Dave Amirault, aka “Digi Dave” was a visionary in the ski industry at a time the industry really needed it. Dave got into skiing around the time that websites had digital counters on them and by merging his affinity for tech and sliding on snow, Dave created a snow focused career that took him from Sunday River to Freeskier Magazine, to Aspen, to Sierra, and finally, to Snowbird. On the podcast, we stay away from a lot of the nerd stuff Dave is known for and ask the question, did “coming out” force him out of his most successful position in skiing?
Dave Amirault Show Notes:
3:30: Screwing me over, growing up in Rhode Island, and skiing
9:00: Taking apart the computer, the AOL days, HS life, and getting a gig at Sunday River and Wachusett
14:00: College social life, traveling for skiing and meeting his heroes
16:00: Contributing, digital innovators in skiing, getting a job at Freeskier, and the burnout level at a job like that
23:00: Stanley: Get 30% off site wide with the code drinkfast
Peter Glenn Ski and Sports: Over 60 years of getting you out there
10 Barrel Brewery: Buy their beers, they support action sports more than anyone
26:00: Building out micro sites for brand promotions, how he gets to Aspen, the Aspen life, and going to Sierra at Tahoe.
43:00: Alpine Vans: Upgrade your adventure, Upgrade your life
Elan Skis: Over 75 years of innovation that makes you better
45:00: Laying people off, getting laid off, what he learned at Sierra, and taking a dream job at Snowbird
50:00: His Rideshare app and his award-winning 1-Star marketing campaign,
58:00: Coming out on the internet, what happens after he hits send, the internet assholes are out for them, ultimately, losing his job for no reason, and his advice for others in the closet in the industry
75:00: Inappropriate Questions with Taylor Pratt, Mike Rogge, and his siblings
Josh Dueck is an inspiration. A working-class kid from Kimberley, BC, Josh took skiing as far as he could afford to before becoming a coach. His coaching career was cut short due to a life-altering injury that put him in a wheelchair and eventually on Paralympic Podiums. It’s a heavy story, and I ask all the questions that people want the answers to, but were afraid to ask.
Josh Dueck Show Notes:
3:30: Chef De Mission, Kimberley, BC, and getting into skiing on his own via a paper airplane contest
11:00: His crew on the freestyle team, his face piercings and look, partying, and the BC Team
14:00: The end of moguls, coaching, working with the future of skiing, and making them better
21:00: Stanley: Get 30% off site wide with the code drinkfast
Peter Glenn Ski and Sports: Over 60 years of getting you out there
10 Barrel Brewery: Buy their beers, they support action sports more than anyone
23:30: Jumps, and how he injured himself, how it impacted Woody, and the immediate aftermath
29:00: Finding out he will never walk again, the pain, the support of his parents and Lacy, other people’s reactions to the injury, and going to the BC Championships 3 weeks after surgery
39:30: Alpine Vans: Upgrade your adventure, Upgrade your life
Elan Skis: Over 75 years of innovation that makes you better
41:00: Everything you were afraid to ask about paralysis, his arms are his legs, retrofitting or not, and the expense of it all
50:00: Getting back into the mountains, getting into racing, crashing, and being humbled on the World Cup circuit
57:00: Paralympics in Whistler, the Paralympic hangover, X-Games and Tom Morello
67:00: The Freedom Chair movie, the backflip, going on Ellen and airing over Abma
72:00: Sochi infrastructure, winning the gold and partying with the Austrians
75:00: Inappropriate Questions with Roy Tuscany
Birk Irving got his first ski sponsorship at 7 years old and has never looked back. While he was the small kid throwing 540’s at 7, he’s matured and grown into one of the best halfpipe skiers in the world. On the podcast, we talk about his Academy Award winning grandfather, his upbringing in Winter Park, getting signed really young, making the US Team, the X-Games, Olympics and so much more. Torin Yater-Wallace asks the Inappropriate Questions.
