Interview - Scott McMorris

Interview by SCUK (Spencer Claridge)
Pictures by various

Fresh from his victory at The Orange British Snowboard Championships in Laax, Switzerland, SCUK catches up with the flying Scotsman, Scott McMorris, to offer its congratulations on what was undoubtedly the most strongly contested title challenge ever seen before at the Champs.

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[SCUK - Spencer] Morning Scott, and congratulations. I won't bore people with a trick count, but hey, what a final! It must have been a great feeling nailing that faultless run, but what does regaining the British Slope Style Crown mean to you?

[Scott] Oh Blimey, you've got me there. Basically at the Brits you get to ride with friends you've not seen all season and it's an opportunity to showcase your talents. I love it cos you turn up and bust out all your moves that you've been practising all that season and it's nice to get the recognition. Particularly in the Slope Style discipline as it's the discipline that I can shine in so it means a lot to me to win it.

Interesting point you make about riding with your friends and yet wanted to shine above others, which obviously highlights your competitive streak.

Yeah but that's just me personally, cos I suppose I'm slightly competitive I guess, I suppose I must be, hey?

You admit that reluctantly as though it's not a commendable attribute?

No, because a lot of people don't like being competitive, and a lot of people don't like to admit to being competitive, but when it comes down to it a think there are probably a lot of closet competitive folk out there.

But it can be fun as well, can't it?

Well that's exactly it, cos this year we had like a jam format for what… 40 minutes, and then we had to put the simple stuff down to make it through the preliminary rounds and you are effectively riding with your friends at the end of the day and no-one's taking it super seriously and so it takes the pressure off, so yeah it's good fun… it's brilliant!

Saying that Scott, you're a composed competitor and really seem to excel when the pressure is on

Well I don't know if that's true, some times it does and some times it all kind of goes to pot. Earlier on in the year I was at Gumby's Big Day Out, Tyler (chorlton) and I got straight through to the final and didn't have to qualify. I'd been riding well all day in practise and then when it came to the finals it all went wrong, and I don't know whether it was down to nerves or what, but when it came to the Orange BRIT,S it had a relaxed atmosphere and it almost felt like your doing laps in the training park

So are you saying that the Orange BRITS lacks that real intense pressure atmosphere

Well yeah, you just put it all to the side and get on with your riding and then all of a sudden it just creeps up on you and your in the final and you think, well it's time to pull your finger out, and then it gets more serious.

Sounds like getting straight into the finals without qualification is a disadvantage to me Scott

Yeah, could be

Has the Slope Style title raised your profile?

I don't know really cos after the season I came straight back to Edinburgh, and a lot of people, in particular my brothers friends, were asking, "how did you get on, how was your season, and how was the British Champs?" And I guess because I'm surrounded in the winter season by a lot of friends who don't really talk about it that much, when you tell people that aren't in the scene, they're almost blown away by it. And so, I suppose, it's quite a nice… you know… quite a nice… ahhh!

I'm gonna help you out there Scott as you seem to be struggling explaining that, perhaps, you find it quite satisfying, I would guess? Why so modest, do you think it's conceited to admit this?

Well yeah I suppose so… but then again, it is nice to come home and tell someone straight that you're British Champion

Hahaha, here comes the truth. You've had a bloody tattoo, haven't you?

Ohh nooo! I've been spending too much time with Neave (Elliot). But to get back to the question about raising my profile. I hope it will do, but I mean it's only a couple of months ago so we'll just have to wait and see..

Well I don't suppose it can hurt, but what of the future? Where do you see your riding heading… comps, trips, achievements?

I'm not sure. I mean I always thought I'd like to just do trips and not get too involved in the competitive side of things.

But you're bloody good at it!

Yeah I've realised that and that's what's changed my view, cos this year I've done a handful, probably around four comps and they've all been good fun and I've really enjoyed them, and I looked back over the results and I've done reasonably half decent. And so for next year I thought I might maintain the trips but keep a close eye on, and aim to get involved in, the competition circuit because there's quite a bit of dosh up for grabs and if you can hold your own then anything can happen.

