Name: Keegan Valaika
DOB: 9-27-89
Home Town: the oc fool
Current Location: Salt Lake City, Utah
GEAR:
What is the most important piece of your snowboarding setup and why?
my bindings, because there all jerry rigged and shit.
Board: Love 152
Boots: Jeremy Jones
Bindings: old school shit.
Gloves: mittens
Goggles: electric eg 1
Jacket: sweatshirt
Pants: khaki's
- Two hands are better than one. Keegan boning it at the Bone Zone.
Why do you find yourself in that current location?
I just moved here so I could live in a place where it actually snows for the winter haha.
How did your parents decide on the name Keegan?
I have no idea. haha. I think my mom had heard it somewhere before and was just hyped on it.
Where did you start riding and how do you feel this helped mold your riding style?
I grew up in Southern California. so I mostly shredded big bear growing up. every once in a while we would go up to mammoth. mainly I just skated when I was at home in Laguna and my dad was really into shredding so every time we would go to the mountains I would get hyped to shred because it was comparable to skating on the snow.
I remember you shredding Mammoth as a grom, killing it..What is the one thing you remember about your younger days of riding?
Just wanting to do every trick I saw in the videos. I would go out and just try shit all day long. sometimes I would get it and sometimes I would just get soo broke off, but I didn't even care cause it was that much fun.
Who did you shred with and who did you look up to?
These days I shred with all the BozWreck homies the most. I look up to Andrew Reynolds because he was able to build a successful skate company off speaking his mind.
Who and what influence you?
Anybody with good style, dudes like Tom Penny, Nate Bozung, Lane Knaack, Harrison Gordon, Nick Trapasso, Van Wastell, I could go on forever.
How are things going in the present moment?
Things are good, Just moved out here to Salt Lake. getting the place all settled. I've Just been skating a bunch, but now it seems that its time to start shredding since there's about 3 feet at Brighton already. We went and shredded yesterday and it definitely felt weird. haha
- Tube launching at Bear mtn during the 2008 etines GVR
What are your plans for this season?
This season I'm gonna be filming for the new VideoGrass movie. I don't think theirs a name for it yet, but its gonna be the shit. I'll probably film some for the Burton movie too, I think their going to try and make a legit part movie this year. And of course BozWreck. BozWreck for life.
What is your ultimate goal as a snowboarder?
Get a video part I'm happy with, and have fun doing it. I don't wanna get all caught up in trying to film a crazy part and forget why I started snowboarding in the first place.
What kind of music are you rocking to?
Everything from Jimi Hendrix to Mac Dre. I've been into a lot of late 60's early 70's music lately.
Where do you see your own progression of snowboarding going in the next few years?
I really don't know. I want to make boots that are really soft so i can do wallies and tucknees and stuff like that. I definitely wanna ride alot more powder and not as many kickers. Just natural stuff like Nicolas.
Have you ever been injured?
Yup. I broke my shoulder and my leg before. Just yesterday I landed on my ribs on this rail and that hurt too. Im really sore today haha.
How do you stay conditioned for the winter?
Pretty much I just skate every day all summer. And if someone wants to send me to New Zealand or Hood that always helps a little bit.
- What better way to show your thanksgiving spirit than with a Roastbeef.
First thing that comes to mind:
Mikey LeBlanc: Knees of steel
McDonalds: beat
Yoga: flexy
Pink Floyd: trippy
Dr Dre: the chronic
Buffalo New york: rails
Absinthe Films: captain stoney
US Open: wack
AK: gnarly
SNOWREV: Joe Carter haha
Would you say that snowboarding is your favorite thing to do?
its a close tie between that and skateboarding.
What is your favorite thing to do when you are not snowboarding?
skateboard, edit footy, or play pool.
What snowboard videos from this season have you seen?
Every single one I think haha.
Riders Choice: Nicolas or Harrison Gordon
Best Snowboarder of all time: too hard.
Best Resort to snowboard at: Big Bear mtn
Best city to snowboard in: Salt Lake, or Quebec
Best country to snowboard in other than the US: europe even though ive never been there.
Favorite Snowboard Company: BozWreck
Best video part ever: Nate Bozung in True Life.
Favorite Snowboard Video: Lame, BozWreck 1 and 2, Love/Hate
Who is the most underrated rider in your opinion?
Harrison Gordon
If you could recommend one rider for us to interview; pro or am, who would it be?
Harrison haha or Jed.
What one question should we ask?
ask how to do cab one to nosepress. cause ive never seen one so buttery as his in "These Days" Or ask Jed how to 5-0.
Thanks Keegan. Who would you like to give a shout out to?
Matty n Nate, Thanks for giving me a chance to film a part. And every body else in the world.
- You can't get a more legit 5-0 than this. Secret wood DFD in the boner zone.