The Powell Movement

Thomas Vanderham is a living legend in the world of freeride mountain biking and he's a guy that doesn't do many interviews. Over the past 20 years, he's let his riding do the talking and his riding has said a lot. I was lucky to get an hour with Thomas to walk through his career, that started when he was just 15 years old. We talk about how things came into place for Thomas, sponsor changes, filming and a lot more. It's another do not miss episode.

Thomas Vanderham Show Notes:

2:00: Return to Earth Movie (comes out this week on itunes) and change in movies and social

9:00: Growing up in Edmonton, finding biking, and team sports

12:30: Moving to Vancouver, meeting people, and getting sponsored

18:30: Stanley: Get 30% off site wide with the code powell30

Evo: The best online experience in action sports with retail to back it up

20:00: Starting to film, high school, and travel

26:30: Rampage, leaving Rocky Mountain, and going to Evil

36:30: Product development, and the science of building lines

38:45 Spy Optic: Get 20% off on their site Spyoptic.com using the code TPM20

10 Barrel Brewery: Buy their beers, they support action sports more than anyone

40:30: Building for Seasons, the end of Evil, and racing

47:00: How long can he do this and what's next.

51:00: Inappropriate Questions

Todd Richards has done everything. He's a two-time X Games Gold Medalist in the halfpipe, he has hardware from slopestyle competition as well, and he's pretty much the voice of board sports. The funny thing is, he never really achieved the dream of being a pro skater and he had to settle for snowboarding. The history, insight, and stories that Todd brings to the table are awesome and it's another entertaining show.

Todd Richards Show Notes:

2:00: Todd and Chris Coté's Podcast and Paxton, MA as an only child

6:00: Getting the nickname Toddler and being shoved in a locker

11:30: Finding punk rock, skateboarding and dropping in on the Putnam Ramp

19:00: Stanley: Get 30% off site wide with the code powell30

Evo: The best online experience in action sports with retail to back it up

20:30: Finding snowboarding through Thrasher, his college scholarship, and getting metal edges

25:00: Funky snowboards, Brushie, and getting on Sims

36:00: The trip when he became a name, traveling and the US Open.

40:00: Spy Optic: Get 20% off on their site Spyoptic.com using the code TPM20

10 Barrel Brewery: Buy their beers, they support action sports more than anyone

39:45: Losing his dad, moving to Colorado, and his crew

46:30: Leaving Sims, Morrow, and money

49:00: Contests, Terje, and riding for Todd

53:30: The industry in changing, being worth more, Olympics and X-games

59:35: More Olympics, Rossignol, and breaking his arm

65:00: Getting into the booth at X-Games, being on TV, and Gamers at X

72:00: Other business ventures

76:00: Inappropriate Questions with Chris Coté

Saying Fabiola da Silva is the best, and most underappreciated female athlete of our time is a bold statement…but it's one that I fully believe. I can't think of another case in sport where a woman was so dominant in her field, that the sport's organizing body decided to cancel the woman's event and have the women (Fabiola) compete against the men...And Fabiola did not disappoint, standing on the podium with her peers at some of the biggest events in the world.

Fabiola da Silva Show Notes:

1:30: Life at Cedar Point Amusement Park and Cross Fit

8:00: Sao Paolo, kickboxing, and meeting Chris Edwards and Arlo

14:00: Coming to America at 16, the other girls and X-Games

18:30: Stanley: Get 30% off site wide with the code powell30

Evo: The best online experience in action sports with retail to back it up

20:15: Winning X and travel

25:00: Getting second at X, sponsors, and financial advisers

28:00: Gender, the Fabiola rule, and a bad year in 2003

36:00: Winning Silver at Latin X Games (against the men) and the end of X

38:45: Spy Optic: Get 20% off on their site Spyoptic.com using the code TPM20

10 Barrel Brewery: Buy their beers, they support action sports more than anyone

39:45: X continued, landing the double, and Rollerblade

42:30: Surviving and then finding CrossFit

56:40: Inappropriate Questions with Cesar Mora

Casey Brown has one hell of a story. This bad ass mountain biker's life has been filled with twists and turns that I will not spoil in this intro. I will say that Casey had an upbringing different than anyone's that I have met in my life. Based on all that Casey shares, you would think that she would have a totally different, maybe even strange personality. I found none of that, what I did find was an amazing athlete who knows all about highs and lows. It's another incredible story.

