Nov 11, 2010
Author: Geoff Brown
A true gentlemen and artist both on and off his snowboard, TJ appeared on the scene with tech tricks but has never been afraid to tackle big jumps and big rails. He currently produces his own series of snowboard videos known as The Snowboard Realms.
You were one of the first Canadians to throw the 450 onto a rail, both Cab (at Camp of Champions) and Switch Backside (Shakedown). What inspired you to throw these risky tech tricks?
It was just the vibe of the day. The C.O.C. one was a fun session with my friend Mike and couple other homeboys , and the Shakedown one was sort of the same. Eero and I were just messing around. It just sort of came out of one those moments of " ha, that would be pretty wild " and then it happened.
You were also throwing Front 1080s when hardly anyone was doing them. What inspired you to push your snowboarding so hard?
I don't think it was so much pushing it so hard. Again all that stuff was quite a while ago, and just came from days being on the hills with your bros , filming for your ghetto ass little movie that you and your friends would watch
You were there during earlier snowboard years. Can you tell me a little about what snowboarding was like then?
I think it was pretty much the same. Obviously the level of snowboarding wasn't as crazy, and there weren't all these different styles that dictated who you were friends with and such. The biggest difference is that there wasn't dad on the hill dragging his two-year old up the hill to hit a rail and telling them it was wrong. Everyone was just shredding having fun and I don't think anyone really worried about getting rich or being a super pro. I remember one night at COP in Calgary where we broke into the speaker system and had Slayer and Gwar playing while probably a hundred of us had the time of our lives. I was like 18, Scott Shaw was like 15, and Dwayne Wiebe was 17… doing Cab 10s and shit. It was amazing ! Jed [Anderson] was like six [laughs]... I think he did his first Backflip that night.
snowboard realms season 3 episode 22 from tj schneider SNOWBOARD REALMS VI on Vimeo.
You can do really tech tricks like the 450s on but you’re also known for hitting really gnarly rails. Which do you prefer doing, tech tricks or high consequence tricks?
I’d just rather do something I like. I never really worried about tech tricks or gnarly stuff.
You landed a 450 onto a rail at Camp Of Champions in 2002, I believe. It was the first shot I ever saw of you. Where many people doing this trick then?
It was just a Regs 450 on that gap and then I did it on a 40-foot flat bar, and at the Shakedown the next year I did the switch Backside 450 on that sketchy-ass rail set up they had at the time. When those happened I hadn't seen anyone do it. A landed-on, which was in 411, that came out the same season as the Switch Backside, but whatever , the C.O.C. one in 2002-ish was a fun session , we were hitting the rail the day before and we started talking about how crazy it would be to gap it , (sounds mellow now but at the time , people were like ... "yeah right !") Mike and I just hiked up and did it , that night we had the grand idea to 270 it .. and then during the session that 'lil 450 happened
se3ep21 snowboard realms from tj schneider SNOWBOARD REALMS VI on Vimeo.
You really paved the way for Canadians and you’re still pushing it. Back in 2009, you won the Grenade Games halfpipe event with a Corky 1080. Tell me about this trick and how did it feel to win the event?
[Laughs] I feel like a broken record , we were just shredding that day , I think possibly my first day in the pipe that season , I did a 10 in one run and while I was strapping in Dustin was like " you should try dipping your shoulder and you'll do a double-ish thing " I pretty much looked at him and was like " oh yeah ?" he said yup , I dropped in and came around onto my feet . I did a few before casing the deck with my back , one came around 12 , and one 9. For me whether is making art , snowboarding , or well doing anything , there are those moments where you just feel it , I really try not to force things , just keep it natural , and true to my personal snowboarding rather than trying to impress people.
se 3 ep 17 from tj schneider SNOWBOARD REALMS VI on Vimeo.
You’ve filmed many video parts and now you’re making Snowboard Realms. Which video part or video episode are you most proud of and why?
I haven’t really thought about that. I had a lot of fun filming my little part in Love/Hate. I just took my own camera and sent them some footage. I think the Realms, over all, have been the best thing to happen to my Snowboarding. Really early I learned that snowboarding is really personal, that when I try to do it for someone else I don't enjoy myself. The Realms made it like a diary and made it so I could again spend time doing what I wanted. A few of my favourite episodes were Season One, Japan episode 21 and Season 2 episodes four and five and season three pretty much overall was fun. Sunshine bro trip early season, and going to Germany and Japan were all good.
LIKE this post:
LIKE Snowboard Canada on Facebook:
Related News
|
.jpg)
-1-15-13.jpg)
-1-15-13.jpg)
.gif)
.jpg)
.jpg)
