benedict boots which I bought practically new for 70 Euros off a random punter when I worked at Tocade. He was just some random rich kid who sold them to me at the end of his holiday but they’re a bit broken now so I’m in the market for a new pair.

Clothing
Everything I wear is courtesy of Saloon lost property. I had two weeks without gloves while I waited for someone to lose a pair and not claim them from the bar.

Potatoes
I’ve eaten a good field’s worth of potatoes since I’ve been here: potato milkshake in the morning, potato soup for lunch, potato fondue for dinner and potato soufflé for desert followed by another milkshake before bed. The best potatoes can be found at a stall outside the Moris on a Monday. They are the best in resort by far.

Apart from potatoes?
I mostly eat Yum Yum noodles. You know what I’m talking about, and if you don’t then you probably work in a chalet!

St Patrick’s Day
I’m looking forward to Paddy’s day and will be found in Saloon drinking a small child’s worth of Catalina wine mixer because Teddy drinks all the Guinness.

Avalanche Kit
The only thing I’ve paid for apart from my boots is my brand new Arva axis transceiver. I don’t understand how people can go off-piste without all the right gear and, to be quite honest, my new transceiver is the cat’s pyjamas.

Technophobe
I don’t own a phone, watch, wallet or a bank card. It’s a small town so why bother?

Gypsy
Home is where you park it. I love a good caravan!