The Norwegian ripper has been bleeping on our radars for so long it’s hard to believe she’s just turned 18. We catch up with Silje to chat snow movies, her favourite shred buddies and dealing with those dreaded pre-comp heebie jeebies
Interview by Sam Haddad, photos by Frode Sandbach/Nike 6.0
Hey Silje, how was your summer?
Hey, my summer has been great. Got to spend some time with family and friends, and had a great trip to Spain with the girls. Just getting time with friends and family has been great. Catching up with the girls back home and getting to spend some crazy weekends with them. I took almost the whole summer off snow this year, cos I think it’s important to get some time at home and just relax.
Happy birthday by the way, I can’t believe you’re just 18. Do you feel you’ve grown up quickly due to being a pro quite early on?
Thank you. Finally being 18 is great. I kinda wanted to be 18 for the last couple of years, haha. I guess I’ve been growing up pretty fast due all the travelling. But that is just another great thing that comes with getting to snowboard all around the world.
You seem pretty tight with Aimee Fuller? What do you like about her as a person and as a rider?
Yeah, Aimee is a great girl as well as a sick rider. She is so much fun to be around and gone be hard to beat in the next couple of years. So watch out everyone!!
Who else do you like riding with and why?
I love to ride with Kjersti Buaas and Helene Olafsen. They are both great girls and Kjersti is always having so much fun when she rides, and she always put’s a big smile on my face.
What do you like most about snowboarding?
What I like most about snowboarding is that I’m always having so much fun. And the feeling I get when I land a new tricks is amazing.
And is there anything you don’t like about life as a pro rider?
It is hard to find something bad about it, but if it has to be something it would be all the travelling and not getting to see my family a lot. But I wouldn’t change it out with anything.
You changed sponsor last year, how did that change things for you and did you feel any more pressure to perform?
I think changing over to Nike 6.0 has been great for me, and just what I needed last year. Roxy has been great and they took really good care of me when I was younger, but it was time to move on. I didn’t feel any more pressure to perform at all, I’m just really happy they wanted me on the team. Nike 6.0 it’s a great team to be on.
Nike 6.0 made a massive impact with the surf film Leave a message. Do you think they should make a similar girls’ only snow film?
Yeah, that film was amazing and what Nike did for surfer girls is amazing. I think doing the same with snowboarders would be great and I would love to be a part of it, but I think the time might be better a couple of years from now.
Which girl’s snow film part are you most excited about seeing this winter?
I’m excited to see how the Lipstick movie is gonna turn out and I think Peep Show is gonna be great. My main thing right now is competing, but I would love to film more in a couple of years.
Do you get nervous before contests and if so how do you cope with that?
I get really nervous during a contest. I’m actually having big problems with being too nervous. But I’m working on it, and hopefully I’ll just get better and better.
Are you stoked on slopestyle being in the Olympics or do you think it works better in the X Games without the FIS involvement anyway?
No, I think having Slopestyle in Olympics is great. And I’m really looking forward to it.
What can we expect from you this season, any new tricks up your sleeve you can tell us about?
I’ll just be working on getting my tricks better and being able to but them down on bigger courses. Maybe you’ll see a new trick or two on film during the season.
Silje is sponsored by Nike 6.0. Make sure to catch her live in action in Nike Vapen Sessions Episode 2 and to find out more about the girl behind this beautiful smile and sick action , check her Cover Girl interview we featured in the print mag last winter
