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.

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!

Ben
Daisy met Ben back in 2006 and they got married
two summers ago in Jersey in a full Val wedding.
They are quite the pair and, despite the age gap,
are one of the best couples you’ll meet.

Alcohol
Daisy also has a fondness for the odd drink and
has been known to be spotted rather tipsy on
occasion around town. At the same time she
seems to be on the hill more than most people I
know. It’s either through commitment or the fact
she has youth on her side.

Skis
Liberty Phil Larose 171 – “love them; have others but all the rest are dead or simply not cool, although having a husband working in Snowberry helps me try a lot more; been using Al’s Line Elizabeths (Lizzy& Beth) recently”.

Suit
SOS and Peak gear – “has to be quality kit as all the cheaper, cool brands break after two months. You get what you pay for. Wearing blue and red atpresent, bright but not fluoro – I’m not a clown!”

Helmet
Black Dainese – “definitely my most important bit of kit. I won’t go on the hill without it. Everyone should wear one.”

Poles
Leki hot shots – ”you can hold vodka in them. Simply screw the tops off and voila! So much cooler than a Camelbak”.

Riding Crew
Coach Alex Allan, Naomi, Lou and Sara. A newly formed group with a lot of fresh converts to skis. “I love them all. Riding is all about your mates, although we are awesome skiers. A big thanks to Phil from TDC for making us sick!”

Blue Note
“My second home & family. Work is a very loose term for what I do. I think Lou just pays me to hang out and drink.”

Last season
This is Daisy’s last planned season. “We’re staying for summer to do everything we haven’t done here yet, then back to Jersey to start a new life”. (We’ll see in a year, but good luck!!)

End of season BBQ
Always the day after the lifts stop turning, at her place. If last year is anything to go by, it’s not to be missed. “Everyone’s invited for the final one. It’s going to be a biggie”.

Skier or Boarder
I’m a skier and these days I only really ski big mountain. I’ve been concentrating on that for most of the past 8 years so it’s my main focus.

Skis
I’m sponsored by Dynastar so I only ski their equipment. I’ve only got the one pair out here in Val that I ski on which is the Big Dump. It’s their flagship big mountain ski and mine are 192 in length and 120mm underfoot so they are pretty big.

Boots
As you can imagine my boots are fully custom fitted by Surefoot. Mine were fitted here in Val d’Isère. The first time I got boots fitted by these guys it made my skiing immediately go up a level so I won’t be changing any time soon.

How long have you been with Surefoot?
I’ve been working for them for about 6 years on and off. I took a year or so in the middle to do some filming and competitions and then came back. Working at Surefoot really developed my skiing, especially freeskiing, so it’s helped open doors for me.

Competitions?
Yeah, I did the freeski world tour and other things which is where all my sponsorship came from. At one point I was the US freeski champion and came 2nd in the world finals as well as being ranked 3rd on the world tour. Those kinds of results opened up filming and sponsorship opportunities to me.

Films
I’ve worked with a few production companies doing extreme sports films and ski movies which has been cool, though people don’t understand how long it takes to make them. I’ve spent 2 months skiing with a company for a 3 minute edit.

Headcam
I wear a full helmet fitted with a contour HD helmet cam. I always feel photos don’t really do skiing big mountain any justice and the camera gives you a real sense of what you’ve done and the line you took. I should really edit together some of the things I’ve filmed but I just can’t get round to it.

Other Sponsors
I’m sponsored by North Face, Smith and Hestra so I wear North Face soft shell gore-tex outer layers, these great Hestra Seth Morrison half mittens that I really love and Smith I O Goggles which have a great field of vision and lenses that work for all conditions.

Avalanche Gear
I don’t ski with an ABS bag. I did look into getting one but haven’t, though I do have the usual shovel and probe as well as an Orthovox S1 transceiver. Having said that, I’m usually the first skier down the line, so I’m probably going to be the one being dug out rather than me having to find anyone else.

Most Essential Bit of Kit
My mouthguard. I feel naked without it. I’ve broken my jaw and 14 teeth so it’s a pretty essential piece of kit now.

Best Days on the Mountain
The best days are when you go from one end to the other, from Le Fornet to the Grand Balme. Most of what I ski involves hiking. Now I’m on my 2nd season I’m getting a bit more adventurous out here, experimenting with different lines and entrances, so I’m always finding something new.

