John Ingemar Backman Trast Interview by: Pelle Jansson Video by: Jens Jonason Beauty by: Mattias Sandsträm

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You're from the north of Sweden, Ingemar. Lots of mountains there? No, mostly snow. Is that why you picked snowboarding? Yeah, I guess. When was that? 7-8 years ago. The first time i saw you ride was in Riksgrīnsen in 91. What has happened since? I went to my first international contest in 92. I actually made the finals there. Yeah? Who were at the competition? Did any of today's top riders compete? Hard to say. Most top riders started to show up on the tour during the last few years. Terje was there, and he won... The 93/94 season was your first on the world pro tour. What was it like? It was fun of course. We were a bunch of friends who travelled around as the swedish national team, so it was pretty cool. It was super fun actually. How was that national team organized? Did you have coaches, trainers and such with you? No, *laugh* we took care of everything ourselves. Just a bunch of friends. What are your plans for the future? Hmm, no... I don't like to think about the future that much. The olympics in japan 1998 is coming up. Do you think snowboarding is an olympic sport? Tough question... No, I guess not. but there will be snowboard competition in the olympics, so i guess it is anyway... Most of all I look forward to the hockey finals. Imagine being able to see it live, on location. That i really look forward to. So hockey is an olympic sport, but snowboarding isn't? You could say that, but then again: There will be snowboarding in the olumpics. Let's just see what happens. It's so hard to tell in advance. Many top snowboard professionals don't compete at all. What do you like best? Contests or freeriding? Freeriding obviously. Do you have to compete? What kind of contracts do you have with your sponsors? i don't have to compete, but it's still fun to do it. you meet so many friends when you travel around a bit. You have your own pro model with Atlantis? Yeah, or two... Three next season. Four Squares is your own clothing company? Yeah, it's me and a guy called Peter Line who design the clothes, but someone else handles the money. We get to do anything and everything. We do all the design, pick colors and materials. You live in San Diego? Yes. Sounds nice and comfy. Why do you live there? It's to get away from the snow and such. Being able to go surfing and skateboarding is great. Summer is nice -- really motivates you to go back to the snow for snowboarding. Is surfing and skateboarding important to you? Yeah, it's nice not having to do the same things over and over again. If you surf for a while, you get more motivated to go snowboarding, and vice versa. Could you describe a good day in your life in San Diego? On a good day Iget up at 7 and go surfing for a while. Then I go home and eat breakfast. Then I go surfing again until lunch. After lunch I go surfing for the rest of the day, sometimes with a break for dinner. Then it's time to get some sleep. It's important to be able to go up early the next day to go surfing. Sounds as if you're the next surf pro? No, *laugh* surfing is just for fun. And your day on the mountain? If the snow's good, you get up early. It really sucks to ride snow that's ruined by tracks. If the snow isn't so good, you sleep as late as you can. then you do some snowboarding. And if there's a contest? Do you prepare in any special way? Energy drinks perhaps? *laugh* No, I guess it's like any other day. Do you have any advice to snowboarders who want to become as good as you are? Tough question... It's up to everybody how much they want to practise. You have to ride as much as possible obviously, but in the end; it's all about having fun. Ok, thanks. Anything you'd like to add? Yeah, it's great to be back in Sweden. I haven't been here in 5 months, so it's great. I was going to stay for one week, but now I think it will be two...