Well yeah, I think it would be foolish not to, cos you do have a talent for comps, but I appreciate why you might resist from dedicating your career to comps as I imagine it could take some of the fun out of riding?

Oh Definitely, but you gotta just keep telling yourself you're in it for a laugh and the good times and enjoy it. I mean some of the riders who have been following the TTR comps for years and years may feel a little over it but I'm fresh.

At least the TTR events are rider focused

Yeah, the FIS comps are a lot more regimented and it makes for a different vibe

Interesting you should bring that up cos a criticism of the TTR is that because there is this real camaraderie and a lot of the riders decide to split the money, it lacks that real competitive edge which often disappoints crowds and the media

Yeah, but for me as a rider I prefer these type of comps, and so I'll be concentrating on these and mixing it with lots of filming and photo trips to new mountains, new countries etc. with an emphasis on working with more European based photographers to branch out into the European mags and put my name about.

Good, I'd like to see that. I want to see you getting more European recognition, in fact it leads me quite nicely onto my next question… oh no it doesn't… well it will now rather conveniently. Do you think we'll ever produce a snowboarding superstar?

Definitely. I mean there's no reason why not. We've got Tyler at the minute and he's like 19 and he can do pretty much everything, and a lot of young kids I see coming up through the ranks of the Orange AIM Series, if they have the right attitude and put in the time you never know where it can lead.

So d'you value the benefit that dryslopes and indoor slopes can offer the kids?

Oh yeah definitely. I mean particularly the indoor slopes cos they don't have to make the transition onto snow. You get kids that are prepared to spend 2 or 3 nights a week in the indoor slopes, then soon enough that sort of commitment is gonna get these kids dying to do their first season and before you know it, THEY'RE LIVING THE DREAM MAN! (Screamed down the phone, whilst no doubt gesturing the right handed shaka bra signal)

I hear what you're saying Scott, but when you consider that talented Euro kids are hitting slopes at perhaps age 4/5, can British youngsters, who realistically aren't gonna spend there first season away til there about 17 really compete on equal terms?

I think, if you're naturally talented and you get early riding in, here in the UK, and you've got the right temperament, then there's no reason why not.

When did you start riding then?

My first snowboard experience was when I was10 years old whilst on a ski trip with my folks in Scotland, but it wasn't until about 4 years later that I started doing it on a more frequent basis with trips up North with older friends that could drive. And then once I realised it was kicking off I started going up to Hillend (dryslope) a couple of times a week.

Quite a bit of dedication then?

Yeah I suppose. And it got me into skating as well, so when I wasn't snowboarding I'd be skating and I found that one really helped the other

Well rails are a speciality of yours, so I've no doubt that skating has helped somehow

There were so many rail tricks that I'd want to pull on a skateboard but couldn't so I'd pull them snowboarding and envisage doing it whilst skating. It's a lot easier and you generally don't get injured so badly

It's as though we planned it Scott, I'm glad you mention injuries. Snowboarding can be quite a short career and as we've said demands a level of commitment, cos you need to live where there's snow, so, is it all worth it?

Oh definitely! When I go away for seasons I have the most incredible time and then I come back to Edinburgh and you get a reality check. Then you hook up with friends and family and find out what they've been doing, and you discover that they're kinda living the normal conventional life and you question your choices and think perhaps this is what I should be doing… you know… settling down, thinking of the future etc. Then you get back on your snowboard, and it's all erased and you think - no no, this is exactly what I should be doing. There's no way I should be back home forcing an issue.

Well, I suppose generations are moving on and whereas before you were urged to get into something at an early age that would build a career for life…

People are just happy becoming ski-bums! Seriously though, there are loads of opportunities within the industry. So should you get to the point where you feel like you're just not enjoying it anymore then you can step into a line of work related to the industry, so there's scope outside of being a rider.