Personal Maintenance
I don’t really have any kit to maintain my sideburns, they are gods gift and just grow naturally this way. As for my shiny white American teeth, well that just takes a good electric toothbrush.

Skier or Boarder
I’m a skier and I’ve been skiing for 11 years now. I started skiing with my family and I love it. I’m trying to push myself a little bit more out here in Val d’Isère. I tried boarding out in St. Anton but I couldn’t see the point, especially because I got injured.

Skis
I’ve got two pairs out with me: a pair of K2 Apache Raiders and I bought some second-hand Salomon Foils when I came out at the beginning of the season, mostly because they have touring bindings. I’m not too keen on the skis as a whole. I really want to get some fat powder skis to take off-piste. My friend found some decent touring skis by a bin, so I might take the touring bindings off the Foils, put them on those and see how it goes.

Boots
I’ve got Salomon Instincts that I also bought at the start of the season and they were recommended to me by Del from Snowberry.

Jacket
Nothing fancy, just a black north face shell jacket that I layer up underneath to keep warm.

Pants
These are definitely my favourite bit of kit. They are bright blue and I think they give me a bit of extra power because they give me the balls to go and do things that scare me a bit. They are a bit impractical though because I’m not sure they are that waterproof any more and they don’t fit properly but I love them!

Avalanche Kit?
I’ve got a full set of avalanche gear from Ortovox including a probe, transceiver and shovel. I have an Ortovox S1 transceiver which is meant to do everything for you except dig up the person, but when I did the avalanche training out on the piste I seemed to take the longest to find the buried transceiver. I really want an ABS bag. That’d definitely complete all my kit for off-piste, so if you’ve got a 2nd hand one then come into the Warm Up and I’ll take it off your hands.

First Season
My first season was out in St. Anton but I definitely prefer it out here. I came to Val because of its great reputation off-piste and I really wanted to get properly into that side of skiing. I’m definitely getting there.

How is the Off-Piste Going?
It’s going well, I’ve been fortunate enough to meet some people who have shown me round the mountain. I really am enjoying doing some more challenging terrain.

Favourite Run?
I really enjoyed Pisteurs. The weather wasn’t great and it was really windy so walking the ridge was a bit scary but it was perfect in the couloir and then when it opened up we had fresh tracks for the rest of the way down. Perfect!

Done any Touring?
Yeah, I’ve done a bit but I want to do a bit more in the spring snow. I could then look at potentially doing some of the really long touring routes around Mont Blanc or maybe going to Norway.

Any Injuries?
I’ve been really lucky to not have had any big injuries in all the time I’ve been skiing. I fractured my shoulder in St. Anton but it healed up really quickly so I wasn’t off the snow for too long.

Skier or Boarder?
I’m a boarder; I’ve been boarding for about 3 years since I arrived in Val d’Isère. Before that I was in Les Arcs and skied a little bit, but not as much as I’ve been on my board out here.

Les Arcs?
I was a chef in a kitchen in Les Arcs. It was good fun but I think I prefer it here in Val d’ Isère.

What Board?
I’ve got two boards here with me. One is a 161 Nidecker which I use for freestyle and things and the other is a 162 Burton Custom which I think is a really great board for all-round riding on the mountain. I’ve also got a snow skateboard. It was better last season because it was a bit icier around town but I might get a leash and try and take it up the hill.

Bindings
Both boards have their equivalent bindings, so I’ve got Nidecker bindings on that one and Burton custom bindings for the Burton board. I didn’t buy the bindings with the board, but I couldn’t find any others that worked with it, so I opted to just stick with them.

Boots
I’ve got Rossignol boots that are really flexy and soft. I like them but it can make riding some terrain a little bit harder and sometimes off-piste can be really difficult because they just aren’t stiff enough.

Jacket
I’ve just bought a new jacket. It’s a bright orange Nitro down jacket which is really warm, but I’ve also got a black Burton jacket which is my old one.

Pants
I’ve just got two pairs that are grey and black. With fluoro orange there isn’t too much that goes with it, so I like just having plain trousers.

Get Much Riding Time?
Yeah I get loads of time because I only work at night so I have the whole day to get up on the mountain. In Les Arcs when I was a chef I hardly got any time to ride so I didn’t do much skiing. It’s great to have a job where I get the chance to be on the hill as much as possible. I’m a bit of a fair weather boarder though; if it’s a white-out I’d rather stay in bed.

