Mat Dufresne and Xavier Mayrand Speak Quebec Avenue Snowboarding

Featured Picture: Xavier Mayrand | Skier: Mat Dufresne

There are those that would name Quebec, Canada the mecca of road snowboarding. Particularly, Montreal. An enormous community of concrete and metal mix with chilly winters to type a playground not like another. 20 years of road snowboarding have cultivated a wealthy tradition of French Canadians whose affect is obvious at the moment within the entirety of the freeski scene. Amongst these skiers is Mat Dufresne, affectionately identified merely as Mat Duf. As some of the profound riders in Montreal, we had been certain to concentrate when he launched his newest private venture, “Phrase To The Sensible” this previous fall.

I had the pleasure of crossing paths with Dufresne final April at Degree 1’s SuperUnknown, and in contrast to lots of the rowdy and energetic riders dominating the scene, his quiet persona was what set him aside. As loud calls and cries of pleasure may very well be heard echoing by way of the pink rails in Mammoth, California, Duf would slip silently by way of the gang. Deconstructing any characteristic of his selecting, he would usually land change and ski away with a blissful smile on his face, leaving these of us watching with a mixture of astonishment and contentment.

Whereas he’s a person of few phrases, his snowboarding actually speaks for himself. Mat Duf might be some of the inventive road skiers at the moment, proudly carrying Montreal’s legacy into the long run. This newest four-minute movie was born out of a season with horrible circumstances and heaps of challenges on and off the skis. Regardless of this, Duf and cinematographer (and Montreal nice) Xavier Mayrand started working within the streets they know and love.

Although it’s neither simple nor immensely worthwhile to make a road snowboarding movie in 2024, each Duf and Mayrand each have an intense pleasure of their work; a reminder of why tasks like this exist within the first place. We pinged these two legends of the good white north as a way to get some perception into “Phrase To The Sensible.”

Click on right here to take a look at Mat Dufresne’s latest collaboration with J Skis

 Thanks for taking the time to speak, guys. Decide one phrase to explain the 2024 ski season. Why? 

XM: Difficult – we each had a tough begin to the 2024 season, personally. Mat and I had busy and infrequently conflicting schedules along with his job as a coach and my job as a freestyle decide. Having a baby on my finish brings a variety of schedule constraints. The poor snow scenario made filming road that a lot more durable, as dangerous circumstances restrict your choices by way of spot choice and the way you strategy a characteristic. We had such excessive expectations for this venture, so I’m happy with how we tailored and of the product that got here out of a troublesome season. 

MD: I might say spontaneous. As Xavier talked about, final winter was fairly brief. We had busy schedules so when it was time to movie, we needed to discover a spot it doesn’t matter what and get the job achieved with minimal room for error. Time was not on our facet, and it was traumatic to work in crunch time like that so usually, however I believe the ensuing [film] turned out nice.

Did the non-public challenges you talked about inspire the venture or make it more durable? What did you be taught from overcoming these challenges and nonetheless placing this venture collectively? 

XM: Sure certainly, the 12 months was tough for each of us personally on totally different fronts. Plus the snow [in Quebec] was the worst I’ve ever seen in 15 years filming of road snowboarding. A lot of the reduce was filmed with minimal snow on the bottom and we needed to hustle like by no means earlier than to capitalize on what we had.

I suppose the lesson I realized is that generally, the stuff you’re most happy with come out of the toughest challenges. As I discussed, I’m actually happy with this venture, perhaps extra so than any I’ve directed earlier than, and that feeling most likely has rather a lot to do with the truth that we made it occur regardless of all the challenges. I’m stoked about Mat’s snowboarding and about my work behind the digital camera and on the pc. We bought nice outcomes regardless of the challenges, which is the cherry on high.

Facet lesson: when there isn’t any snow, search for spots or areas hidden from the solar and wind. We ended up getting a number of pictures at a tucked-away spot the place the snow was first rate though in all places else was grass. All these spots had one factor in frequent, which was being hidden from the solar and wind. 

MD: Final winter, I didn’t have entry to a automobile, so it was actually tough for me to get round. With out Xavier and his motivation, nothing would have been attainable. More often than not, I needed to take a 1-hour prepare to get to town, and he would come decide me up. After I take a step again, I understand that something is feasible once you actually love what you do. 

Out of all that onerous work, is there one second that stands out from filming final season? 

XM: Mat’s ender is unquestionably a stand-out. It’s a [bridge] spot I had scoped for years, figuring out there was one thing to be achieved there. In “MTL 2,” we went there and Mat did a 180 to modify wallride shot. Throughout the session, we stored wanting on the space and noticed what may very well be achieved. This season, after getting kicked out from a unique spot, we drove by the identical bridge. It was cosmic.

Often, we’d have waited for extra snow to be on the bottom for such a giant characteristic, however for no matter cause, we determined to offer it a shot. Thank god we did, as a result of little or no snow fell after that. This spot was a high-consequence characteristic because it was not a child bridge; it was the true deal. Mat and I put a variety of effort into ensuring all the things was good to go. When he went for it, the primary two hits had been rowdy bails. He barely saved himself from potential accidents. The third one was the most effective try and Mat bought it as clean because it might’ve been achieved. We each checked out one another in disbelief afterward. I nonetheless can’t imagine the way it all went down.

