Interview - Darius Heristchian

Interview by SCUK (Spencer Claridge)
Pictures by Pat Vermeulen

I'm sure most will have heard of 'Darius', the tit from Pop Idol. The travesty being that there may be some that are less familiar with his infinitely more talented namesake Darius Heristchian. Following 2 silver medal honours at the World's most prestigious Big Air contests - the Innsbruck Air & Style and Japanese Nippon Open - injury has since prevented The Swiss ripper from fulfilling his true potential. We caught up with Darius at the 2005 Burton European Open to get his take on, winning $20,000, flamingo knees, Black Lace and having fun… and not necessarily in that order.

[SCUK - Spencer] So Darius how is the Burton European Open?

[Darius] Actually it's really good, I had a good run in the slope style but didn't get through and then somehow made the finals of the Half-pipe.

You make it sound as though it were an accident?

Yeah, kinda by accident.

I've seen the finalist list and there are some pretty good riders in there; Heikki Sorsa, Freddy Kalbermatten. Are you sure it was an accident or are you just being modest? Have you been secretly practising half-pipe?

No, not really, I haven't been riding much because of injuries.

Yes, I wanted to ask you about this because it seems ages since I've seen coverage of you, what's happened?

In season 2001 I had a bone Contusion and ligament damage, resulting in a flamingo knee. And so I trained hard to come back for season 2002, and when I think back now, I realise that I over-trained with running, cycling, swimming. Then I injured my neck, blowing nerve roots landing feet first on a mini security mattress. My board stuck to the mat like glue and I had a standing whiplash. Bad Italian doctor on the contest site, bad diagnoses, then few other bad diagnoses until my ostheopath told me what to check - ended up at the neuro doc. I think I was so keen to come back strong that I put a lot of pressure on myself. I rode shit in contests, yet rode well for myself.

That's unlike you. You're usually a Bookies favourite.

I know, I wasn't in the right frame of mind, I put myself under too much unuseful pressure. I got back strong but with too much expectation. Stubborn to show myself and the rest of the industry how my riding could get. I wasn't getting as much pleasure from my riding, perhaps because I had the wrong targets, and then I got more disheartened, and so then I was finding it difficult to manage my career.

So psychology is a large part of snowboarding?

Oh for sure, I placed too much pressure on myself because I'm a perfectionist. Actually, in the summer 2002 I rode good and did some filming with Absinthe films, but because of politics between the production company and sponsors the footage never made it into the film. So it looks as though I haven't been riding for a long time.

Wow, so irrespective of talent, you were side-lined due to commercial issues. What hope does that give riders?

It's not that simple. Anyhow, eventually thanks to Candide Thovex and the good will of Absinthe I could use this footage to build a video part in SPECIAL DELIVERY .Candide's prod last joint check it. Basically, you need talent and some luck. If you are talented, people will notice you and they will put you in front the right people and in the right places. Eventually you'll get some luck. Talent and professionalism are important requirements for a successful rider.

Well not to appear sycophantic, but I believed you to be one of the best Euros before your absence with injury, and it's one of the reasons that I've selected you for the very first SCUK interview. How do you feel receiving compliments?

Good, good now 'cos I can ride and I'm happy. But I do go red sometimes. My dad is very humble and I inherited that. I just always take into consideration that most people have a talent for something and just because they don't rock on a snowboard doesn't mean a thing. Everybody has a talent for something, but not everybody discovers it.

Are you gonna get better, or do you think you've peaked?

I'm gonna get better for sure. I'm 25 now but more mentally prepared to deal with life's little tests. When I was rehabilitating I would think and dream of snowboarding and by envisaging yourself performing tricks you can actually improve. Try it sometime - go through the physics of the movement in your mind and then perform the trick. If you can't imagine each stage of the trick you'll never be able to perform it.

I'll take it as a given that you don't start with switch backside 900's. But once again this is another example of the psychology behind snowboarding and sports in general, and in particular non-team sports. Because your so often on your own, do you think it makes you self absorbed.

Yes it can make you self absorbed, and a lot of snowboarders have a difficult time keeping their girlfriends. Because it is such a powerful emotion that you enjoy alone, or in the presence of just a few friends. I snowboard because I enjoy it firstly and the respect it brings is nice, but you have to keep things in perspective. Some riders believe their own hype and behave like Rock Stars.

Are there many of these Rock Star characters in Snowboarding?

There are tonnes, Some are able to detach their personal life from their snowboarding persona, but it's not that always that straight-forward. For example, a lot of people think Romain (de Marchi) is an asshole, but he's not.

It's interesting that you mention Romain, because I have friends who know him personally and tell me that he is a lovely guy. Yet you cannot blame those who have either, read interviews or seen him at comps, draw the conclusion that he is a Rock Star/Asshole. Are you saying that this is some sort of wall that he puts up?