Park or Piste
I don’t do much park just because I don’t feel like I’m good enough. I’d like to do some training or something and get into a half pipe, which would be awesome!

Music
I’m really passionate about music and I make my own dubstep and breakbeat music with a synth and a sampler. It’s pretty cool and I try and make as much as possible because every two weeks all my friends and I get together and share all the music we’ve made at a big party.

Injuries?
I fractured my hand right at the beginning of the season on the first of December. I couldn’t ride for four weeks which sucked, but then in the second week of January I got back out on my board! That was my first injury on the snow and hopefully the last.

Superheroes
I’ve served every superhero in town thanks to fancy dress, and every night something funny happens. It’s always amusing to see all the drunken people and everything that goes on after nights out. I don’t get annoyed I just laugh.

So a skier?
I’ve been skiing since I was tiny, so it’s something I completely love. My dad was a ski instructor so it all kind of started from there and now that’s what I do too. I’ve done lots of different types of skiing though!

What kind of things?
Well when I was younger I joined the Aberdeen Ski Club and Kandahar and started racing when I was about 8 years old, so that was a big part of my skiing and I got all the way to the British ski team, so it seemed to go ok for me.

Favourite Discipline?
Well I loved super-g, I just love going fast! At one point I was ranked 56th in the world for super-g and had 19 FIS points, but I did Europa cup starts in all disciplines.

What skis do you have?
I’m currently on Salomon 2Vs, which are 184s. I opt for a longer ski so I can go faster and these are great for that because they are a specific GS ski and that’s what I teach on. I’ve also got Salomon shoguns for off piste skiing and I think they’re great just because they aren’t too wide and they don’t have too much rocker so you can use them in variable conditions, not just in fresh powder. I also really enjoy touring, so I’ve got some touring skis as well.

Lots of Skis!
Yeah I’ve got seven pairs out with me, and there is a special rack in my apartment for all of them. But there are more at home, more skis than I can count!

Boots?
I’ve got Salomon X3 Lab 130 Flex boots that were fitted by Wilkie in Surefoot so they are mega comfortable, which is pretty important when you spend a lot of time up on the hill.

Jacket and Pants?
I’m sponsored by Helly Hansen so all my gear is by them, I’ve got a few jackets out here with me, something for all conditions really!

Own a catsuit?
I own a few catsuits yes, but they are for racing and fancy dress only. You won’t see me wearing one too often.

How is teaching?
I really enjoy it and I teach every day in peak season, but it’s also nice to have some time to ski for myself when it’s a bit quieter. Great off piste beats great on piste days. I love to explore almost as much as I like going fast.

Do you do anything else?
I also do race coaching for the English ski team and the GB Children’s Team as well as running my own camps here in Val. I really enjoy that and it keeps me in touch with the racing side. I can also teach adaptive skiing which is really good fun, you have to push yourself a little bit harder with adaptive.

Favourite bit of kit?
Right now it’s my neckwarmer because it’s so cold! I don’t think I’d be able to survive on the mountain without it!

So how long have you been in Val d’Isere?
I arrived here about 25 years ago and started out just skiing all day every day, but after 6 months I needed a job and started as a ski technician in a shop here, and that’s what I’ve been doing ever since.

What do you do in the summer?
I’m still here in the summer working for Killy, but at that time of year it’s a different kind of customer, less skis and more walking and climbing equipment, a few skis go in and out for glacier skiing, but not many. My wife and children are out here so this is our full time home with our cat that is named after Harry Potter thanks to my son.

So what do you do?
I’m the tech here at Killy so I service all the skis that come into us, including all the rental skis. It can be really busy sometimes, but it’s great and it’s a very different job now to when I started.

Why?
Well now we have all these big machines that can do a lot of the servicing for us, of course some people still want service by hand if they have a particular request, but usually we send them through the machine, which does just as good a job, they aren’t cheap though, it costs about €200,000 for a basic machine to prepare skis.

What do the machines do?
The machines can edge and wax the skis by themselves, but it’s all done by programming, so depending on the problem the skis or board can go through a number of times before they are in good shape. It all depends on what you want and what was the problem in the first place.

Done the skis of anyone famous?
I was employed years ago as the technician for some of the French ski team, but that’s about as famous as they get for me. I went with them to the world championships and to the Olympics in Calgary so it was a pretty amazing job.