MD: There was a spot the place I did a 2 on 1 out and a change 4 on 1 out. That was a busy day for certain, however memorable. Once we arrived there, I used to be sick and tremendous drained. We hadn’t even began shoveling but and I used to be exhausted. Xavier had invited a good friend to take pictures, so I knew I had no alternative however to strive one thing exhausting. I believed the graffiti on the wall seemed actually cool, and instantly needed to hit it.

Swap cork 5 is one among my favourite methods, and I needed to do it on that wall. If I needed a clip like this to be within the venture, it was now or by no means. We bought some nice pictures however I couldn’t get the clip the way in which I needed, so I bought again within the zone and knew I needed to land it nicely. After a number of tries, I spotted it was actually attainable and that motivated me. I nonetheless do not forget that once I bought house, I instantly requested Xavier for the clip. I should have watched it a thousand occasions till I fell asleep [laughs]. 

What do you hope the remainder of the freeski world sees within the movie? What do you hope viewers stroll away with? 

XM: I hope they get pleasure from watching it. I imply, that’s what it’s all about. Whether or not it will get them fired as much as watch different ski movies, go hike some rails at their hills or strive road snowboarding for the primary time, that’s what these tasks are all about.

On a private observe, I hope individuals take the time to research the small print. Avenue snowboarding usually has a variety of intricacies that may be missed with out a number of viewings. The hazard surrounding a characteristic, the technicality of a rail or trick, the peak or distance concerned in a characteristic, and so on. Mat has had one hell of a run previously three seasons with “MTL,” “MTL 2” and “Phrase To The Sensible. I hope he will get credit score for what he’s achieved within the streets. 

MD: Usually, individuals have excessive expectations however don’t understand all of the work and energy put into video tasks. I hope that those that watch our venture will respect and acknowledge the eagerness we’ve for the game and for road snowboarding tradition. As Xavier talked about, the aim is that individuals will take the time to look at it a number of occasions to note the extra technical particulars of the methods and the videography.  

These tasks are a testomony to the devoted freeski scene that exists in Quebec. How would you describe the ski tradition of Quebec to somebody who doesn’t comprehend it? 

XM: [Quebec is] deeply passionate and in tune with the essence of freeskiing. Ever because the creation of our sport, there was a circulate of execs coming one technology after one other to Quebec which has led to a pure ‘passing of the torch’ that’s nonetheless ongoing at the moment. This may be seen in skiers all throughout the province. Similar to our fellow East Coasters from the USA, our winters are tremendous harsh and unpredictable. I suppose due to that, individuals naturally be taught to get pleasure from snowboarding even in dangerous circumstances after which cherish the time when circumstances are nice. 

MD: Yeah, I’ve bought nothing so as to add. I fully agree with [Xavier] on that one.

Favourite ski you’re at present using? 

XM: I haven’t ridden as a lot as I would love previously couple of seasons between dwelling the dad life, judging and filming. I skied Floor’s Higher final season and loved it rather a lot. I’m wanting ahead to using their Sniper ski this 12 months. 

MD: I’ve been snowboarding the J Skis Trip for now 4 years. I find it irresistible a lot. I not too long ago launched a collab with them within the Trip mannequin. We name it the Poutine ski. It’s a should for me when snowboarding road and park to have stable skis, J Skis is aware of easy methods to ship. 

Who’s one skier you hope everyone seems to be watching? Why them? What do you’re keen on about their model? 

XM: I actually like what Jacob Bélanger has been as much as the previous few years, He’s a park skier from Québec metropolis who was a superunknown finalist in 2018. He made a number of dope road cuts earlier than shifting out west to Whistler. His transition into the backcountry has been superior to see, his snowboarding is basically spectacular and his clean park model interprets tremendous nicely to this kind of snowboarding. 

MD: Agreed, Jacob Belanger is the GOAT. That’s my decide too. He’s simply so technical and fluid in his snowboarding. It’s mesmerizing.

The place do you discover inspiration exterior of snowboarding? 

XM: As a filmmaker, I’d say it comes rather a lot from music movies. A whole lot of the approaches in storytelling, cinematography and modifying can translate nicely into the motion sports activities realm in my view. The format is usually fairly comparable with the brief type that’s fairly frequent these days inside snowboarding. 

MD: I spent a variety of time teaching the subsequent technology, which conjures up me rather a lot and permits me to find totally different developments and new cultural avenues that I may not in any other case be uncovered to. I additionally spend a variety of time watching skateboarding, rollerblading, and mountain biking movies. These actions have all the time been current in my environment and had an actual affect on my model and strategy to totally different options and transitions. 

One music that will get you fired as much as ski any day of the 12 months. 

XM: My quantity one among all time has bought to be ‘Cartoons & Cereal’ by Kendrick Lamar. That one makes me need to run by way of a brick wall even after one million listens. 

MD: ‘Outlawz’ by Rick Ross, that’s a hype music for certain.

With the approaching season proper across the nook, what are you hoping to perform? What’s going to make this 12 months a hit?

XM: The plan remains to be to be decided as Mat and I each have totally different obligations and conflicting schedules. I’ll be touring rather a lot by way of judging with comps and Mat can be touring rather a lot by way of teaching. Success, to me, can be speaking once more subsequent fall with one other movie venture dropping. It’s all the time a giant problem to make it occur. 

MD: I plan to proceed to give attention to making one other video half. I nonetheless have a variety of motivation and power to take a position, and it’s such an incredible inventive course of from begin to end. I’m already wanting ahead to it. Apart from that, I’ll combine in some teaching and numerous rail jams relying on the alternatives. Each [coaching and competition] are such nice methods to attach with the freeski neighborhood.