ANTHONY ALVES, 15, CUMBERLAND, MAINE
So how long have you been snowboarding?
About nine years, since I was eight.
What first got you into snowboarding? Was it any video or magazine?
Actually, it was in first grade, there was this kid who moved to our neighborhood who was a pretty big snowboarder at the local mountain; his mom co-owned it. He asked me if I wanted to come up to the mountain and try snowboarding. Ever since I went up there, I’ve been lovin’ it.
What’s your local mountain up there in Maine?
We’d go to Loon Mountain Resort in New Hampshire.
Do you like backcountry stuff more, or are you a park guy?
I like the park more. I’ve been going to the park for five years.
Why did you make the switch over?
I don’t know. I would watch kids in the park do stuff.
How long are you out here?
Eight days. We have a February break at my high school.
What? You get a special school-break for snowboarding?
Well, not exactly, but I go snowboarding.
After high school do you have plans to come out here full-time?
Well my uncle here offered me a construction job, so I’d be able to come up here and ride everyday. I’d like to go pro.
Are you going to check out the Winter Dew Tour?
Yeah, I’ll make it up for the Snowboard Superpipe competitions.
Which snowboarder have you been most excited to see?
I’d have to say Mikkel Bang. He’s always been my favorite since the first time I saw him when he was fourteen in a youtube video.
Is it a matter of his style, his trick selection…?
It’s everything. He’s technical, he’s big. He hucks. The day before the Winter X Games 13 he learned from Torstein how to do a switch 12 and he did it the next day. That was pretty sick.
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