Did you race?
I used to race for fun but never seriously or for money, but now I find it difficult to ski because I’ve had lots of operations on my knee and don’t have any cartilage left. The price I’ve paid for years of great skiing.

Why do you do your job?
I’m passionate about my job because it can make the difference to someone’s skiing. I always try and do a great service for kids skis, because most of them are learning, so if it’s easier then I want to help them out. Every ski is important to me, but I’ve had to stop looking for perfection, because it takes too long!

How many skis do you service?
We do between 500 and 700 pairs a week, which seems a lot, but once you get going it’s fine. We all enjoy our jobs and our work so we don’t complain.

Any strange requests?
A boarder once asked me to fit a pole to his board so he could attach a sail, a bit like a windsurfing board. I did it and apparently it worked, but it was very odd at the time!

Boarder or Skier?
I’m a boarder and always have been. I’m not one of those people who have tried skiing as well because I love boarding too much to want to change. I’m always looking to improve, and being on my board as much as possible is the only way to do that!

Board
I’ve got a 147 Ride Fever, which is the women’s version of the DH. I absolutely love it. I searched hard last year for the right board for me and ended up going to this old guy in Tignes who I absolutely love. I tried 5 different boards: Burton, Bataleon… you name it, I tried it. The Fever was my favourite so I went with it. Four days later I’d broken my collarbone so the new board has had to wait for this year!

Boots and Bindings
I’ve got Nitro boots which are pretty cool, and Burton Lexa bindings which, as per usual, were bought in Tignes. The man is my hero, no joke!

Jacket
I’ve got a black Bonfire jacket that now has a massive hole in it! Technical gear isn’t so great when you’ve got a ton of snow pouring in down your back. I want to get a new one, but it seems to take forever to look online. I know I want a massive down jacket this time; as much like a duvet as possible!

Trousers
I’ve got red Analog pants and they’re pretty good. The only real downside to my ski outfit (bar the hole in my jacket) is that some French guy in Tignes has the exact same combination, so no prizes for originality. I see him almost everyday and I say hello, but I have a feeling he thinks I’m a bit weird.

Other Gear
I don’t wear a helmet and I know that’s bad, but I love my white Nitro beanie. I’ve also got Von Zipper goggles. The strap is broken, but I love them too much to ditch them. I’ve also got North Face down gloves that are massive but so warm. I thought I might have lost one in La Daille the other day and was gutted, but I found it!

Off-Piste or Park?
I love off-piste riding the most but I’m trying to do more park, especially since I broke my collarbone. I need to get over the fear factor, but if it came down to it the pow would win every time. I try and do tricks, and while I frequently land on my face I’d rather try and get out of my comfort zone than not try at all.

How did you do the collarbone?
Basically, I body slammed the picnic bench feature in the park. It all got very embarrassing when I was rescued by an attractive pisteur and I had mascara running down my face and a runny nose, as well as a bit of a wedgie. Luckily, my friend Nicola came and sorted me out and then I ended up in hospital in Bourg.

Any other sports in your life?
I’m pretty keen on sport so I try my hand at a bit of wakeboarding in the summer months. I’ve also run a few half-marathons. I’m thinking about trying a full marathon at some point, but you’ve got to make the decision way in advance to get the training right. Other than that I’m learning to surf. I started down in Cornwall this summer with Alex from Le Ski and I definitely want to carry on with that.

Most Important bit of Kit?
My phone, because it means I can work from the chairlift if I need to. My transceiver is a very close second.

Boarder or Skier?
I’m a boarder. I used to skate back at home so when I came out to the snow it made sense to me to board instead of ski. I used to have a half pipe in my garden, so you might say I was quite into my skating.

Board
I’ve got a 154 K2 Darkstar and I absolutely love it. I’ve bought other boards since I first got it but I always go back to it. It’s four years old but because I’ve had a fair few injuries it’s still in pretty good condition. I’ve got boards for all kinds of riding, but I’m definitely not a park rat. When you’re as injury prone as I am, you’re asking for trouble.

Boots and Bindings
My boots are Burton Ions. These are perfect for me because they are nice and stiff. My ankles aren’t in great condition and one has a plate in, so a stiff boot feels like it’s holding it all in place down there. My bindings are Burton P1s.

Clothing
I’ve got a RIDE down jacket and also a shell as well as Khaki Volcom pants. It makes me look like I know what I’m doing!

