Game Changer | The Xavier de le Rue Interview - Whitelines Snowboarding

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Game Changer | The Xavier de le Rue Interview

We caught up with the Frenchman in Chamonix to discuss FUTURELIGHT, The Freeride World Tour, and Climate Change

On our recent trip to Chamonix we sat down and had a chat with bona fide king of the hill Xavier de le Rue. It was a huge relief to see him actually sat down as we’d spent the day tearing round Les Grands Montets like blue arsed flies trying to keep up with him. Perhaps best known for his dominance in The Freeride World Tour or his numerous cinematic big mountain exploits, it’s actually his ‘How To XV’ web series that’s been garnering him public attention as of late.

“Xavier de le Rue is a certified freeride zealot- he’s a game changer”

If you’re gonna take snowboarding advice from anyone, make it the guy who rides down the steepest faces in the world with a huge smile on his face, right? Don’t get us wrong, there are other snowboarders who can play the game, but Xavier takes the game, smashes it up with his ice axe, rappels down a crevasse with it and then Snowkites away into the sunset. And the poor game? It’s never the same again. Xavier de le Rue is a certified freeride zealot- he’s a game changer.

While we were comfortably sat down with a beer in hand, we thought there’s no time like the present to ask Xavier a few questions.

WL: How’s your season started, where have you been riding?

XDLR: I live in Verbier so I’ve been riding there. I was in the Pyrenees over Christmas, we were biking, rock climbing. There wasn’t any snow but there’s amazing touring where I come from. It’s at the end of a valley and you can just get out touring and it’s super nice stuff normally but not this year haha.

“I’m gonna stay in Verbier and I’ll compete in the Verbier Extreme which is something I haven’t done for quite a few years now”

WL: It’s quite hit and miss these days with the snow conditions. I mean last winter early season in Chamonix was all-time but looking round now it’s kinda bare.

XDLR: Yeah, hopefully it will become all-time again. French seasons are so long anyway, we normally finish end of May.

WL: So, what have you got planned for this season?

XDLR: I’m gonna stay in Verbier and I’ll compete in the Verbier Extreme which is something I haven’t done for quite a few years now. I’m happy because it’s giving me a good kick in the butt to push myself. In the last few years I didn’t have super big objectives and I felt kind of like, not that I ‘lost it’, but now I’m ready to get back at it.

Xavier in Chamonix | PC: Mathis Dumas

WL: And now that your little bro is Freeride World Tour Champion, is he gonna reclaim his title?

XDLR: Yeah, he’s going for it again.

WL: And you?

XDLR: No, not the whole tour. Verbier is nice because it’s a big enough face that you can express yourself. I always hated the other ones because it’s such a short time riding that for my style riding it’s not really ideal. I need stuff to go fast, I’m not really attracted to doing tricks. I like doing that in the park.

“I need stuff to go fast, I’m not really attracted to doing tricks”

End of the season I’ve got a really nice trip planned to Greenland. We’re starting a really cool project with The North Face. I shouldn’t talk about it too much but it’s gonna be environmental and some really nice expeditions with Victor as well. So this one is going to be in Greenland, and then there are going to be more.

WL: Kind of like a series?

XDLR: Yeah, but with one film at the end. It’s gonna be pretty big. Super excited about that, and that’s one reason why I want to keep myself pumped up.

Earning their turns PC: Mathis Dumas

WL: Any other filming projects in the pipeline?

XDLR: No, I’m not really interested in just basic action footage. I’m more interested in when there is a side angle to it like where the riding is not the main thing and it’s kind of like an accessory to tell something.

“In terms of breathability it’s the game changer for me”

I’m also gonna continue my ‘How To’ series so I’m gonna keep filming a few more. There’s about 10 to come out this winter but I’ll film some more for next winter.

WL: So the big thing with The North Face recently is FUTURELIGHT, has it changed anything for you?

XDLR: It’s just having gear that you feel better in. So for me the main thing that is mind blowing, because normally technologies are just marketing, but with this you can actually feel it. Like you’re gonna be walking up for 20 minutes and you realise that you still have your jacket on but you’re not sweating. In terms of breathability it’s the game changer for me. Where I felt it the most wasn’t actually even on snow it was in the summer with lightweight FUTURELIGHT jackets. One time this summer I was just wearing a t shirt and a thin shell on top and I was walking and picking mushrooms and after an hour I thought ‘fuck I still have my jacket on’. Everyone’s pretty unanimous about that. Also the feeling of it is really nice. I mean the fact that it feels nice isn’t gonna take you further, but when you go riding feeling good in what you wear is super important.

PC: Mathis Dumas

There’s also the sustainability side of things. All the treatment doesn’t have all that super nasty stuff like before, now it’s biodegradable. The nanotechnology can use recycled materials and that’s kind of what our project is about. A big push on sustainability and FUTURELIGHT is the beginning of it. With FUTURELIGHT it’s not just a story- it’s something that works.

WL: On the sustainability side of things, living in Verbier, in the mountains, can you physically see the changes that are taking place?

XDLR: From a local view you can’t really see a change in the environment, but you see it getting more extreme. But it could be extremely cold and then people are gonna tell you ‘Oh global warming yeah sure’. I think with the glaciers it’s so obvious. For example, here on the Italian side there’s a ladder and every year they have to add 10metres to the bottom just to access the glacier. That’s the scary part because it’s such a vivid and measurable representation of what’s happening.

“I think everyone is waking up and even governments, it’s just such a big machine to steer that it’s gonna take a while”

WL: It’s scary that it’s happening, and some people refuse to pay attention to it.

XDLR: I think everyone is waking up and even governments, it’s just such a big machine to steer that it’s gonna take a while. I was always kind of against talking about that, feeling kind of guilty for having all these outfits every year and travelling everywhere and stuff but I think it’s kind of nice to use all that snowboarding to make a change. Making a change in myself and then using that to inspire other people to want to do the same. 

Topics:

futurelight the north face xavier de le rue

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