Interview with Alicia Bonnaud, K2-Rider and Girlie Coach in Les Deux Alpes

(Questions by Girlie Campers)

What are you doing besides snowboarding?
I still go to school, and I like to go to the gym for my fitness. Beside contests and trainings I try to manage my free time to spend time with my boyfriend and family. And of course, in between the snowboard seasons, I like to go out with my friends.

What do you like the most about snowboarding?
I like the adrenalin you can get with this sport, and the sensation of freedom you feel in the mountains. Another important thing is to have fun with my snowboard friends!

Most girls who snowboard would love to be a "pro", do you feel privileged to be able to do so and is there any negative point to it?
Yes I feel a bit privileged, because it's a big chance to get all my snowboard stuff for free and to have many advantages in everything I'm doing with snowboarding, and I have the possibility to travel a lot. Another privilege is that I don't have to go to school during the whole winter.

Yes, there are some negative points. I can't see my family that much, and I see less of my old snowboard friends from my home resort. And the relationship between me and some people has changed a lot since I became a pro. For example, I know that some people wouldn't come to talk to me if I weren't a pro. With snowboarding I'm not only making new friends, but also new enemies...

What is the best thing about being pro?
Of course: travelling so much. I love to see all these different places, countries, parks, people, etc.

What is your best trick?
On kickers: FS 720°, and in jibbing, it depends on the rail...

What is your favorite trick?
On kickers: FS 360° nose grab, and on jib: 50-50 to 50-50 switch to 180° BS out

What was your hardest bail?
That's long time ago. It was on the big air of my home resort. It was in the morning and the kicker was very icy. The in-run slope was not clean and when I arrived on the kicker I lost control and landed it on the nose of my snowboard on the flat part. I didn't brake anything, it was not the biggest injury I have had while snowboarding, but it was surely the biggest fear. The following year, always when I had to test a kicker, I only did nose-grabs to be sure to not fall this way again.

Why do you drink so much? (LOL)
Because on the glacier your body dehydrates very quickly.