On this week's episode of the "Sponsored" podcast, the last of season one, host Mike Powell interviews Rory Silva. If you've been regularly listening to "Sponsored," Silva's name is one that has frequently come up. He was among the top echelon of skiers before a lack of business skills caught up with him. The type 1 diabetic and Mammoth native is now living in Southern Oregon, where he was fulfilling DUI obligations. Show Notes: 2:30: The trials and tribulations of getting a DUI 5:45: Health cho...
May 10, 2017•30 min
On this week's episode of the "Sponsored" podcast, host Mike Powell interviews French Canadian Marc-Andre Belliveau. In 2006, Belliveau was one of the top skiers in the world. He was featured regularly in Teton Gravity Research films for his progressive style. His sister, too, was an Olympic hopeful. One day they were skiing together and she broke her back. "I felt really responsible for my sister when she got hurt," he says. "I remember the phone call to my dad to tell him that she was all fuck...
May 03, 2017•39 min
Mike Hattrup Show Notes 1:30: What is Hatt up to and how has his season been 2:45: Getting a knee replacement 3:40: Growing up Hattrup, sports and getting into skiing 8:00: Filming with Stump and making the US Ski Team 10:00: Blowing his knee for the first time 13:00: Blizzard of Ahhs 15:30: Plake’s legal problems 18:00: How did the movie change his life 20:00: Working in house at K2 22:00: Developing skis and working with Shane McConkey 27:00: Questions from Stump
Apr 25, 2017•31 min
On this episode of the "Sponsored" podcast, Canadian Olympian Matt Margetts joins host Mike Powell. After years pursuing halfpipe competitions, Margetts has joined childhood friends including Riley Leboe, Joe Schuster, and Mike Henitiuk in filming "Seeking Nirvana." The award winning video series—last year it won Best Editing at the 2016 Powder Awards—is a whimsical tribute to creative filming and fun, stylish powder skiing. Transitioning from the stunt ditch to fields of powder has been welcome...
Apr 19, 2017•35 min
On this episode of the "Sponsored" podcast, Kim Reichhelm, one of the original badasses of freesking, joins host Mike Powell. Reicchelm is candid about her upbringing with a stern father and her current rock and roll lifestyle. The veteran ski racer, commentator, two-time World Extreme Ski Champion, and the figurehead of the highly successful "Ski With Kim" camps, Reichhelm discusses how she was made fun of at school, but found herself through sports. "All of my confidence came from sports becau...
Apr 12, 2017•42 min
On this episode of the "Sponsored" podcast, Colston VB talks to host Mike Powell about the struggle to make it as a professional skier. The two discuss Vb's role on Bravo's reality TV show, Timber Creek Lodge, which he was conflicted about appearing on. "Within skiing I really focused on not selling out," he says. "I really focused on staying super core and not doing the cheesy Instagram stuff and not compromising myself and I wanted to be talent first. A part of it was funny and part of it was ...
Apr 05, 2017•30 min
On this episode of the "Sponsored" podcast, Pep Fujas, one of the most influential skiers of the 21st century, joins host Mike Powell. Known for his seminal segment in Session 1242, his role in Nimbus films, and his successful pro models, Fujas, who grew up in a yurt in Oregon without electricity or a phone, is also the father of two young daughters. The two discuss balancing fatherhood and travel and Fujas' influence on skiing, including the pole-less style he helped lead. "Sometimes we'd drop ...
Mar 29, 2017•32 min
"It's hyper awareness. I am like charged particles, and I'm sharing with my surroundings, like part of this rich, interconnected web," he says about his airs. "There is no empty space. So the moment I leave a cliff I'm connected through the air, the trees, the ground, my skis, the wind, and when I land, it's a seamless integration, because I actually never left any connection to that energy level that I'm vibrating with." :55: The 100 footer Julian posted on Insta and the thought process behind ...
Mar 22, 2017•42 min
On this episode of the "Sponsored" podcast, host Mike Powell interviews perennial Freeride World Tour contender and former champion Drew Tabke. Tabke is one of the most outspoken athletes on the tour, and the two discuss how to grow the exposure of what is skiing's most exciting competition and why Tabke returns year after year. "I really do believe in what we're doing," says Tabke. "Sometimes it's epic and sometimes it's not, but it's almost always worthwhile." 1:00: How has your season been so...
Mar 15, 2017•28 min
2:43 Life in Arizona 3:44: Growing up in Pennsylvania wakeboarding and skiing 6:00: The end of team sports 8:32: Killington Mountain School 9:12: Skiing, wakeboarding, and the US Open 12:29: The early challenges for women in the beginning of the modern twin tip era 15:55: The photo shoots that had nothing to do with skiing 18:48: Was she able to make a lot of money skiing? 19:37: Head injuries led to retirement 21:42: ABC’s Superstars and winning it 23:26: The controversy she started with the E-...
