DANNY KASS
At the dawn of the new millennium, a virus was released on snowboarding, and unlike the Y2K bug, Danny Kass really did f**k things up. New Jersey is an unlikely place for a winter sport icon to emerge, but nonetheless, Danny Kass was indeed spawned from the slopes of Vernon Valley. Like everything else from Jersey, Danny is crass, has a unique sense of style, and, above all else, has an aptitude to go about doing things his own way without apology.
Home Mountain: Mammoth Mountain, CA
Sponsors: Grenade, GNU, Oakley, Nike, Monster, Protec , Boost Mobile
Board: DK Dirty Habits 153
Regular or Goofy: Regular
Boot: Nike Zoom Force
Binding: SP Danny Kass
Career Video Credits: Smell the Glove, TPS #4 , Standard Films Catch the Vapors
Career Contest Results: 4 US open titles, 2 silver medals in the Olympics, 7 X Games medals I think?
Who do you feel is the most influential rider of the last 20 years? Why?
Terje because he has been killing it for so long, showing everyone that style and big airs are what it is all about. And he isn’t done yet ……(he’s still) setting world records on quaterpipes and always boosting his classic method.
When did you start riding?
I started riding in 1993/94 in New Jersey.
What was the highlight of your career?
US Opens (four championships) and 2002 and 2006 Olympics (silver medals)
Most memorable session?
2001 artic challenge doing double lines with Terje in a 20ft hand-cut halfpipe
When did you realize that snowboarding wasn’t just a fad?
I never thought of it as a fad. It was always about fun and now it is (about) business.
What is your take on snowboarding and how far it has come? Did you ever think it would progress to the level it has?
The level of snowboarding is crazy. It has progressed so fast in the last 5 years. Every year, new tricks become standard and people are pushing the limits of gravity and the human body.
Where are your favorite places to snowboard?
My favorite place to ride is June Mountain, CA.
Which photographers captured your riding best?
Tim Zimmerman.
Favorite filmmaker to work with?
I have made a bunch of videos but this year and have filmed with Standard and their program is tight doggy. Traveling with Mads and Lando (Mark Landvik) right now. Hard to beat this.
Which product innovation had the largest impact on our sport?
The product innovation would have to the twin tip snowboard. I started riding just as they were coming out, but before that there were so many funny shapes that looked pretty restricting to say the least.
Are the values that our sport was founded on still apparent in the riders today?
Today, there are so many different styles of snowboarding but I can say that most people embody the “we don’t give a fu*k attitude,” as some of the early founders did. The people who take it too serious or sporty don’t have as much fun as the true shredders and the originators did.
What do you feel is your legacy in the snowboard world?
I am not trying to leave a legacy, but If I were, it would be not to limit your riding. Take chances, embrace your own style and push it to the limit.
If you could change one thing about snowboarding today what would it be?
I would change the title to shredding. Yeah, snow shredding. And I would have it snow more and everywhere
Who is the unsung hero of snowboarding that people should celebrate?
I think people should celebrate Tommen Bjerknes. He is the founder of freestyle snowboarding in Norway and is responsible for guiding the greats in the backcountry terrain. Jamie Lynn, Terje (Haakonsen), and us last week. We love you Tommen.
What has snowboarding taught you?
It has taught me to be open to the world around me, and has opened up many different cultures and lifestyles, and it has taught me the meaning of life but you have to find that one out for yourself
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