It's not a wall it's a castle. At his level, there are so many people who would love to pull him down,(or take a bite of him), so he just gives them what he wants them to have. If he lets them in, they will suck him dry and leave a shell of a boy. So he gives off this attitude and some people think he's an asshole for it, but I think it drives him on really good. It's difficult when you get to his level to know who to trust, as there are a lot of fickle people out there. I thought about this a lot during my injury. When I was injured, I visited some contests etc. but sometimes was not being allowed entrance to the VIP areas with my friends. That's bull-shit no.

Well it certainly sounds like the superficiality I'd often associate with celebrity, but if you're not in favour I suppose you get pushed to the back a little as with any competitive or performance related pursuit.

I understand that you have to be accountable but there are levels I think, which is why I'd like to thank my team managers for being understanding and believing in my ability to perform again. But generally they themselves are older individuals and understand that it's not just a young persons sport, and that the more mature riders have different qualities. You understand the circus of the snowboarding media and you know how to cope with the pressures. I think a lot of young riders coming into the sport now are being thrown into this massive movement to drive the sport into the mass market and not sure they have any other association with the sport than the money making aspect. Don't you think that is losing the soul a bit?

I know what you're saying, the very action of riding is incredibly satisfying, absorbing and thoroughly exhilarating but it's all extremely paradoxical isn't it to imagine that when you start attracting large sponsorship endorsements that you're gonna be left to your own devices to go off and ride when and how you like.

We are commodities for sure, but you gotta get the balance and retain a little bit of your riding for you. We are not robots you know!

Shaun White could be a robot?

He is such a robot, his riding is almost generic, and almost boring in a way sometimes. I don't mean to criticise him cos I think he is the best rider ever in the transition, but I don't think he is the best in the air yet, even though he is inspiring me I d like to see more magic in the air time, I know he'll do it. I think he is an amazing athlete, especially as he was born with a hole in his heart…respect man

And ginger hair…

Ok, and ginger hair. But I admire his achievements even though for me he is not my favourite to watch. He is a massive product, and I wouldn't be surprised if he starts a rock band next.

Maybe he could call the band 'White Lace' after Black Lace. Do you know Black Lace?

No… Are they friends of Black Sabbath?

I very much doubt it. Anyhow I can see that everybody is getting ready to go to the Busta Rhymes concert, so I'll ask a couple of quickies to finish up. You're in the half-pipe finals of the BEO but do you consider yourself a park/pipe/competition/free rider?

Can I be a bit of everything? Can I be that, 'cos I like to ride it all.

Darius, you can be a cross dresser if you like.

That wasn't one of the choices. I just like to ride my board, whether it is in contest, on the piste, back country or even back yard. It is what you make it. There is a phrase in Switzerland 'Everybody sees noon at his own door in French', which translates 'Everybody sees noon at his own door'. It means you can have a lot and not be happy and you can have very little and be very happy.

Cool, I'm hearing ya! Who's in your riding posse?

All the Quiky guys and all the guys from Pulp 68 who I grew up riding with like Romain (de Marchi) & Joel (Strecker), and the THERMOS crew.

Is Romain gonna like the fact that you've blown his cover and told everyone that he's a nice guy?

He's not gonna care. He just care's about his riding, and people admire his riding.

What's your biggest prize purse?

$20,000 for 2nd place in Japan. Biggest and last for the moment.

You must have been stoked, that's not a bad night's work?

Yeah, but we had agreed to split the prize money before the contest, so not as stoked as I could have been.

Is your style your own or are you trying to emulate someone else's?

No, it's not my own, I get an injection.

Shit, really? We don't get those on the NHS.
Are there any British riders that you respect?

I think there are a lot of good riders coming through the competition circuits. Danny Wheeler has a real good style, especially for someone so tall, he's a strong rider. And Tyler (Chorlton), and Hamish (Duncan) have good styles. But I really like hanging with the British crew, they have a good sense of humour.

Full marks Darius. It's just as well you said that, otherwise this may never have made it to print. And so, to wrap this thing up, what plans do you have for the future.

I'm making a documentary shot on 16mm and super 8mm about travelling, snowboarding and discovery. We want to give an insight into the individuals, their riding styles, attitude, vision and everything. We want to avoid just filming a trick diary video, the idea being that the appeal will be much broader than for just snowboarders. It's gonna have a huge focus on fun, to combat the current feeling that, only the Hemsedal kicker sessions can make good film. Like I say, discovery… into what really makes for a fun day snowboarding.

Sounds cool who's in it and when can we get our hands on it?

Mathieu Crepel, Thomas Bruner, Joel Strecker, Martin Cernik, Matus Hubbka few more maybe unkown to the public and we hope to have the pilot available end of 05 and the movie is a season project maybe more.

Darius 'Nice Guy' Heristchian, thank you very much. You'll always be welcome in my VIP lounge. Now get the beers in before I tell the British crew that you slagged them all off in this interview.

Darius is sponsored by Quiksliver, Nidecker, Arnette, Level, PULP 68 and Nivarlis

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By Spencer Claridge. Published 4th April, 2005.