Why that equipment?
I’m pretty happy with all my gear, basically because I chose it. I started out working in ski shops here in Val, Precision first and then I moved to Black Cats when they still had a shop out here. It’s given me loads of experience, so I know what I’m doing when I buy my kit.

Board Heroes
I really like Travis Parker. He may not be the best rider, but he’s got great style and is a real individual. He’s also the guy who runs Airblaster which is a really great off the wall company for gear. You don’t see it everywhere, but you know it when you see it. I also think the freerider Jeremy Jones is great, and a really nice guy. I went out riding with him in Val Thorens through work with Black Cats. It was a great day but it led to my worst ever injury.

Worst Injury?
Well there have been a few but I broke my wrist into four pieces on the last run of the day with Jeremy Jones. Basically, I smacked my wrist into a piece of rock off-piste. I’ve had four operations and 3 pins in it, as well as an addiction to painkillers to kick.

So a few injuries then
Yeah, you might say I have more kit from injuries than boarding. Out of 9 seasons, only two have been injury-free. This is lucky number 10. My most embarrassing injury has to be when I broke my ankle walking out of Dicks on the first night of the season. I’ve now got a great plate in my ankle to remind me of that night!

What kind of kit?
I’ve got a knee brace, an ankle brace, a sling, two pairs of crutches, a metal wrist splint and a remouldable cast to name a few.

Do you have any protection gear?
I wear impact shorts but I’ve still managed to bruise my coccyx and I only really wear a helmet off-piste.

I can’t live without…
my sister, because without her Blue Note wouldn’t exist and I probably wouldn’t be out here. I also wouldn’t have the blender that I make the Blue Note houmous with. My other little luxury is Marmite.

Editors Note: At the time of going to press Matt still doesn’t have his lift pass. We’re only 7 weeks into the season…

Skier or Boarder?
I’m a boarder, but I wouldn’t say that I’ve been boarding that long, probably about two years. My parents used to ski when they were younger, but I pretty much decided one day to take it up and I’ve not looked back since, I’m officially obsessed. I wouldn’t say I’m a really strong rider, but I’m definitely hoping this season will take me to the next level on my board.

Board
I’m pretty lucky because working in Mistyfly means I get free rental and access to loads of different boards, but I do own a Rossignol Diva which I bought when I arrived in France. It’s a 151 so it’s a bit long because I’m only small but it’s great for powder and its nice and soft. Perfect for someone like me who’s just getting going. But at the moment I’m also on a 146 Nitro Mystique which is a lot of fun. Working in Mistyfly I can get great advice on what to have a go on because they’re all so into their riding.

Boots
Just the one pair of boots, they are last year’s Salomon Optimas, they are so comfy I really love them, as well as the snakeskin design! My job last year got me Salomon kit at cost price, so my boots and helmet are from last year.

Jacket and Pants
I’ve got a purple and black checked Ride jacket and then some creamy beige 686 pants. All lovingly purchased in Mistyfly. I had such a long journey to get here that I’ve bought a lot of things while I’ve been out here. It helps to have a staff discount though!

Other Equipment
Other stuff I couldn’t live without when I’m riding is my helmet, which is a Salomon Brigade. I think it’s the most important piece of kit I own, especially as I’ve knocked myself out a few times. I’m a massive fan of beanies though, and own more than I would ever need especially as I wear a helmet up on the slopes, but you can’t beat a good beanie!

Surfing
I used to surf when I was younger but not so much anymore, especially as I’ve been travelling for a while, I surf on short boards and one looks like a Mini Mau, but it’s actually just a very very small surfboard.

Riding Buddies
The people here and the riding are the best bits about Val, so I’ve been trying to meet loads of people to go up on the hill with. It’s great to have a few people you can just go out with and have a good time. I’m pretty confident and try things that are just a little out of my league, so riding with other people sometimes stops me from attempting something silly!

Dual Citizenship
I’ve got two passports as I was actually born in the USA in Minnesota and then my parents moved to Melbourne. It’s pretty handy and I’ll probably go there for a season at some point. My brother is in Colorado and I’ve got family all over the states, so it’s good to be able to just go and visit without needing a visa.

Plans
Once I’m done here I’m going to travel round Europe. I came here 2 months early to learn French and I’m doing ok, I’ve just tried to really adopt into the European lifestyle. I’d like to work on the boats, but I really want to travel and use my visa to the full and just see everything! I love it here, and definitely will be staying as long as possible no matter what!