Casey Brown Show Notes:

1:30: Traveling and growing up in Barn Bay, NZ

13:00: Moving inland, learning to bike, divorce, and losing everything in a fire

21:15: Stanley: Get 30% off site wide with the code powell30

Evo: The best online experience in action sports with retail to back it up

22:45: Leaving her mom, Revelstoke, and her first real bike

28:00: The myth of her brother, skiing, and biking

32:40: Crankworx at 16

38:15: Spy Optic: Get 20% off on their site Spyoptic.com using the code powell20

10 Barrel Brewery: Buy their beers, they support action sports more than anyone

39:45: Losing her brother, focusing on going pro, sending it in the wrong headspace

42:30: 2012 is the year it all happens, being a woman in the bike world, and competition

50:00: Changing things up in 2016, TGR, and other film projects

56:00: Rampage

60:00: Inappropriate Questions

Once labeled a ski model, Caroline Gleich's path to becoming a respected ski mountaineer has been quite the climb. From the billboards of Utah to the monsters of the Himalaya, there is no fear in this 5'1" ball of energy. The podcast gives a little of Caroline's backstory and then a lot about Everest. It was a heavy year on the mountain and Caroline shares what she experienced. It's a real look into a world that most of us only read about and it's a great listen.

Caroline Gleich Show Notes:

1:30: Knee surgery (last week) recovery

5:00: Her backstory (2017): MN, Skiing, Utah, Kristin Ulmer, loss, photos, 2013, and challenges

20:15: Stanley: Get 30% off site wide with the code powell30

Evo: The best online experience in action sports with retail to back it up

21:30: Her insane 2018 (72 peaks), peaks she is proud of and proposing

28:00: Deciding to go to Everest, the reason, the cost

38:00: Spy Optic: Get 20% off on their site Spyoptic.com using the code TPM20

10 Barrel Brewery: Buy their beers, they support action sports more than anyone

39:30: Cost continued, knee injury, and living in a high-altitude tent

46:30: The travel, base-camp, and what's it like

54:00: ABC at 21K Feet, sickness, and food

59:00: The progression of camps, waiting an extra night at camp 2, and the bad day

53:00: Summit day, the climbing, and seeing death

70:00: The Summit, the way down, and, getting home

73:00: Inappropriate Questions

Rusty Malinoski, aka The Bone Crusher, is a World Champion Wakeboarder living the Canadian/American dream. He's got the house, the truck, the family, the CrossFit business and life is in a good place. But it hasn't always been that way. On the podcast, we talk about being forced to enter the working world earlier than expected, moving to Florida with nothing more than talent, work ethic and a belief that he would make it, his long pro career, and a crazy road rage incident.

Rusty Malinoski Show Notes:

1:30: Being intimidating and road rage

10:00: Humboldt Canada, wakeboarding, and snow

18:45: Stanley: Get 30% off site wide with the code powell30

Evo: Seattle, Portland, Denver, Whistler, and the interwebs

20:00: Getting kicked out of HS, working, and confidence

23:30: Going to Florida to make the dream happen

27:00: Getting paid, the best in the sport and Spence Bangaway:15: The younger wilder days,

22:30: The bikes in the 80's, and Craig Kelly

34:00: Getting on the Burton Team, filming with Christian Begin, and Pulp Traction

38:45: Spy Optic: Get 20% off on their site Spyoptic.com using the code TPM20

10 Barrel Brewery: Buy their beers, they support action sports more than anyone

44:15: Accessibility of the sport, X-Games, and changing his health in 2012

51:30: Inappropriate Questions with Mike Ennen

Brett Tippie is a living legend. He's one of the influential pioneers of freeride mountain biking, he was the first to absolutely send it on a bike, ride insane lines, and became the face of a sport. On the podcast we talk about being a pro snowboarder on Burton's pro team, some amazing Craig Kelly stories, bikes, partying too hard, and coming back from that to sponsors and emcee gigs. This is a funny history lesson that you do not want to miss.

Brett Tippie Show Notes:

1:30: Traveling family man, meeting at Rampage

5:00: Growing up moving, settling in Kamloops, and First Nation

11:00: Football, School, and snowboarding

17:00: Warren Miller and biking

21:00: Stanley: Get 30% off site wide with the code powell30

Evo: The best online experience in action sports with retail to back it up

22:30: The bikes in the 80's, and Craig Kelly

34:00: Getting on the Burton Team, filming with Christian Begin, and Pulp Traction

45:00 Spy Optic: Get 20% off on their site Spyoptic.com using the code TPM20

10 Barrel Brewery: Buy their beers, they support action sports more than anyone

46:30: Kranked, money, travel, and change

50:00: Sending it, what is happening with snowboarding, and bike progression

63:00: Partying, problems, digging himself out though love

65:00: Tippie is back as an athlete and a personality

68:00: Inappropriate Questions

Cesar Mora was born to become a professional soccer player and he was on track to make that happen. He moved from Australia to Spain and began training with Rayo Vallencano before visa issues forced him out of Spain. When he returned to Australia, he worked at a skateboard shop, found rollerblading, and within two years, was on top of the sport. He dominated vert from 95 to 99 and then he broke his arm. While Cesar continued to compete, he was never the same. It's an interesting story with one of the best.

