Do I need to introduce Terje?  He is a world champion snowboarder.  The world record holder for biggest snowboard air.  He’s had numerous movie parts.  He is a rider advocate and activist.  He’s one of the most influential snowboarders of all time.  From the beginning, he’s been on a mission to keep snowboarding pure and core and keep the riders central to the sport.  And now, he’s got something to say about snowskating:

How did you first get involved with snowskating?
I’m not sure what year Burton made their first ones, but I remember liking it.  I never gave it much thought or time, though. Then, I saw the northwest clan putting out a few vids.  The snowskates had gotten bigger and a little easier to jump on.  I live in Oslo, and we’ve got hills not mountains.  It’s not really a stoke to ride the hills on a snowboard when you are spoiled with mountains. Ha Ha. So, when my kids wanted to shred, I began using a snowskate.  It makes the hills so much more rad!  Small hills are fun again.  I think it’s closer to surfing.

What is the most impressive snowskate trick you’ve seen?
Ha Ha. I don’t know, but if you check out Youtube, there are some pretty cool vids there. Some are hella sick.  It makes urban snowboarding look like fruitbooting. I like rails, and there is hella gnarly shit done in the streets, but it’s just easy to rail and ollie with bindings, especially when they make kickers up to the rails.  Hitting rails on a snowskate is just on a different level of gnarliness.

You met up with Ralston owner Danny Sheehan last spring. What is your relationship with Ralston Snowskates?
Ralston boards have got POP.  I haven’t tried any other snowskate that had that. Making it possible to ollie is everything. Danny is true mechanic. His home shop is impressive.

What are your thoughts on how to progress the sport and people’s perception of it?
I’ve got no thoughts about this. I’m just doing. The gear will slowly get better.  People will try it and understand that it’s hella tech, fun, and surfy. Just bringing it in the back yard where you don’t need a lift ticket, or taking the kids between the legs, or sledding on it – it’s all good! It’s simple, and it gives you challenges without flying 100 feet or dropping 10 meter cliffs.

What are your thoughts on some sort of Snowskate Commission which would act as a voice for snowskaters? Is it needed? Or, is it overkill?
I guess when people see money involved in sport, all kinds of dudes come out trying to get something out of it, that’s the downside of it – look at snowboarding.  But, there is good stuff about that, too. I’m sure it will come.

In your opinion, any chance of snowskating becoming an Olympic sport?
Why the fuck do people think the Olympics are the shit? It’s a bunch of old men making millions on sports without going to an event or  the mountain themselves – corrupt and so old school.  Nationalism is not my thing. I could write a book about things they do wrong for their own benefit. It creates an environment where, fundamentally everyone agrees, but they get so wrapped up in thinking about fame and fortune, that they lose the real spirit of the sport.  Then, it’s like a snowball effect, everyone starts joining in and getting consumed in the money aspect.  They are smart, though, fooling people and countries for so many years now.

Is the rumor true that you are putting on snowskate competitions in Norway?
True, I like boardercross, but the world-cup of boardercross just ruined the format. They made shitty race courses – not tech courses. So, it turned into this race for ex-hardboot guys and guys over six feet. Ha Ha. None of the freestyle riders wanted to keep doing it. Courses were taxing guys so hard, too. So, I thought it would be easier and more tech to make a SKATERcross. We’ve had two so far. Still smalltime, but good! We are trying to put the third one up before New Year’s. We call it the world championship, but just for shits and giggles.