Als wir Claudia Avon fragte was das Backcountry fahren so speziell für sie macht, antwortete sie uns mit: FREEDOM! Claudia hat sich über Jahre hinweg genauestens damit befasst was die Natur von sich gibt, welche Rolle das Wetter und die Leute dabei spielen und vieles mehr zu verschiedensten Schnee Situationen. Dieses CHIXX liebt es da draußen zu sein, mit ihrem Sled neues Terrain zu erkunden und ihre Lines in perfekte Hänge zu ziehen. Dabei erzählt sie uns mehr was wirklich dahinter steckt und welche Hürden sie heute noch geht. Es ist uns eine Große Freude euch dieses talentierte und beeindruckende CHIXX vorzustellen – Let`s get to know Claudia Avon!

Hi Claudia how are you and where are you at the moment?

Hi!   I’m good thank you. I’m currently drinking a nice coffee at home, in Whistler, BC. I have torn my MCL last week just before an organized trip next week. I’m a bit nervous because its been organized for months. But could be worst, I’m working hard to get strong again quick. Should be able to make it!

We know you as a rad backcountry CHIXX how would you describe yourself in 5 words?

Well first off thank you! It’s very flattering to hear. WOW It’s a tough question.

-I think what brought me to this point right now would be stubbornness! Haha I’m a very stubborn person, I’m not sure it’s a quality though. Haha

-Determinate. No matter the goals you want to reach, you’ll always hit roadblocks. That’s just life. Either related to business, sponsorships, projects, evolution, injuries, etc. You need determination to keep going. You need to really make sure of what you want and why you want it.

-Knowledgeable. I spent years learning how to read terrain and asset it. Riding backcountry is a constant evolution. You learn something new every day. When I do something I put all my energy into it to do it properly. The backcountry Is a place I highly respect and you need a lot of knowledge to be able to do it right. I still have so much to learn.

-Passionate. I absolutely love snowboarding. For me it’s not just a sport it’s a lifestyle. All my life choices are revolving around it.

-Authentic. It’s important to know who you are, be authentic and real to yourself and others. It doesn’t always play in my favor, but I’m real with everything I do and everyone I know. I never “pretend”.

You grew up in Montreal but now you call Whistler your home, how did everything started with Snowboarding and why Whistler?

Well I have a different path on this one than most people. I started snowboarding when I was 21 years old. As a kid I used to snowboard here and there at times, but I used to be a ski racer for most of my life. I started skiing when I was 2 and kept going on high competitive levels till I was 20 years old. I was also doing my degree in business management at the time. I was sick of rules, discipline and regulations. I felt trapped and wasn’t happy anymore. So after finishing my degree I confronted myself and asked that one simple question. What would make me happy again? The first answer that came to mind was snowboarding. So I packed up my things and went to Whistler to ride the glacier that summer. I never left and now call Whistler home after 9 years!

What makes Snowboarding so damn special to you?

Freedom! The unknown, the adventure. I love to step out of my comfort zone and scare myself. I love to explore, see new terrain and get creative on how to ride it. Riding backcountry is almost art to me. There’s so many different ways to look and ride natural terrain. You can get really creative and that’s what I really love about it.

Taylor and yourself are talking a lot about the struggles in the FINGERS CORSSED Episodes, what`s your biggest struggle?

My biggest struggle is to push my evolution within the sport. Riding backcountry comes with a lot of constraints. It’s not something you can do every day. There’s a lot that goes into it. Weather and snow stability are one thing. You also need a solid crew and knowledgeable people who could potentially save your life if something goes wrong. A lack of support and budget is also a big struggle for me. It’s not cheap to bring a filmer out in the backcountry. I’m starting to get more and more experience and most of what I did wasn’t filmed due to a lack of budget. My ideal would be to ride everyday, but it’s impossible.   I have goals and ideas of where I want my riding to go and my biggest struggle is to get to those places and have the people with same mindset to ride with. I want to push so much more and unfortunately I’m hitting so many roadblocks slowing down my evolution. Finding a crew, get support, budget, etc.

It was refreshing to realize a project with a hard worker female athlete like Taylor Godber. We pushed each other in so many ways and I’m really proud of what we accomplished together. It was a great Journey.

Having your own sled is a big dream for lot`s of ladies out here, what does it means to you to be able to explore the terrain in such a great way?

Not to be a Debbie downer but Sledding is not something you pick up over night. It’s one of the hardest things I had to learn in my life. You need to work hard and be very patient to be able to finally access the gnarly terrain you have in mind to ride. It took me several years to be able to get comfortable and good enough to get to places like AK, for example. Things can go wrong so quick. Mother nature slapped me on the wrist so many times! Haha Having worked so hard, now having that experience and knowledge, I get to truly appreciate and enjoy the process. It’s very rewarding to now be able to get to the places I go and I’m very grateful for it.

Your best experience out in nature so far?

My trip to AK last winter is definitely an experience of a lifetime. I will make sure it happens again! Taylor and I are discussing on going again this year.

What was the inspiration of FINGERS CROSSED and do we see more of you both?

The inspiration for the project was to share our passion for the sport with others and get out of our comfort zone. Also the main idea was to inspire people to go after their goals and live their dreams.

Taylor and I have been through a lot last season and we developed a great friendship and have a lot of respect for each other. Not sure where and when, but you’ll definitely see more of us both very soon!

Do you have a hint for the CHIXXS out there?

Of course! Don’t let anyone discourage you EVER. If you don’t like something change it. You’re in control of your life and also in charge of making it great! Go after your dreams!!

Thanks for your time, we wish you a save and lovely rest of the season!