Cesar Mora Show Notes:

1:30: Meeting each other and growing up in Australia

5:00: Finding soccer, soccer gets serious, and training with Roye Vaccanno in Spain

12:00: Moving back to Australia, school, and working at a skate shop

16:00: Skating and being strong

19:00: Stanley: Get 30% off site wide with the code powell30

Evo: The best online experience in action sports with retail to back it up

RESQWATER (enter the code resqwatertpm for a 20% discount on a 12 pack)

21:30: The Extreme Games, the first US Trip, and sponsors

32:30: Being professional, The Offspring ordeal at the MTV Festival, and the first 1080

41:15: Spy Optic: Get 20% off on their site Spyoptic.com using the code TPM20

10 Barrel Brewery: Buy their beers, they support action sports more than anyone

42:45: The K2 days, random injuries, and his arm

53:00: Budget cuts, my observations, and the how things end with sponsors/skating

63:00: Does his money hold out, what is he up to now?

64:00: Inappropriate Questions with Blake Dennis

Joel Gomez opened the first snowboard shop in the US when Sessions opened it's doors in Sunnyvale, CA in 1983. The shop spawned an outerwear line, a record label, and the careers of some of the most influential athletes in the action sports space. On the podcast he takes us through the history of Sessions, the legendary talent that happens to be his friends and what he is up to now. The show closes out with some 'Inappropriate Questions' with Pearl Jam's Jeff Ament.

Joel Gomez Show Notes:

1:30: Putting on his first show with Willie Nelson

3:30: Moving a lot and younger life, becoming a product of Santa Cruz, and sports

6:00: Image, skateboarding, and college

9:30: Music, Caballero shows him snowboarding, and Tom Simms

17 :00: Starting Sessions Snowboard Shop, raising money for the shop, and

20:30: Stanley: Get 30% off site wide with the code powell30

Evo: The best online experience in action sports with retail to back it up

RESQWATER (enter the code resqwatertpm for a 20% discount on a 12 pack)

23:00: Working at Sears, growing the shop, and mail order

28:00: Maximizing dollars, Sessions Clothing happens, and athletes

35:00: Getting heat for putting skiers on Sessions,

38:15: Spy Optic: Get 20% off on their site Spyoptic.com using the code TPM20

10 Barrel Brewery: Buy their beers, they support action sports more than anyone

39:45: Sessions records, Sessions firsts, and athlete loyalty

46:00: The financial crisis force forces with Samsung, getting out of that deal, and selling Sessions

53:00 : Inappropriate Questions with Jeff Ament

Graham Agassiz is way more laid back than you would expect for a mountain biker who looks forward to putting his life on the line at Rampage each year. He's one of the best, who rides with a signature, loose style that really shines in a big mountain setting. On the podcast, we talk about leaving Kona, the influence of moto and snowboarding, getting bullied, rampage, and injuries. Aggy is one of those dudes that lives to have fun and that always makes for a great podcast.

Graham Agassiz Show Notes:

1:15: From Kona to Evil

11:00: Growing up in Kamloops, RAD, and getting bullied

17:20: Sun Peaks, quitting basketball, and moto influence

21:15: Stanley: Get 30% (limited time only) off site wide with the code Stanley30

Evo: The best online experience in action sports with retail to back it up

RESQWATER (enter the code resqwatertpm for a 20% discount on a 12 pack)

23:30: BMX, being judged, and getting his first mountain bike

28:00: Mountain biking, winning a comp at Sun Peaks and quitting racing

36:00: Snowboarding influence, New World Disorder, and riding out of his comfort zone

41:30: Sponsorship, money and comparing him to other athletes

34 :00: Taking a year off after high school, and 2008 the year that defines his career

43:15: Spy Optic: Get 20% off on their site Spyoptic.com using the code TPM20

10 Barrel Brewery: Buy their beers, they support action sports more than anyone

44:40: Comparing him to skiers and snowboarders and signature products

49:00: Breaking his neck, Ashes to Agassiz, and demons

58:00: 2015 Rampage, 2016 Rampage crash and scary aftermath

65:00: Pulling out early and Rampage being the Pinnacle

66:00: Inappropriate Questions with Derek Westerlund