The best German snowboard freerider Aline Bock in a PG interview
Aline's winning run in Sochi '09
PG: How did you approach your first contests after this experience? Aline: I then spent the following years freeriding a lot with my friends around Innsbruck. At some point, a friend simply took me with her to the World Tour Qualifier in Schruns. The perfect conditions there with beautiful powder, sunshine and steep slopes gave me so much pleasure that I haven't been able to get away from contest riding since (editor's note: Aline won the contest in Schruns and thus secured a wildcard for the FWT). PG: Powder, sunshine and nice slopes are certainly the main ingredients for great freeride days - but what was it about contest riding that got you so excited? Aline: Personally, I particularly liked the aspect of being able to compete with other female riders. Where you stand compared to other "good" riders. But also knowing that the slope is "safe", that you can get help quickly if in doubt and that a completely different skiing style is possible as a result, is certainly part of the appeal of contest skiing. But the fact that you are the center of attention for a brief moment is also certainly an important point. PG: There is now a lot of money to be made at the big freeride contests. What does the monetary factor mean to you? Aline: The fact that you can also earn a living with freeriding, the best leisure activity in the world, is the greatest thing that can happen to you. Sure, you don't get rich, but you get support for pursuing your greatest passion and being able to travel the world and get to know the best freeride areas. That's brilliant! PG: What makes you stand out as a freerider at contests, or to put it another way: What do you think are the reasons that you are currently so successful? Aline: I think I bring a slightly different style to freeride contests. Thanks to my many years of park experience, I've always been used to jumping a lot and doing tricks. From surfing and freeriding in the forest with friends, I've got used to a playful way of riding the terrain. It's not so important to me to ride the steepest and most dangerous lines, I just try to have fun on the mountain and like to incorporate a few jumps or play with the terrain. I think that's probably what sets me apart from many female riders. PG: What does your fitness preparation look like? Do we see you in the gym every day? Aline: As a sports student, I know that I'm not the model high-performance athlete. Of course I go to the gym in the fall, go cycling, jogging etc.. I get most of my energy, mentally and certainly physically, from surfing in the summer - this summer I spent a total of three months by the sea. Paddling all day, swimming and trying to surf waves is also pretty exhausting. Of course, I also have to do targeted muscle-building training, especially in my legs and to protect my joints, purely as a preventative measure. But I try to combine my enjoyment of the sport with my preparation. If I ever get seriously injured, I could well imagine spending more time in the gym. Fortunately, I've been spared any serious injuries so far.
PG: Do you practise mental training? Aline: I just try to have fun. If I focus too much on one thing, I get too nervous and put too much pressure on myself. If I put too much pressure on myself, I lose the fun of it. On the evening before a contest, I naturally take a close look at the pictures of the competition slope and try to visualize my exact line. PG: How do you feel when you finally stand at the top of the competition slope and there are only a few minutes left until your start? Aline: I'm actually relatively casual and relaxed until just before the start. But then, about 30-60 seconds before my start, the excitement kicks in. My heart starts beating strongly and the adrenaline shoots through my body. However, this excitement is nothing specific to freeriding, but more like before a typical exam situation, e.g. at university. As soon as I put the first turn into the slope, the excitement is blown away. PG: When competing, as an athlete you always ski a certain slope that has been assessed by all kinds of safety experts beforehand. Doesn't that make you feel deprived of the freedom of freeriding? Aline: No, absolutely not. I think it's great that we as athletes, especially at the FWT, have lots of experts who observe the slopes weeks in advance and decide whether it's possible or not. Many of the more experienced riders also give their input here. Of course it's not the limitless freedom of a backcountry trip with my friends,
but for me as a relative "beginner" when it comes to safety management, I enjoy skiing really challenging terrain that pushes me to my physical limit, even with the best possible safety precautions. When freeriding with friends, you always have to ride with the handbrake on. The difference between competing in a freeride contest and riding with friends is pretty big. Both have their own appeal. I think it's great to have both options. PG: But both remain risky... Aline: Yes, of course. Both types of game are dangerous in their own way and require a completely different approach. When freeriding with friends, I have to rely on them completely, but I have the freedom to make my own decisions or help make decisions.