Birk Irving Show Notes:
3:30: The last Olympic qualifier, Covid, and 2021 X-Games
11:00: John Irving, his parents, growing up at Winter Park, and 360’s and 540’s at 5 years old
20:3 0: Stanley: Get 30% off site wide with the code drinkfast
Peter Glenn Ski and Sports: Over 60 years of getting you out there
10 Barrel Brewery: Buy their beers, they support action sports more than anyone
22:30: Getting on K2 at 7, no pressure from anyone, and being the little guy
37:30: Smith, Red Bull, broken leg in 2013, focusing on becoming a pro skier over anything, winning the Junior Olympics on a broken leg, and making the US Team
40:00: Alpine Vans: Upgrade your adventure, Upgrade your life
Elan Skis: Over 75 years of innovation that makes you better
42:00: Perks of the US Team, getting invited to his first X-Games, and being the annoying grom
48:00: Making the US Team is the hardest part, the Deviate crew and filming
54:00: Inappropriate Questions with Torin Yater-Wallace
Mark Abma isn’t your typical pro skier. If you break him down, he’s part elite athlete, part farm boy, part hippy, part businessman and part dreamer with a work ethic that puts most people to shame. On part 2 of his podcast, we talk about all his different parts, money, sponsors, adrenal fatigue, video parts and a whole lot more.
Mark Abma Show Notes:
3:30: Early filming with PBP, the end of competition, why he left K2, and getting on Salomon and Helly Hanson
11:00: The shift to attainable skiing, Eric Hjorleifson, money, sponsors, negotiating, what happened to Salomon, and investments
19:00: Stanley: Get 30% off site wide with the code drinkfast
Peter Glenn Ski and Sports: Over 60 years of getting you out there
10 Barrel Brewery: Buy their beers, they support action sports more than anyone
21:30: His Squamish property, island property with Chris Turpin, and his unique Tofino development
32:00: Being ahead of the curve with his Biodiesel vehicle, yoga, and breath work.
40:30: Alpine Vans: Upgrade your adventure, Upgrade your life
Elan Skis: Over 75 years of innovation that makes you better
42:30: Being an early adopter of hydrotherapy, The Powder Awards, and achieving his goals at 24
47:00: Putting out six parts over 2 years, adrenal fatigue, finding balance, and his darkest video project The Masquerade
52:30: How his video parts come out, music selection, getting almost 100 stitches to his face, and the intimidation and experience of Alaska
63:30: Inappropriate Questions with Josh Dueck
Mark Abma isn’t your typical pro skier. If you break him down, he’s part elite athlete, part farm boy, part hippy, part businessman and part dreamer with a work ethic that puts most people to shame. On part one of his podcast, we talk about the journey from his dad’s welding shop, to the Hemlock Valley Freestyle Team, to the BC Freestyle Team, to the X -Games, to the big mountains, to the big screen and beyond. Abma is a legend, and his story will surprise you.
Mark Abma Show Notes:
3:30: Being the young guy on the Yearbook and Focused shoots, mentoring the young guys today, and other guys who teach him about the backcountry
11:00: Sid sized life, work ethic, what else did he do, skiing at 10, and inspirations
16:30: Freestyle team at Hemlock Valley, getting into the side country, and not being a great skier form the get go
22:00: Stanley: Get 30% off site wide with the code drinkfast
Peter Glenn Ski and Sports: Over 60 years of getting you out there
10 Barrel Brewery: Buy their beers, they support action sports more than anyone
24:30: Traveling for moguls, how is he doing, almost freezing to death, and getting on the BC Freestyle Team
30:00: Rex Thomas and other bodybuilding skiers, are the Olympics the dream, seeing the new school of skiing for the first time, and getting into the competitive circuit.
33:00: What sucks about moguls, declining spot on the Canadian National Team, seeing the path in the park and pipe, and doubters
35:00: Sid sized goals, struggling with odd jobs, local contests, ski cross, Fisher skis and early Japan trips with Pollard and Mike Nick
41:30: Alpine Vans: Upgrade your adventure, Upgrade your life
Elan Skis: Over 75 years of innovation that makes you better
43:30: What Anthony Borownowski did for his career: Superpark, shooting with TGR, shooting with MSP, meeting K2 and paying his rent
47:00: His joke of a Frankensled, high speed crashed on his sled, longlining his sled out of the BC, and not being comfortable with self-promotion
53:00: Smith, Sessions, the US Open, X Games, being star struck, and finally being accepted by the cool kids
58:30: Inappropriate Questions with Chris Turpin