Mar 08, 2017•26 min
This week on the "Sponsored" podcast, freeskiing legend Skogen Sprang stops by to talk with host by Mike Powell about his career as a competition and film skier, his style and versatility. "I did look at it as you should be able to ski every aspect of freeskiing," says Sprang. "You should be good at all these things. And I just enjoyed it, too. For me, always the big mountain and powder and backcountry stuff has been the pinnacle goal of being in the mountains, enjoying it, creating cool looking...
Feb 22, 2017•32 min
Over the past 10 years, Elyse Saugstad has been one of the most influential skiers in the sport. In 2008 she won three out of four Freeride World Tour stops and was the overall champion. In 2013, she won Best Female Performance at the 2013 Powder Awards. She continues to produce On this episode of the "Sponsored" podcast, hosted by Mike Powell, Saugstad shares her inspiring story. Saugstad grew up as a downhill racer in Alaska, which she credits with developing her ski style. "You start to get u...
Feb 15, 2017•30 min
On this episode of the "Sponsored" podcast, host Mike Powell interviews Lexi duPont, a Sun Valley, Idaho, native, film skiing regular, and a 17th Annual Powder Awards "Best Female Peformance" nominee. The two discuss growing up the daughter of a K2 Performer mother in Sun Valley—she began ski racing at age 2—and politics. "Now with all the political bullshit that's happening in the States, it's a better time than ever before to stand up to use our voice to give love and educate ourselves on what...
Jan 31, 2017•27 min
Aaron McGovern was known for sending it. Violent crashes were known as "McGoverning." In the bar, he was known for getting wasted and picking fights. McGovern was constantly flirting with "the edge of destruction." Sometimes it worked—he filmed over 20 segments and appeared on 15 magazine covers. And sometimes it didn't—he has a long list of injuries and arrests. Now sober for 10 years and a freeskiing coach at Squaw, McGovern has a newfound joy of coaching, which he says gives him as much happi...
Jan 24, 2017•24 min
Pro skier David Lesh is known for his controversial promo videos. To say he is misunderstood may be an understatement. This week on the "Sponsored" podcast, host Mike Powell has an honest conversation with Lesh about his life story. Lesh talks about growing up in India, English being his third language, blowing a lunch date with President Obama, getting kicked out of school, and his long list of felonies. Lesh even had to remove an ankle bracelet in order to compete in an event in Michigan. "One...
Jan 17, 2017•39 min
One of the original rail skiers, Frank Raymond joins "Sponsored" to discuss all he learned through skiing and what he's up to now. Show Notes 2:30: The real world 4:00: Getting into skiing 6:00: Focusing on skiing 7:00: Quitting racing 9:00: Sponsors 11:00: Movie parts 12:20: JF 15:50: Felix Rioux gets Frank on K2 17:23: Are you making money in skiing? 18:40: Retirement 20:00: How he planned the season out 21:00: Top 3 moments of his pro career 22:44: Maude Raymond 24:27: School 27:00: The benef...
Jan 11, 2017•30 min
Once labeled a ski model, Caroline Gleich is open and honest about all she has done to become a respected ski mountaineer. 1:11: Busy early season 2:00: Getting into skiing in MN 3:40: Small in stature 7:12: Moving to Utah 9:15: Ulmer hired to mentor 10:15: How did you get your first sponsor 12:00: The face of skiing in Utah 14:00: How did she get into climbing? 15:00: 2013: The year of Caroline 15:47: Andrew McLean 16:45: Getting back into climbing with Liz 18:00: Challenges of being small 19:3...
Jan 04, 2017•29 min
On this episode of the "Sponsored" podcast, Karl Fostvedt talks to host Mike Powell about pursuing his dream of being a professional skier at all costs. "I always wanted to be a pro skier. I've always wanted it and have been working for it." Powell talks to Fostvedt about how he finagled his way into a variety of contests, including how he showed up to Cold Rush unannounced. "Cold Rush had this crazy sketchy railroad feature, and nobody wanted to hit it. Pep (Fujas) rolled through and I had noti...
Dec 28, 2016•42 min
Clayton Vila is one of the hardest working and most accomplished street skiers in the world. On this episode of the "Sponsored" podcast, Vila and host Mike Powell discuss how he got into street skiing as a kid from Rhode Island, and the consequences of pursuing creativity over competition. "The K2 team had a bunch of dudes and none of them competed," says Vila. "These people are backing people who are just doing what I want to do and skiing with the utmost integrity and pushing skiing in other w...
Dec 20, 2016•29 min
On this episode of the "Sponsored" podcast, Glen Plake comes on for the third and final part of his conversation with host Mike Powell. The two talk about the dawn of snowboarding and how it was pitted against skiing as a marketing ploy, but in the beginning, it was all about just being in the mountains and being creative. Glen Plake Part three Show Notes: 1:00: The beginning of snowboarding and how Plake was involved 7:25: Skiing and how they use athletes 9:49: The old guard of skiing 11:26: Ho...
