J.P. WALKER INTERVIEW

J.P. WALKER IS A RIDER WHO HAS CONSTANTLY DEFIED WHAT'S EXPECTED OF HIM. EASILY THE SPORT'S MOST WIDELY RECOGNIZED AND SKILLED RIDER, J.P. HAS CHOSEN TO FOCUS 99 PERCENT OF HIS EFFORTS ON THE ACTUAL RIDING-ON DEVELOPING HIS OWN ABILITY TO SNOWBOARD BETTER. ALONG THE WAY, A LEGEND WAS BORN. WHILE J.P. CONTINUALLY WORKS ON HONING HIS SKILLS, WE ALL WATCH FROM THE SIDELINES. WE ONLY GET THE REMAINING 1 PERCENT OF J.P.-WE KNOW HOW HE RIDES, WHAT HE LOOKS LIKE, WHAT HE DRIVES, AND HOW MANY KIDS OUT THERE BITE HIS STYLE. BUT LIKE ALL OF SNOWBOARDING'S LEGENDARY RIDERS, WE REALLY HAVE NO IDEA WHO J.P. IS. AND THAT'S FINE. WHAT MATTERS MOST TO J.P. IS THE RIDING.

AT THIS POINT IN HIS CAREER, IS HE SLACKING? IS HE READY FOR THE PERMANENT VACATION TO BEGIN? DOES HE THINK SNOWBOARDING OWES HIM? NO.

J.P. IS STILL OUT THERE TAKING A BEATING AND PUSHING SNOWBOARDING INTO THE FUTURE-FOR THE FUN OF IT.

SNOWBOARDER: What should the title "Pro Snowboarder" really mean in 2005?

J.P. Walker: That you are a sick rider. That you can ride all kinds of terrain with good style-rails, powder, and pipe. You move product. You have an image that sells. No one-hit wonders. I think there are too many "pros."

SNOWBOARDER: What or who is leading the progression of snowboarding?

J.P. Walker: There are only a few people who are really charging it consistently every year. I think videos themselves are one of the main things leading the progression. Everyone wants to make or be in the sickest video. It's forcing people to try to find the bigger rail or bigger jump or try to come up with new ideas. It's like videos are the new contests.

At the same time, some videos are slowing the progress because the riders just want to chill and ride more for fun, which is totally fine, it's just generally not as progressive.

SNOWBOARDER: What is holding back the progression most right now?

J.P. Walker: It's easy for people to get stuck in their ways. Almost like they're just going through the motions of being a pro. You can get too comfortable in your own scene. It's hard to push yourself all the time after you've made it to a certain level. That level is different for every person. That, along with the simple fact of being scared or getting broken off.

SNOWBOARDER: Do you ever stand at the top of a jump or rail and just KNOW you're about to eat sh-t? Do you still drop?

J.P. Walker: No way. In the back of your mind you know that could happen, but you can't be dropping if you know you're going down. You need to be at least 51 percent sure you can make it. I will say that I have seen lots of people drop when I knew they weren't going to make it. Ha-ha … is that mean?

SNOWBOARDER: Are you ever disappointed with snowboarding?

J.P. Walker: I don't like seeing people getting put on that haven't done anything in snowboarding; getting a free ride because of who they know or because they're fun to hang out with. Intermediate photos and videos coming out-of stuff that was done years ago-that doesn't stoke me out. I think it's a group effort. A rider doesn't have control over which photos get sent to mags or what gets run. Just as a rider has the responsibility to do something right, the photog or filmer has the responsibility not to send a wack photo to a mag or company simply for cash. Like a rail shot that looks like the guy is falling off the rail, or video shot where the rider doesn't even come off the end of the rail. Just B-grade stuff-no one needs to see that.

SNOWBOARDER: What are the challenges of living up to the expectations of snowboard fans-or even last year's video segment?

J.P. Walker: Just living up to your own expectations is a pretty hard thing, not even counting what others expect of you. I always feel like I need to one-up my video parts every year. I want to give the kids something that they'll be stoked on, as well as I, too. Every year I see my part and I think about how hard it was to put it together and I wonder how I'm going to out-do it for next year. It's like knowing you could probably do a seven off a jump but there is a chance you could go nine instead …

Every shot is a production. For example, a typical rail shot would be: flying out to the East Coast-redeye flight, rent a van, drive around the city all day scanning for rails, going back at 2 in the morning and digging out stairs. Setting up lights, cameras, and a runway for an hour or two, then finally, riding. Hopefully you will get something before the cops come, and hopefully it makes it into the video.

A typical backcountry shot would be: wake up at 5 a.m.-depending on where you're going, gas up your sled, drive to the mountain anywhere from a half-hour to two hours, launch your sled, and cruise up the mountain for a little bit; checking out the snow and building a jump for a few hours, hope the weather stays good and hopefully get a shot that makes it into a video. The total process is a challenge.

In the wintertime, forcing myself out of bed every morning through the sore muscles and pain is pretty hard. Pushing yourself all the time with all those factors involved is hardcore. I guess I like it though.

SNOWBOARDER: It seems like you've done all there is to do. What goals remain for you within snowboarding?

J.P. Walker: I have some goals in snowboarding, fo' sho'. I think about what hasn't been done and what can be done. I don't want to say anything because the only way to know is to try. I love snowboarding and I think there is a lot more room for progression.

SNOWBOARDER: What about your interests outside of riding?

J.P. Walker: Surfing is definitely up there. I'm stoked on it because you can't really get hurt like you do in snowboarding. Skating is there, too. On a more business tip, I've been working with a management company called Infamous Management Inc. It's an agency for athletes run by athletes. They call me a scout-apparently I have a good eye for talent, I find that a compliment.