interview – Sebi Geiger
Last year back, when having been to the RIDE Indoor Madness Tour stop at the indoor slope of Neuss next to Dusseldorf, I got in touch with one cool rider that was on-side to rep RIDE Snowboards; thanks to a common friend of us. Since then we pretty much stayed in touch and exchanged e-mails every now and then, asking how the other one was doing and supporting each other’s content of the ShredOn Mag or his own snowboarding footy. But Sebi is way more calm than plenty of riders out there and sometimes you’re not quite sure if he’s stoked or if he’s pissed in an instant. Coming from Montafon, Sebi has obviously a certain relation to the wonderful backcountry, but he’s also pretty mellow on rails if he wants to. The rest of his snowboarding, his life, person and what his plans for this up coming season are, should Sebi tell you himself. Sebi Geiger rides for Sajas, Electric, 686 and Ride Snowboards and this is his interview.
ShredOn Mag: Hey Sebi, what’s the deal ..how are you?
Sebi Geiger: Thank’s I’m relaxed after a nice summer.
SOM: Would you do me the favor and introduce yourself once again for our readers overseas that don’t know you?
Sebi: I’m Sebi Geiger from Austria, I’m 22 years old and I just love snowboarding!
SOM: How was your last season for you. Have there been any highlights or real bad bummers, anything?
Sebi: It was my best season so far. I’ve never seen so much snow in my home resort Silvretta Montafon. It also was the first season I was filming for the “Different Direction” web series and it was sooo much fun!!
the backcountry is definitely what makes Sebi’s home resort in Montafon so special and as you can see, he enjoys it quite a lot ..sending it!
SOM: Your home resort has been pretty crowded in this year, thanks to the Swoosh with their mega park and the final event of the Chosen Sessions, right? How was that for you and did you get the chance to ride that insane park they built there?
Sebi: I was stoked about that big park and that all the big names came over to where I grew up. I didn’t have the chance to shred there because I was not in the country at this moment, but I heard that they’re going to build almost the Nike Chosen Park again next year for everybody!
SOM: That would be dope! When regarding features like that epic snow Bowl they built, do you think that bowls in particular could be more common in future for snowboard parks?
Now say ‚cheese‘ Sebi, it’ll be over soon you’ll see ..Sebi is probably as simple as this picture just shows him. He just wants to shred and get to know new spots and people who share the same values and enjoy snowboarding.
Sebi: I hope so because it looks like a lot of fun to shred it!
SOM: Do you enjoy freeriding more than other stuff or where do you see your own progression in snowboarding? Park skills can be pretty damn useful and fun when taking them into the backcountry, not?
Sebi: I don’t prefer one thing in snowboarding, I just ride what ever is in front of me.
SOM: You told me earlier this season that you moved to Innsbruck. How did that happen ..leaving the epic backcountry just like that and now turn into a park kid riding Patscherkoffel (local park in IBK) in future or what’s the plan here?
Sebi: Yeah I moved to Innsbruck because my girlfriend live here. It’s really cool here to skate and hang out during the summer but I think I will spend the most of the pow season at home in Montafon. But I have to say that it’s fun as well to shred the Patscherkoffel Park in Spring!
SOM: So what’s the main difference for you between IBK and Montafon really?
Sebi: The main difference is that in Montafon we just go snowboarding and in IBK the people talk more about it than doing it!
SOM: Especially in this season we could see by a few riders, that they even launched exclusive teasers for their full online parts only. Then we got this shitload of snowboard posses that pop out of nowhere, we got web series and the classy DVDs. What do you prefer and what do you think of all these masses of snowboard coverage nowadays?
Sebi: I think online parts and web series are cool and you can watch them during the season before you go shred. But I also really like DVDs because you have something to grab really.
As said, Sebi doesn’t enjoy that pow pow shots only and also can ripp it urban style, like he does here on this 50-50 ..steeeeeeze.
SOM: As we both know you are going to release the second season of your Different Direction series, right? What can we expect, who is involved, how will that work really and what do you think of it?
