Axel Pauporte has been charging for years. Riding Alaska like a Hellman possessed. Last season however he traded in some big mountain riding for big mountain film making. He made a documentary about riding in Alaska but his flick is way better than what you see on The Discovery Channel. He follows Justin Hostynek and crew; like Jeremy Jones, Nicolas Muller, Wolle Nyvelt, Romain De Marchi, Travis Rice, Gigi Ruff, MFM and more through a modern day Alaska filming trip. All the while going back in time to show us the history of Alaskan riding, complete with lots of interviews, footage (old and new) and stories from the likes of Shaun Farmer, Tom Burt, Johan Oloffson, Mike Ranquet and other legends. You want tough, try riding Alaska after an all night drinking binge (like Farmer did) or how about carrying pistols while snowboarding to fend off wolverines - crazy shit! So go check out Lines the Film because it is made by Snowboarders (like Snowboard Revolution) and because it is really interesting. Axel also talks about becoming a big mountain riding while coming from a country with no mountains - Belgium

From: Belgium

Age: 35

Years riding: 17

www.linesthefilm.com

SR: How do you get into riding big mountains in Belgium? Are there any mountains there?

Axel: Not at all its totally flat! I think in the end it helped me. I started on dry slopes which are super sketchy, made of plastic and like riding on ice but it makes you that much better because when you get on real snow it is that much easier. Mostly though it helped because when I first moved to the Alps to spend a season I saw the guys from there and they were kind of picky. They did not realize how lucky they were to be there. They did not ride that much, you know like its bad weather where as I was super hungry and riding from sunrise to sunset because I was so happy to be there, you know. So I think it helped in a way. Thats how it started; I moved to the Alps and spent a couple of seasons there. All I did was ride for a couple of years straight. Met some people, got sponsored and the sport was very young back then, there was not that many people doing it. I was mostly into freestyle at first and then hurt my knee. I came back and thanks to Regis (Regis Rolland from Apocalypse Now film) he was riding with me in Les Arcs (where they shot those films) he showed me all the backcountry stuff and gave me a taste for that. Just riding with him opened my eyes and made think that was the type of riding I really want to do, you know?

SR: So you think some of the people that grew up in the mountains took it for granted and you went up there

Axel: Yea, pretty much

SR: like Kelly Slater coming from Florida?

Axel: (laughs) Yea, thats true, huh; he used to ride shitty waves.

SR: When did you start riding?

Axel: When I was like 18, I rode a little bit but really got into it in my 20s, so kind of late

SR: Favorite spot?

Axel: Alaska, for sure! Theres good terrain in the Alps, Canada and a lot of places but Alaska is so remote and the Heli operations are great there. There are not too many rules, they trust you; let you do what you think you can do and not taking you by the hand too much. Those are big advantages and I just love it there! The people are really, really cool, the nature everything!

SR: Who is hot now?

Axel: Jeremy Jones id definitely the main guy today for big mountain riding. Jonovan Moore is right there because he is such a talented rider and has the freestyle lines too. Plus Travis Rice, Romain (DeMarchi), Gigi (Ruff), (Nicolas) Muller, Kurt Wastell all those guys are more freestyle so they are less about big lines but bringing freestyle into the big mountains today. Marc Franc! Its funny cause not too many people know (laughter) you know, they know him as a rail guy, jibber and freestyler guy but back in 97 he was in Alaska with us then. He is in Alaska as we speak (April, 2007) filming with Justin (Hosteynek), fuck he is definitely one of the super talented guys up there who can take it to the next level.

SR: Yea, he just got a bunch of shots and a cover in Transworld for trip to somewhere way they the hell down in South America.

Axel: Right, he is amazing.

SR: Whole Mountain, jump or freestyle?

Axel: I like to ride from top to bottom. I will go hike a kicker and yea thats great but I really want to ride from top to bottom. I think it is more creative too because you only get one shot.

SR: Is there more to snowboarding than just the ride? What about the whole experience being in the mountains

Axel: Yea, absolutely, there is more than just riding. It is good just to be out there.

SR: How did you transition from rider to filmmaker?

Axel: Its natural when you are around so many filmmakers and photographers. Actually, its funny, it feels kind of the same, riding a bit, filming a bit. Thats what I wanted to bring, an insiders point of view. I did not want to be an outsider and just people to do stuff for the film. I just wanted to be there and film when I could. The transition is cool as long as I am out there.

SR: Future, Crystal Ball?

Axel: I spent so much time on this film, I see myself on my board, snowboarding and surfing.

SR: Sounds like a tough life. Thanks, I gotta bail back to my crappy office job Axel: I might have to some day (work in an office) but for now I am trying to push that off.

Ready to charge! Much thanks to Axel for letting take some pictures from his websight, since, uhh we don't have a budget to go to Alaska...yet

Beauty and sickness in Alaska

From an old magazine shoot

From a Transworld interview, I believe

Whoa wait a surfing photo? Thats right Axel is an avid surfer as this photo of surfing in Hawaii shows, no wait, Alaska. All photos above were taken with permission from Axels website

Photo taken by Axel and stolen by me from www.linesthefilm.com, so go look at the teaser!

Not a has been - still charging. Once snowboardin is in your blood, you are a lifer. Posers come and go, the true ones keep going