This was the point I was trying to make earlier. There are very few riders out there earning retirement wage salaries, and so that was the question really, about whether it is all worth it. Do you think it can induce pro-athlete fall-out, with people having lead such charmed lifestyles for so long that they then find it very hard to readjust to normality.

I don't know, I'll let you know when it happens… I guess it could be difficult because it is such a special experience, but better to have loved and lost I suppose. And a lot of people are concerned about what they'll be doing in 10 or 15 years and I'm just not like that. I'll worry about that later. If you love it, then you've gotta give it all you got cos you'll never know, and I don't wanna live with regrets.

Don't get the idea that I'm trying to deter you, I want to see riders like you, Tyler & Co showing Europe what Brits are capable of achieving and you're a role model to the British kids. In particular, when you joined me on the AIM Series Schools Tour I really noticed the way the kids looked up to you.

Yeah I know, and I'd never thought of the effect that you have on youngsters before. And when you're there in front of them and you can see that they're really stoked on the whole deal and they really wanna get involved, it makes you appreciate the position that you're in yourself, so it's cool.

OK Scott, well that's a nice note to draw things to a close, but before we do. For the last month we've given folk the opportunity to pose their very own questions to you. Need less to say we were inundated with entrants…

Really?

Well no, this is the only guy that wrote in [name withheld to protect his identity]

Hahahaha.

Oh bugger I've ruined the surprise now. OK, here we go, he has written, 'first of all, can you tell him that I love him and I want his babies,

Hahahaha. You dick!

Honest to God Scott, I'm not making this up, and it's not Johno Verity messing around. This guy writes 'first of all, can you him that I love him and I want his babies, I'm obsessed with his part in TSA's video Proper. My question is "Who's your favorite UK rider, not in a riding sense, but in the personality way".

Ha ha, OK, it would have to be Elliot Neave.

Ok, diplomatically sidestepped, but just to back track ever so quickly, that question WAS from a bloke, and so does illustrate that you have appeal across the board; both sexes Scott you'll be glad to know, so if you were considering taking a trip to the dark side, I think you could do very well. OK, so Elliot Neave hey? Surely he's a tw@t?

No, I think he comes across like he's a ----. I think he tries to be a ----, but no I love him, he's brilliant

Do you think his tw@tishness is a defense mechanism?

Oh maybe. You could well be right, I've never really thought of it like that before.

Nah, I can't imagine it. He's far too arrogant

Yeah. He does speak a lot of nonsense some of the time. Well, actually most of the time, but he's entertaining, he's a good lad. And I've just spent so much time with him through snowboarding, you know, that we've bonded.

He is someone that a lot of people can instantly dislike though isn't he? Cos he is an arrogant bloke. Whereas you, quite conversely, are someone who is pretty modest.

Yeah I know, it's like chalk and cheese I suppose. I mean I can understand how many people may come to the conclusion that he's a cock-end, but I know him inside out and he's good fun… in fact, he's hilarious.

Well that's gotta be the first positive press he's ever got, so thanks, Scott McMorris for that. Ok Scott, I think that's pretty much a wrap. Is there anything in particular that you'd like to sign off with, a little note to our readers perhaps?

I dunno, just keep snowboarding I guess, and KEEP IT REAL (expressed with slight irony)

And any particular message for the young gentleman who apparently wants your babies?

KEEP IT REAL, but KEEP YOUR DISTANCE (expressed slightly more seriously)

Thanks Scott, a fantastic sign off… Rather unlikely though as the guy did express an interest in spending the season in Mammoth next season and so I've forwarded your details. So good luck with the restraining order and all the best for next season from all at SCUK.

Trick: Super styled shifty BS180. Location: Orange Brits, Laax.
Photo: Natalie Mayer

Scott Mcmorris is sponsored by Bakoda Accessories, Boardwise Shops, NIVARLIS Hats, Oakley Clothing, Oakley Eyewear, Ride Snowboards, Vans Boots/ Shoes

Scott Mcmorris Soulsports.co.uk Profile

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By Spencer Claridge. Published 14th June, 2005.