Chanelle Sladics featured on Snow Faction
Interview with Chanelle Sladics – Snowboarder, Surfer, and Skater
Posted by Bryan Cassidy On May – 17 – 2009
If you watched or kept up with results from Winter X Games 13, you probably already know her based on her podium finish. For those of you that don’t know her, let me introduce her. Chanelle Sladics was born on November 17th 1984 and raised in Newport Beach, CA. Started her snowboarding career hitting up Bear and Mammoth on the weekends and is now competing at the professional level with sponsors such as Neff Headwear. On top of all of that, she also skates and surfs and has a very friendly personality.
Update: I’ve also added Chanelle’s other sponsors; Jones Soda, Oakley, Omatic Snowboards, Kicker, Flux Bindings, Capix, and Breckenridge Resorts. So check them out as well!
Snow Faction: Well, first of all, congratulations on placing 1st at the Nissan X-Trail Asian Open and third at Winter X Games 13 in slopestyle events this season. What are your thoughts on how you placed this season compared to prior seasons?
Chanelle Sladics: I am really excited looking back at this season. I had a lot of personal break through riding this year, and more than anything I just really focused on having fun, and being grateful for all my opportunities. At the beginning of the season I decided to focus solely on contests, and I knew I would getting much more riding in, and time to learn new tricks! More than anything I had a blast riding with my besties, expanded my riding, and attracted great results! It was a great season, with much to celebrate.
Snow Faction: Now that most of the major slopestyle competitions are over for this season, are there any specific snowboard trips, movie filming, or competitions that you are looking really forward to in the 2009-2010 season?
Chanelle Sladics: I am currently in Hawaii rehabbing my hip, and knee that I tweaked. I could have pushed through and rehab and rode, but all the major contests were done, and I wanted to allow my body to get back to 100 percent. I’ll be going to Whistler for camp of champs end of June, and NZ in August. I will be competing in the NZ Open, and hopefully getting some heli-boarding in too! Come December 2009 the Winter Dew Tour will be kicking off back in Breckenridge, CO and it will be awesome!
Snow Faction: How would you describe a perfect day of snowboarding?
Chanelle Sladics: For me it could be a crisp sunny day of pow with good friends, creative lines of follow-the-leader and good tunes. Or it could be a semi-uncrowded groomers day in the park, learning new tricks, listening to new tunes…toped off with cruisey carve runs as the sun goes down, again probably playing follow-the-leader. I love games, and I’m really competitive, so I love integrating that into my riding days. But riding any day with my close friends, will kick ass!
Snow Faction: What is your favorite mountain or resort?
Chanelle Sladics: This is easy! Breckenridge, CO! And that not because I ride for them, its because they have the best manicured and maintained park in the world in my opinion! The people there just generally love to ride, and live in that cute mountain town. At the rare time that I’m cruising town at 6:30am, there are people biking in 5 degree weather with there dogs, and skis attached to their backpacks. They ride to the hill and hike the mountain to ski down with their dogs before the mountain opens. So excited to take on the day on, with such appreciation for nature!
Snow Faction: What is the best nickname that you’ve been given by family, friends, or the media?
Chanelle Sladics: I have a couple; channel, chanel number 5, chaniequa, and shaunkia are the most common.
Snow Faction: So it’s a weekend and there are no major competitions ahead of you. Are you the type to always be out with friends or do you enjoy some peace and quiet?
Chanelle Sladics: Both! If I had to be categorized with a label, “urban hippie” would fit best. Its really important to me to stay grounded and connected to nature through yoga, eating consciously, meditation, and gratitude! But if you know me, you know I love to dance and celebrate life! My love for the dance floor has inspired my to learn how to DJ, so check back in a couple years…My ideal goal would to live sustainably, enjoying the amenities of the 21st century.
Snow Faction: What are your plans for spring and summer (of 2009); any surfing, skating, or vacation trips?
Chanelle Sladics: Like I said, I am currently I am on the North Shore of Oahu, catching the last bit of swell, diving, yoga, and getting my sky diving license too actually. Rochelle Ballard and I co-produced a yoga DVD called “Surf into Yoga” launching May 1st, 2009. Check out SurfintoYoga.com for more info. We had our first premier a few weeks ago in downtown Honolulu. I also have some other surf and snowboard trips planned, and I am going to a film workshop to study independent film-making. We will be re-sheeting the mini-ramp the we built at my house last summer, so I cant wait to get the sessions rolling again. I just expanded my veggie garden, and am currently growing about 28 different types of veggies and herbs, so I am excited to be home for a bit and enjoy the beach, time with my dog, Gidget, and work on designs for 2011 products with my sponsors.
Snow Faction: Did you have any crazy/weird jobs prior to going professional or during your professional career as a snowboarder?
Chanelle Sladics: I am very fortunate to have only worked at Abercrombie and Fitch for about 6 months. I was originally going to UCSB, but had some riding opportunities that came up, so I deferred for a year, and my parents supported me for one season to follow my dreams, and try to go pro. Fortunately, I made it, otherwise I had to go back to school the following year!
Snow Faction: For those younger girls out there who look to you as a role model, what advice do you have for them about becoming a professional snowboarder?
Chanelle Sladics: Don’t ride to “get sponsored”, ride because you love it, and you crave to get better. If you are riding well, and have a good attitude you will attract everything you desire.
Snow Faction: Any parting words for the readers out there?
Chanelle Sladics: Dream big, laugh hard, breath, and celebrate often!
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Source: snowfaction.com