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Athlete's Voice: Todd Mason
Pushing What Can and Cannot be Ridden
Chamonix, France- October 9, 2002
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Todd Mason
Enter the Gallery

Todd Mason of Perth, Australia, has made some scary turns. From first descents in Bolivia to surfing reef breaks in Panama, Todd is pushing what can and cannot be ridden.

One Friday night, I stopped by Todd's house in Chamonix, France, for some dinner. When I walked in, Todd's roommate Mike was riding his downhill mountain bike up and down the corridor in a one-piece purple suit with a baguette hanging out of his mouth. You'll have to excuse Mike - after all, it was Friday night, but at this point I knew I was in for a good story.

We ate dinner, drank a few beers, and the interview began...

"Bolivia was so out there. We went to do a first descent of the North Face of Illampu (6368m), which is a 1200-meter exposed face with a massive overhanging cornice..."

MZ: You're a freeride snowboarder as opposed to a freestyler. What exactly is freeride snowboarding?
Freeride snowboarding uses all the mountains natural features as opposed to spending your day in a halfpipe or a terrain park.

MZ: How does a professional freeride snowboarder distinguish himself?
By riding lines that were once considered unrideable and by exploring remote locations on expeditions.

MZ: What's the most remote part of the earth that you've been to?
Bolivia for sure. Bolivia was so out there. We went to do a first descent of the North Face of Illampu (6368m), which is a 1200-meter exposed face with a massive overhanging cornice at the very top. The face is 60-plus degrees and at the base of the mountain is a glacier. It's north facing too, which in the Southern Hemisphere is the sunny side, so it's always in the sun.

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