With a victory at the 2012 Red Bull Cold Rush and a segment in "WE," the newest film from Poor Boyz Productions, 23-year-old Dane Tudor has prospered in his film and competition career for one main reason: his unmatched fluency in both park and big mountain skiing. There are only a handful of people in the world doing triple corks (Tudor being one of them) and few of them can ski Alaskan spines like he can.
This fall, Tudor parted from longtime sponsor Salomon and moved to a contract with Scott skis, goggles, poles, and outerwear. A sponsor of almost 12 years, Salomon was one of the brands that put the young Red Mountain, British Columbia, phenomenon on the pro skier roster. But Tudor is looking forward to the transformation.
"Scott has a great program. I'm stoked to be a part of it and work with motivated people," Tudor said. "And it's time for a change. Change is good."
With his first lease just signed for an 18-acre place outside of Revelstoke, B.C, Tudor is prepping for an entire winter devoted to filming in the backcountry. No competitions, no plans for the Olympics, or jet-setting around the world for man-made park features. In December, he'll start chipping away at his powder segment in Revelstoke with filmer Pete Alport from Poor Boyz Productions.
"For me, it's not about the competition," Tudor says. "Skiing is a job, but it's the lifestyle that's so important to me. This season is all about fun and progression."
After spending most of the winter around Revelstoke, he hopes to go to Alaska in the spring. Although he might not put his skis near a park all season, Dane will continue learning tricks in the backcountry.
"A film segment only shows your skiing," he says. "It doesn't tell much about the person. I've always wanted people to know that I am the guy that just loves to be out there doing fun things in the backcountry. That's my home and that's never going to change."