Dec 14, 2016•39 min
On this episode of the "Sponsored" podcast, Glen Plake comes on for part two, recorded just after the 2016 presidential election. Plake discusses the election with host Mike Powell. "We've had all these baby boomer presidents for years and years. They were born during the highest times of prosperity. Sex, drugs, and rock n' roll and hippies and women's rights and all this social stuff and all their agends have been played out. And yet, The Gen X's were born with divorce and energy crisis and all...
Dec 06, 2016•27 min
This week on the "Sponsored" podcast, Mike Douglas tells his story, including the time he first went skiing—on a school trip when he was in the fifth grade, at Vancouver Island's Mount Washington. "We went up there and felt that sensation of sliding on snow and the adventure that came with that, cruising down this forested run, I did this big long turn wondering what was coming up around the corner thinking, 'This is the coolest thing ever.'" Pretty much from that first day, that was the ultimat...
Nov 29, 2016•40 min
On this episode of the "Sponsored" podcast, host Mike Powell interviews top big-mountain skier Hadley Hammer. A Jackson Hole local, Hammer stands out for her intelligence and ability to drop massive cliffs effortlessly. A Jackson Hole local, Hammer stands out for her intelligence and ability to drop massive cliffs effortlessly. The two discuss her background, how she made it as a skier, and the difference in being a female professional skier. "I think it's way easier to be a female in action spo...
Nov 22, 2016•42 min
On this episode of the "Sponsored" podcast, presented by Powder Radio, host Mike Powell interviews Greg Stump, who is among the most influential people in skiing ever. The man behind Maltese Flamingo, Blizzard of Aahhh's, and other classics, Stump changed the way ski movies look, feel, and sound. Stump talks about his growth as a skier and then as a filmmaker, shooting Scot Schmidt, Mike Hattrup, and Glen Plake, who was always pushing the boundaries of, well, everything. Show Notes 2:27: Getting...
Nov 16, 2016•31 min
On this episode of the "Sponsored" podcast, presented by Powder Radio, host Mike Powell interviews Cody Townsend, who was fresh off a "jungle skiing" shoot as the stunt double for Vin Diesel. Townsend talks about how, as a kid, he followed the stars of Squaw, like Shane McConkey, JT Holmes, and Kent Kreitler, until they let them ski with him. "I literally would tail them, two or three chairs behind them, and follow them around," says Townsend. "I remember I had a pair of GS skis, and I bent up t...
Nov 09, 2016•44 min
Glen Plake, the most recognizable skier ever, is still punk. Despite the fame and his perspective on skiing is still humble, interesting, refreshing, and honest. On this episode of Powder Radio's "Sponsored" podcast, the first in a three-part series with Plake, he tells host Mike Powell talks about the influence of the hot-dogging era, and the loss it represented to skiing, when an over-litigious society destroyed it. "All the innocence and freewheeling spirit of skiing was basically ripped out ...
Nov 01, 2016•43 min
Sammy Carlson's start began with a fateful powder day in which he missed a ski training on Mount Hood. On this episode of the "Sponsored" podcast, presented by Powder Radio, Carlson tells host Mike Powell that after he missed the training, his coaches wouldn't let him ski in a big race. So he and a buddy hiked over the backside of the hill where the park was. "We were sitting in the trees, watching, and we saw [Eric] Pollard roll through with a couple buddies and it was slow motion the way he ma...
Oct 25, 2016•46 min
On this episode of the "Sponsored" podcast, presented by Powder Radio, host Mike Powell interviews Kent Kreitler, one of the pioneers of skiing in the 1990s. The two discuss his college roommate, Shane McConkey, the challenges of making it in skiing, and moving on from being a professional skier. "When I was younger I was very unafraid and very passion driven and really I loved all the middle and early parts of my career because they were so explorative. One of the biggest thrills for me was bei...
Oct 18, 2016•37 min
On this episode of the "Sponsored" podcast, presented by Powder Radio, host Mike Powell interviews Michelle Parker, one of the most well-rounded skiers in the sport and an eternal optimist. "Skiing is the most fun thing in my life. It is my biggest passion. I love it so much," says Parker. "The second that it starts to become not fun, I'm doing something wrong and I need to reevaluate. My whole thing was no pressure, have fun with it, always smile." Parker retains her positivity despite the numb...
Oct 11, 2016•40 min
On this episode of the "Sponsored" podcast, presented by Powder Radio, host Mike Powell interviews Chris Benchetler, one of the most successful athletes in skiing, who is known for his style. The two discuss food, marriage, and tragedy. When Benchetler was 15, his dad died of cancer. "He was from Hungary and he never taught us Hungarian because he escaped during the revolution. He would be in crazy pain, and scared and sick and start talking to me in Hungarian and there was just a lot to deal wi...
Oct 04, 2016•43 min
