Behind The Feature: The Terje Haakonsen Interview

Before I set out to Oslo, Norway for the Arctic Challenge, I was bracing myself for what would assuredly be the most important, and biggest interview I would do in snowboarding. Terje Haakonsen has been THE largest figure in snowboarding. Not just according to the other most important figures in snowboarding (if you have been hidden away lately, Terje was voted most influential rider for the last 20 years by the biggest names in our sport), but to the readers, riders, fans and groms. I knew I had a duty to fulfill for any and all literate and active snowboarders. I did not want to blow it. Oh, and this being my 17th year snowboarding, the guy has kind of been my hero in this world of snowsport.

Upon arrival in Oslo I bumped into many friends from other media outlets—Transworld, Future, Snowboard Canada all the way to the NY Times. It is one of the most widely covered and respected events in snowboarding due to the proprietor’s virtuous intentions. Terje wants snowboarding to progress in a healthy direction not only for the athletes but the image of our sport as well. These virtues are a good portion of why we felt this interview was well-deserved. Very well-deserved, and very difficult to get. Everyone pulling for this interview to happen kept reminding me how hard it would be. Nearly impossible. Like drawing blood from a stone. The good thing for us was that Terje wanted this interview. It had been 11 years since his last one in SNOWBOARDER, and a lot had happened.

I went to inspect the quarterpipe with hometown friend Pat Moore, who would soon be giving Terje a run for his money on the height-o-meter. Pat chuckled at the monstrosity of the beast. There was more scaffolding than a reggae fest in Colorado, and it’s tough to say, but I think the riders got higher on this stage than the rastafaces in hippieville. The first day of practice was gray, and not all of the riders had shown up yet. Never before had I seen such a safe and professional event. That is, since the world quarters had been retired from Waterville Valley. The riders were warming up. Getting their legs ready for the next day, which would be the highest air contest. I arrived late, for Tracy Anderson from Future and myself decided it would be wisest to ride from our hotel to the quarterpipe. The thing is, we didn’t really know where we were going. Dog paths, gardens, front yards, construction sites, gas stations, 2 hours and a 40-dollar cab ride later we arrive. Just in time to eat lunch.

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The next morning was Friday; the sun broke through the clouds, and the quarterpipe shined like sweaty diamonds and welding sparks. It was flawless. Everyone was killing it. Jake Blauvelt, Kevin Pearce, Pat Moore, last year’s winner Henning Marthinsen, Dustin Craven and Italy’s Manuel Pietropoli to name a portion; but Terje was immediately the one to watch. The charge every attempt was visible through sheer height. Terje Haakonsen, sooner than not, drew everyone to their feet in shock/awe/surprise/joy/amazement. It was declared as 9.8 meters, 32 feet. A backside 360 for sh* t’s sake! In my opinion, they should not have decided so quickly that it was 9.8 meters. There is a margin for error, and 9.8 meters... come on now! 10 METERS!!! The man deserves it! To watch Terje’s progression that day, CLICK HERE!!! Matty Swanson, a friend of mine at Oakley whose hands were deeply rooted in the organization of TAC had been setting up times and places for the big interview, but I hadn’t yet been able to sit and trade more than a couple words with Haakon. That night it was solidified. The interview would take place the following morning. I swallowed hard many a times that evening.

Saturday came quickly. Not only was it the day of the interview, but it was the day after Terje broke the world record as well as the day of the main event. I had notes and film and tapes and cameras abound—making sure that no memory would escape uncaptured. I had also packed my first freestyle snowboard for good measure. It was dubbed “The Sword Board.” Terje’s first pro model. It withstood the test of time, and now would meet its maker. Not in the human sense, but in the inanimate sense. “Korn,” Terje’s restaurant wasn’t open yet. It was too early in the AM. Matty Swanson drove me down for the sit-down. Me and my sword board. And all my devices. I poked around the groceries section of Korn, trying to find something that I could grip in order to begin the communication process. There must be some commonality besides snowboarding to grip onto. Ooooh yes! Dr. Bronner’s Castille soap. It’s magical and I have used it since I was a child. I will talk about this. Then maybe something about how just 20 something hours earlier he was staring down at the lip of a quarterpipe from 32 feet above. And so it went… I was more nervous than I had been in ages, but it ended. We wrapped it up for the time being. With a few mintues too many spent talking, we already were rushed. I was not too cool, too old, or too professional to unveil my old snowboard. Terje seemed pretty pumped that I had brought this all the way out as a good luck charm. He even entertained the notion of mounting it up for a couple runs. Within my ‘must bring items’ pocket was a gold paint marker. He swooshed away on the topsheet what I take to be: “Terje Haakonsen ‘07”. Damn. Some things you never grow out of.

From there we went to the main event. In attendance were the prince and princess of Norway with their kids. They wanted to see a show, and a show they saw. They witnessed tricks aplenty, and the near record breaker by Jake Blauvelt, who soared a threatening 9.4 meters out of the qp.

The night was filled with party, and I had been given the green light to join Jake Blauvelt, Kevin Pearce (Winner of TAC) and Terje on a fjord-hopping adventure over the course of the next week. The interview of a lifetime just got drawn out and further from the realm of sanity. Check back soon for those tales of the Norse Country from the week that proceeded the Arctic Challenge.

You must pick up the September issue of Snowboarder to read what Terje Haakonsen has to say.

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