Sebi: Yeah we’re going to release the second season of Different Direction and I think it’s going to be insane. Different Direction is nothing else than the feeling why we all started snowboarding: FUN, hang out with friends and push yourself to new limits. We have a different guest rider in each episode like Dani Rajcsanyi, Thomas Feurstein, Flo Corzelius and many more.
Road gaps seem to be just a fair deal, when struggling wether to go jib or slash some powder, but when having these heaps of snow like on that shot here, we’d probably also try the road gap like Sebi did ..and kill ourselves on it.
SOM: What is your perception of the online footage that you see nowadays. Could it be that when regarding all the web edits etc. that park riding and urban snowboarding push backcountry riding really aside, or what do you think? It must have a certain impact that at least 90% of the web edits are urban or park snowboarding, don’t you think?
Sebi: I think the reason why 90% of the web edits are urban or park snowboarding, is that it’s way easier to film. You don’t have to have the perfect conditions to film it.
SOM: When we got to know each other you mentioned that you were overseas in Baker once. Do you travel a lot to snowboard or how does that work for you? Coming from Montafon and living in IBK now, you wouldn’t necessarily need to travel much to get good shots, don’t you?
Sebi: Yeah, I think we really got the perfect conditions here in Austria but I also enjoy it to travel to meet new people and make new experiences. I don’t travel to snowboard, I snowboard to travel!!
SOM: So what makes for you a good season: Delivering a solid movie part or a good series or don’t you really care about it, unless you don’t get injured and enjoy your trips?
Sebi: Just have as much fun as possible and make the best of each day.
SOM: Do you follow the competition circus, as not being a contest rider really? What gets you stoked, what pisses you off, or is there anything that pisses you off in snowboarding in general right now?
Sebi: I’m following the competition circus just a little bit and have to say: Big respect to this athletes. I don’t understand that why everybody gives more about the riding of a snowboarder than his personality. I just want to go out and have fun and not compete!!
Calm nights and more remote spots, is what make certain sessions way more easy as you can take your time for your tricks. Sebi doesn’t need much of that and sticks it after a few tries already, screwing on the laws of physics with this wallride.
SOM: Let’s switch topics a little bit: Sebi Geiger in private. How would you describe yourself in 6 words?
Sebi: Ambitious, crazy, funny, helpful, sometimes quiet, optimistic.
SOM: What does a normal day for you look like? What does Sebi Geiger, besides snowboarding and hanging with his girl in IBK?
Sebi: Beside a bit of computer work, I go skateboarding a lot, making some photos and be out on the fresh air.
SOM: Are you a PS 3 gamer?
Sebi: No, not really. I prefer Nintendo 64.
SOM: Classy, hu? When will they finally bring out a rad snowboarding game for PS3?
Sebi: I don’t care. Mario Kart is better than any snowboarding game.
SOM: Fifa 13 or Skate 3?
Sebi: Skate 3
What could you possibly say to this shot besides: Slashing it! Right: Nothing.
SOM: Alright. We got now already a little bit into that bullet question thing, so let’s fire it up..
Camber Vs. Rocker?
Sebi: Both
SOM: Cocktails Vs. Schnapps?
Sebi: Cocktails.
SOM: Rap Vs. Indie music?
Sebi: Rap.
SOM: Apple Vs. Android?
Sebi: Apple.
SOM: Minramp Vs. Longboard?
Sebi: Miniramp.
SOM: Back 1 Vs. simple Stalefish?
Sebi: Stalefish.
SOM: Alright then, I guess we came to the end of this interview. It is over, any last words that you might want to drop? Shoutouts, bad jokes, anything you want to tell us?
Sebi: Stay Different!!!!!
SOM: Awesome Sebi. Cheers for your time and everything and we’re looking forward to see that second season of your Different Direction dropping here soon! Peace out!
..if you want to see more of Sebi’s skills, watch our for his shots in Liam Gallagher’s ‚Mad Ones‘ project and definitely check back with us next week when Sebi drops the teaser of his new season of Different Direction! Until then you guys enjoy this episode here of last year’s Different Direction season to get a pow pow foretaste of what you’ll get this season:
All shots are courtesy by Christoph Schöch, Jordan Ingmire or Sebi Geiger.
| Sebi Geiger |
