Werni Stock has been reppin' the Austrian shredosphere for years now as one of the top guys on jumps and in the backcountry. Yet he managed to stay the nice guy from next door who just happens to fuckin rip on a snowboard. After having bad luck last season with injuries, he is back this season like phoenix out of the ashes! We are more than happy to see him back on board and talked to him about Air& Style, staying healthy and German tourists.
From the looks of early season edits you seem to be off to a quick start. How was the Hintertux opening?
-Hintertux and preseason has been insane so far. September and October was such a blast., we had all incl Slush, Powder, perfect Winter conditions,... The Hot Zone Hintertux Opening was unreal this year. So many hyped, happy and smile faces with a perfect shaped park and sun allover the place. Already looking forward for next year. ::))
You've had an unfortunate share of injuries. Does that at all change how you approach each year? We assume you're not gonna hit any bomb drops soon?
- I've been really unlucky with injuries but I'm feeling better then ever. So f.ck it. I definitely learned a lot from all these injuries, from bad times to the most stoked ever. I feel like I was never the bomb drop guy, but I need to say the i appreciate it so much more to be healthy and to be able to ride every single day. I give my body way more respect then back in the days.
Who are your favorite dudes to ride with?
- All my friends from the valley like Tom Klocker, Peter König, Mario Wanger, Benny Wetscher,...
Actually I love to ride with every happy and passionated snowboarder like Beckna, Wolle, Danny Davis, Mikkel, Elias Elhardt. Snowboarding just brings so many different people together and let them share there biggest love. It's by far the best.
What happened to RUAMA Park (a small backyard park in Wernis hometown)? Is it still open and if so, who can go there and ride?
- RIP Ruama Park. Naaa, I'm just kidding. We couldn't do it last year because of some issues.
But we gonna bring it back this year, smaller, less setup but more back to the roots style. If we're there mostly everybody is welcome. If you just show up and shred our shaped park and just leave afterwords we gonna kick your ass hahaha It's mellow, we love to have good sessions and let people shred. We had lot of happy guests in the last years.
Do you wanna grow old In Zillertal?
- For shizzle, i love my home.
Do you think one day you're gonna be a grumpy old Zillertaler hating on German tourists? In our imagination that sounds kinda fun.
- It sounds pretty funny. hahaha I think i gonna be a old grumpy Zillertaler but I'll not gonna hate the germans. All these tourists are so important to our region, but sometimes I hate them. Bad to day it like this but some people are more in a rush then on a vacation. Just take you time, the line will stay them same. But I really hope for a Local line. ; ) hehe
What's it like growing up in a hotel? Ever do anything fucked up in the pool or sauna?
- Man, it was ssooo sick. Fighting, table soccer, ping pong against the german kids was the best. Good Food, Swimming Pool,... I could always bring tons of friends. Thank's so much to my Family for such an amazing childhood.
My parents were really straight on education, so If they said bedtime or we need to help cleaning glases we had to do it. There was no other way. I got 3 brothers and 1 sister and we got raised in that hotel there was no other way then a strictly education. Once they even took my snowboard away because I did really bad in school, I know what I had to do to get it back. Dude, My brother Benjamin and me always climbed up the wall, to see naked guests in the tanning studio (Solarium). Once a lady saw us and straight went to my dad, but he was mellow. He just told the lady the we're kids and kids do stuff like this.
People often say "I want to learn all 4 doubles." But what about different kind of frontside doubles for example. Why do so few people focus on throwing in different grabs and making them look different? Not all front 7s look the same.
- I my eyes people should do what they want to do. It's good if they throw in some new spice, bring you're own little extra. Kind of unique is sick to me. But still people are influenced way to much. For example Bs 1080 Double Cork, everybody does it, but almost nobody is doing a Bs 1080 and I guarantee that most can't do the regular Bs 1080. Doesn't matter, the trick in my eyes is to grab longer, bring in you're on style and not spin till you win.
What do you think of the way Air & Style evolved? Do you approve of Shaun White's plans to involve skiing?
- Air&Style is still doing an insane job. I gonna be part of it in Beijing and Innsbruck, really looking forward for that. Those guys did such a great job Innsbruck, Seefeld, Munich, Beijing and know in the States. If Shaun White and his Team wanna bring in Skiing it's there thing but I'm not the biggest fan of it. But I'm sure they know why they're doing it and it's gonna be the first Air&Style in USA. I'm also a big fan of the Freestyle.ch where skies are too. So i don't know about all that hate. Air&Style in Innsbruck is Snowboarding to me. History, Crowd, Location, Alps, Riders,... That is the ultimate Snowboard Contest to me. I was a spectator when I was young got, signatures from David Benedek, Steve Gruber, Shaun, Fredi Kalbermatten, Friedl Kolar, Igemar Backmann,... It was and will be always that special contest of the year.
Can we expect to see some footage of yours this year? Are there any particular projects planned?
- Sure, I gonna focus on some comps early season and then just film. I see myself more and more in filming. Explore, different Terrain, show my skills, different people,... I had such a good time filming with Pirates and Burton over the last couple years and I'm really looking forward to send it in Pow Pow again. Nothing major planned so far. Definitely fiming, but no clue so far. Looks like I'm heading out with Grilo for a Grilosode then probably shred a bit with Ethan Morgan to send some nasty stuff.
What's your main goal for this season?
- Stay healthy, send it, progress, explore, film, shoot, have a good time, powder, sledding and reach my goals. ::))