Interview by: Sam Haddad
Photography by: Daniela Müller-Brunke
Action shots by: Vanessa Andrieux

Anne-Flore Marxer is one of Europe’s most prized snowboarders. Hailing from Preverenges, Switzerland the 24 year-old is now firmly ensconced in the global snowboard jet set, and an inspiration to many a wannabee pro thanks to her sick riding, supreme confidence and strong sense of personal style. As she says on her web site intro, “I’m a heart core snowboarder. I smile and I bite, I crash and try harder. I’ll give it all to be better, go bigger and laugh more.” So without further ado, here’s our interview with this issue’s shiny new cover star.

How did you get into snowboarding?
I come from a big time skiing family and I was skiing before I could walk. I tried snowboarding when I was 12 and kept doing both, as in snowboarding with friends and skiing with my parents, and then I just kept on snowboarding more and more.

One day the friends I was snowboarding with entered me into a competition without me knowing it. We were just shredding and they were like, “Oh look here’s the big air of that French cup, by the way you are doing it too!” I was so scared ‘cos I’d never done a competition before and I was sure I had no chance at all.

During the practice I was doing my only trick on the big kicker with my guy friends but then I saw all the other girls only doing a double grab on the small kicker, so I thought I should do that too to make sure I got through the finals without falling, which I did, but I still didn’t make it to the finals. I was mad! I went back up, snaked between the guys final runs, dropped and stomped a big backside rodeo 720 and gave the fingers to the judges and left.

But then I knew I could do good. I went to the next French cup, won it and stopped competing really. I went to the kids summer camp and met the Psykopit guys and for about two years just shredded with them, just shooting and filming, which I still do.

What’s the best thing about your job?
The snowboarding and the travelling. I love discovering new places faces and tastes. I’m so lucky, as I’ve been to so many places in the world. Nothing can replace what you learn on the road.

What kind of things do you learn?
Go find out for your self! Rats hiking up the palm trees to eat the coconuts, monkeys grabbing the Coca Cola out of your hands and climbing up the tree to drink it from the straw, while laughing at you. How people don’t sneeze in Japan, and that there are about 10 billion more stars in the Tahitian sky. That water is precious, how elephants can paint better then me, how pineapple doesn’t taste like pineapple in Europe, and that fresh fish doesn’t smell like fish. The difference is beautiful.

What’s the worst thing about your job?
The travelling, too many hours in airports and on planes, I did 110 000 miles in the first four months of this year. And not having a personal life. Obviously the non-snowboarding part of my job, like the product meetings, catalogue photo shoots, interviews and other photo shoots, is not my favourite either, but it’s what it makes it a job.

What’s the most trouble you’ve ever gotten into?
Me trouble? Nah. It’s funny I do a lot mischievous things, but I’m never disrespectful, that way I don’t get in trouble. Besides getting kicked out of parties of course, but always for stupid tight-up reasons, such as taking my shoes off, spitting at the bouncer or kicking some guy’s ass, so nothing bad really. I don’t break things.

What would you change about the snowboarding world if you could?
All the machos taking decisions. I mean all brands make more money with the girls’ stuff but they all use the money for the guys, and that’s very frustrating. Just think about it – no girls in the major media events, like Air And Style and Freestyle.ch, but just as many girls buy a ticket, and more girls buy T-shirts. How is that supposed to push the sport and bring more girls into it?

What’s your favourite trick and why?
Backside 180 ‘cos it’s so easy and it gives you the best sensation ever!

Describe the best day you’ve had on the mountain ever?
POWDER for sure! And the best days were not filming in some totally exotic new place, but fun days shredding with friends at home. Those will always be the best ones. Like last Christmas riding with my Mum. There was good powder and we did my favourite home run together fresh tracks! And the reason it was so cool is because she was there with me!

How seriously do you take health and fitness?
Fitness no thanks. There are many better ways to get fit than to really do fitness shit! Like surfing everyday, yoga, biking, cooking good stuff at home to eat that’s yummy and healthy. Snuggling a lot helps too!

Does anything about snowboarding scare you?
Getting dropped off a heli after only seeing a face for 10 seconds and then having to drop in is scary as hell!

What trends in snowboarding do you like right now?
Riding amazingly in natural terrain and deep powder is much harder and looks much better! Gigi style! As for fashion? I’ll stay baggy!

Do you get sick of being snapped?
Do you mean photos? Yeah that’s boring! But it’s the job part.. and if you do it right you can keep shredding for a living.

What does snowboarding teach us about life?
Enjoy the moment, go for it 200 per cent, overcome your fears and have FUN!

Does Europe have a lot of catching up to do in terms of US riding?
In terms of building good parks – YES!! For putting young sports on TV – YES!! But for shredding, we’ve got the best mountains in the world!

Park or powder?
POWDER for EVER!!

What’s the biggest difference between men and women’s riding?
Women are still having the time of their life when they shred. Guys are just trying to look cool!

How concerned are you about global warming?
I am concerned about recycling stuff and biking instead of taking a car, fixing old stuff instead of buying new things and giving old clothes to people who don’t have their own. But I don’t put it under “global warming”, it’s just common sense. Did you know that you only need 10 plastic bottles to make a pair of boardshorts?

How do you relax?
I sleep tons after doing good sport! And I do yoga.

How good are you at surfing?
I’m not good at all! But I’m progressing now that I go everyday. I catch about three or three waves a session but I still can’t duck dive yet.

What’s on your ipod?
Chaka khan, Amy Winehouse, Lenny Kravitz, Aretha Franklin, Axelle Red, Bob Marley, Fugees, Pat Benetar, Feist and Scott Sullivan

Do you have any aspirations beyond snow?
I really don’t know. I’m doing my job now as well as I can, and then we’ll see what comes along.

Do you have male groupies?
No not really, my boyfriend is my number one groupie!

Where is women’s snowboarding heading over the next five years?
Did you take me for a bohemian hand reader?