Milk Teeth: Ross Needham

Years riding: 14

Sponsors: Burton, Tsa and anon

If you had a dream trip and bring anyone, where would you go and who would you bring?
I would love to do a pow trip to Japan or South America. As for peeps on the trip I’d take a random bunch. I know kids in domes who’ve been riding years but never on a real mountain, so it would be fun to watch them hit something steep and deep and then some true powder hounds who could teach me some stuff like Gigi, Terje or John Jackson.

Would you rather ride a perfect street rail set up or champagne powder?
It has to be powder! Due to injury and weather conditions I only had 2 powder days last winter so I’m just craving more.

Who is in your crew?
I’m actually a bit of a loner when I ride. I’m blessed to have so many good friends to ride with all over the place but I do enjoy shredding on my own too. So I guess my crew is all of my friends, from the grindhouse guys, my Austrian friends, anyone I’ve met on my travels, the kids I shred indoor with and anyone in between. Thanks to anyone who I’ve been riding with.

You spend a lot of your time shaping the Mayrhofen park, if you could build your perfect obstacle what would it be?
I’d love to be allowed to build my own version of the stair set we have there (which is a little lame I think haha) but with a way more legit set up and bigger with more options, mega jib shit basically haha

Getting some laps in between shaping.

Getting some laps in between shaping.

 

You ride a lot in the fridges of UK. Would you rather ride a perfect indoor slope set up or on a flat light weather day on the mountain?
I get to ride a perfect slope set up every time at Tamworth so I’m lucky but 1 day on a mountain in bad conditions is worth 100 perfect days indoor. I love my indoor but I just love being on a mountain!

Which riders do you look up to?
I have loads, but any of my friends who have fun when riding is an inspiration. But if I’m gonna name drop I’d have to say Will Smith, Kas, Kevin Trammer, Len Jorgensen and Tommy Gesme are my favourites right now.

What is your goal for snowboarding?
To never have a goal. I never want it to become something serious. I love doing what I do and I have fun doing it my way, I’m not going to the Olympics or anything so I’ll leave that to the god gifted kids, I’m just gonna go shred, go really fast, party, make a mess of myself and have fun doing it!

Would you take up the offer of being a full time pro but you were only allowed to ever ride indoors?
Think my last answer just answered this, no not at all, I’m happy doing what I do and wouldn’t want any more or less pressure. I ride too much indoor already haha

 

Your life would be easier if what?
If snowboarding didn’t hurt, if I owned a strip club, if partying was cheaper, if Tamworth had mountains. There’s too many haha

What is the worst trip you have ever been on?
That’s easy. I went to Morzine for the Volcom pbrj finals in 2013. Worst weather conditions ever for a rail jam, slush falling from the sky, shitty set up, nearly died of frostbite then got pepper sprayed and thrown out of the club by the bouncers. I’ve been pepper sprayed 3 times in the same club in the last 4 years. French hospitality.

Swapping indoors for out, Mayrhofen, Austria.

Swapping indoors for out, Mayrhofen, Austria.