Dave

Rider Profile: Dave Raybould

Dave is both a fellow blogger and shredder. We started talking about progression, confidence, blogging and snowboarding in general around the beginning of 2010. I was impressed by Dave’s attitude toward freestyle progression, and his results, as well as his drive to just go out and become a snowboard instructor…

Name, age, current location, nationality?

David Raybould, 27, currently residing in England, British

How long have you been snowboarding?

I started properly in January 2005. I had a week on snow 6 years prior to this.

How did you get into it?

I skateboarded a lot from the age of 14 and loved it. Snowboarding seemed like the natural progression. I did a few ski trips with school and was pretty inspired by the mountains. As soon as I tried snowboarding I was hooked. I didn’t snowboard again for 6 years, and then booked my self on an 11 week instructors course through Base Camp Group in 2005. So I’d only had a week on snow prior to the course!

Where have you been (resorts)?

I’ve snowboarded:

Val D’isere, France
Northstar, Heavenly, Squaw Valley, Boreal, Mammoth, Alpine meadows, and King Vale in California
Falls Creek, Australia
Kitzbuhel, Westendorf, Steinplatte, St Johann-in-Tirol and Fieberbrunn in Austria

Have you done any seasons?

I’ve done 5 seasons working as an instructor and one season training to be an instructor. So 6 total.

Who do you normally ride with?

I actually ride on my own quite a lot. It’s hard for me to find riders that go at a similar pace. I like charging around.

What do you think of riding in the UK?

The UK scene is pretty tight. Snowdomes are so much fun when they have a terrain park setup + the scene is quite small. I always bump into familiar faces and there’s very little attitude like you get in many places. It hasn’t got too cool in England, yet.

What type of riding do you like to do?

I would consider myself an all-mountain rider. I can ride anything but love shredding park.

What’s your setup, board, bindings, angles etc?

Board: Rome Machine 09/10 154
Boots: Burton Ions 09/10 (so sick)
Bindings: Rome Targa’s 08/09
Angles: +15 – 15 (duck stance all the way)

Do you have any specific goals with snowboarding?

My goal is to be as good as I can be. Maybe if I could get sponsored for boards and gear, that would be pretty rad.

Next season my goals for tricks are:

Back 9′s
Front 9′s
Cab 9′s
Switch back 5′s
Backside rodeo 5′s
Switch back/front flips
I want to improve my overall rail riding too

Any sponsorship?

Not yet.

What’s been your worst slam?

Caught my heel edge on a mogul and fell backwards, I landed on my outstretched right arm. I fractured my radius in the elbow and can’t straighten my right arm anymore. That sucks. But I can still snowboard at least.

Where are you riding next?

My plan is to go to Mayrhofen in Austria. I love Austria.

What’s in the video below?

The videos are from me riding in Austria. One is a top to bottom run with my mate doing follow cam. The other one is a video camera and me wearing a headcam. I hiked the jump about 35 times in one day to get the shots. I got more shots in one day than I have done in my whole time snowboarding.

What do you like best about snowboarding?

Jumping. I hit a 60ft kicker in Westendorf this season and it was possibly the coolest feeling ever, it’s like flying. I had such a big adrenaline rush my hands were shaking for most of the day.

Favourite snowboarding DVD?

Anything by ISenSeven, they make the sickest movies. Probably “Teenage Love Graffiti” is my favourite.

Do you have a website/blog etc?

SimplySnowboard.com. It’s my way of being able to think about snowboarding all day and all night 364 days of the year.

Any shout outs?

I’d like to give a shoutout to anyone that’s ever ridden with me. It’s been a journey over the last few years. Snowboarding has given me everything good in my life.

Anything else?

Nothing I can think of…